False pregnancy in dogs is a serious mental and physiological disorder. Yes, it’s a disorder, because it’s difficult to clearly call it a disease, for a number of reasons. Most non-pregnant females periodically show symptoms of pseudopregnancy. Outward signs of her are identical to pregnancy. The difference is that the condition occurs in the absence of the fact of intercourse with the male. Signs of false pregnancy in dogs appear most often after two or less months after another estrus. And it does not depend on whether the female ever had puppies or not.
What is a disorder?
Because of the false pregnancy syndrome in dogs, changes in the psyche and physiology occur. Certain reasons for the occurrence of this condition are still not precisely established. Scientists biologists make only assumptions. Many of them describe the symptoms of false pregnancy in dogs as a reaction to hormonal changes after estrus. The condition occurs due to the increased production of lactogenic hormones by the body.
Veterinarians have identified several main causes of false pregnancy in dogs:
- unstable breeding activity, lack of regularity;
- inflammatory processes with the formation of pus;
- excessive production of the hormone, which is secreted only during the gestation of puppies.
Biology disorder
In the third stage of the estrous cycle, the body of bitches produces yellow bodies. They produce hormonal currents that cause pregnancy. In the event of fertilization, other types of hormones come into force. In the absence of pregnancy, the yellow bodies are exhausted, and the body returns to normal. The lifespan of the corpus luteum is equal to the gestational age - that is, up to two and a half months. It turns out that, regardless of fertilization, the growth of hormones in the dog’s body is responsible for bearing the offspring. Their number affects how clearly false pregnancy will be expressed.
Also one of the reasons why a dog has a false pregnancy is the freezing of the embryos. They can resolve on a four-week period. In this case, the females observe the behavior of the mother. The dog builds a nest, wears toys, shoes, and clothing there. In extreme cases, the dog even pushes, as in childbirth.
Symptoms of Pseudo-Pregnancy
There are a number of signs of false pregnancy in dogs. In the fifth, eighth week after estrus, the nipples begin to swell in the dog, milk is produced. All this may be accompanied by outbreaks of aggression.
The dog is building a nest. She can bring toys into it, and if they are not, then any household items that can remind her of puppies in some way. Things can be completely unexpected: slippers, leather boot, washcloth, brush, bottles and more. Moreover, there is a noticeable difference in how the dog transfers them - carefully, like a real puppy. Also one of the signs is loss of appetite, followed by a rise in temperature. The dog seeks privacy, refuses to walk. In some females, this process goes unnoticed. But there are severe cases, with a limp on the hind legs, cramped gait and staggering backside. The possibility of developing diseases of the musculoskeletal system should be anticipated. The dog may show signs of toxicosis, false birth.
False pregnancy is not dangerous, only its consequences can be detrimental. The dog should be under the supervision of a veterinarian. Otherwise, mastitis, neurosis, purulent inflammation of the uterus can develop imperceptibly.
The dog has a false pregnancy. What to do?
During this period, each owner wants to help his pet, alleviate suffering. It is important to know all about the symptoms and treatment of false pregnancy in dogs. It is necessary to create adverse conditions, as in the wild, as if the flock is starving. That is, reduce the amount of protein in the diet and the portion of food in general. Water should also be given less, this will affect the production of milk. It is necessary to physically load the dog, as if the pack was in search of food in the wild. And you should remove from the dog’s access all objects that it can use as dummies of puppies.
When a false pregnancy is not pronounced, the above actions will help her. But in advanced cases, you should show the dog to the veterinarian. The specialist will prescribe homeopathic remedies or a course of hormonal substances necessary in a particular case.
How long does a false pregnancy in dogs last?
In most cases, signs of pseudo-pregnancy in bitches last up to twenty days. All this time the owners should be patient. The need for special treatment is not required.
Pseudopregnancy treatment
In cases where the symptoms are acute, the treatment of false pregnancy in dogs is prescribed. As a rule, veterinarians choose the most effective course of hormone therapy. Prescribe drugs that include estrogens in combination with progestogens and androgens. Their use is unsafe, so you should carefully follow the recommendations of a veterinarian. Bald patches may appear at the injection site, the color of the coat and other unpleasant consequences will change.
Fake Pregnancy Myths
The first myth is based on the fact that supposedly sterilizing the dog eliminates the possibility of a false pregnancy. But this is not the answer to the question why the dog has a false pregnancy. There is such a hormone, prolactin, located in the pituitary gland (in the brain). He is responsible for the production of milk. So, the removal of the ovaries does not affect the occurrence of lactation. A sterile dog is less susceptible to a uterine tumor.
Some dog breeders believe that once a mated female is not prone to miscarriage. It is very clear that this is not so. True, if mating and pregnancy are regular, this eliminates false frailty. This is the second myth.
The third fallacy is dog punishment. Some consider it the right decision to select "adopted" plush toys, boots, brushes, and also scold the dog for such behavior. This is extremely cruel. The bitch really believes that all the objects hidden in the nest are actually her puppies. Taking them away from her is like taking away real puppies. It is better to distract the pet, run with it more, play, but do not scold. She does this not out of stupidity, but under the influence of hormones. The unexpected "robbery of the nest" will become even more stressful for her, and in addition, mistrust of the offending host will appear.
Among medical errors - tying pyometers directly to a false pregnancy in dogs. This is not proven, and the hypothesis is based only on the fact that the disease was cured by hormonal therapy during a false pregnancy.
Another popular assertion is that the ligation of the nipples of a bitch will stop the production of milk and this will eliminate the false pregnancy. Such actions can lead to stagnation in the mammary glands of the knots. When it stimulates the nipples to release nutrient fluid, it is best to put on a blanket or grease with camphor oil. But, again, camphor oil can harm dogs with congenital heart problems. Expressing milk in the dog and massaging the nipples is not allowed. This will only aggravate the situation.
The danger of false fraud
During the “spoon” of the gland of the bitch, milk stores, mastitis develops in a neglected state. In addition, due to the accumulation of excessive amounts of mucus in the uterus, pseudopregnancy often leads to a pyometer. This is called purulent inflammation of the uterus. This disease is characterized by high mortality rates. Treat only by removal of the ovaries, in other words, surgical sterilization of the dog. That is, the pet must be neutered. It is important that the procedure is carried out by a specialist. He will prescribe the next course of therapy.
Output
From all that has been read above, it has already become clear that pseudo-power is a series of physiological phenomena following each other, accompanied by a specific neurosis that appears on the basis of the unrealized natural needs of the bitch, i.e. motherhood, which increases the status of the dog in the pack as a lifespan. Together with the unstable psyche of the dog, this leads to the described pathological condition.
False pregnancy is determined primarily by changing the behavior of the dog. By the way, in some dogs, the manifestation of pseudo-power comes down only to emotional and behavioral changes. According to recent research by scientists, false pregnancy is common in overly emotional females who have difficulty splashing out their energy in communication and intellectual tasks. Here you can add excessive emotional contact with the owners, a desire to realize their status in the "pack", and the only method is to become pregnant.
To facilitate the course of false pregnancy, the owner should put the dog on a diet and at the same time increase the longitude and quality of the walk. Load the dog physically and intellectually. In no case do not scold the dog for its special behavior. The owner must carefully monitor the physical condition of the bitch, with exacerbation of symptoms, be sure to consult a veterinarian.
If the owner of the bitch does not plan to engage in breeding, you should think about sterilization before the onset of the first symptoms of an insidious disorder. For those who are not ready for such problems, it is worth getting a dog.