LoveToKnow Dogs:AllComments

From LoveToKnow Dogs

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Hi Lisa, and welcome to the site.

It's possible that your dog could be having a false pregnancy, but the best thing you can do is take her to your vet for an exam. At her advanced age, a pregnancy would be difficult, but not impossible. Better to find out exactly what you're dealing with.

Thanks for sharing your situation, and I hope everything works out for the best. Please let us know what you find out.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Oh Boy do I hope my 10yr. old shepard/rotweiller is going through a phantom pregnancy! When shes outside shes behind a fenced in area,and she rarely out there longer than 2hrs at a time.Plus shes usually in plain view. She was in heat about two months ago,and cleaning up behind her wasn't as messy as usual. For the past two weeks I've noticed milk oozing out of her swollen nipples,a tightly closed swollen vulva,and she's whining alot( like she needs something that I'm not giving her).What else....? Oh yeah,when she goes into the basement storage room with me she makes a mad dash underneath the shelf closest to the floor,where she has to squeeze herself into,then I have to coax her out. My other concern is that she's to old to be pregnant(70 in dog years?)Please tell me its still possible that it's a phantom pregnancy. Sincerly SHAME ON ME FOR NOT HAVING HER NUETERED

-- Contributed by: Lisa

Hi Keeley, and welcome to the site.

The easy answer is that if your dog was recently in heat and she had the opportunity to spend time with an intact male dog, chances of her being pregnant are about 50/50, maybe higher. It can be difficult to tell during the early weeks, but we do have some informative articles on this topic that I think will help. Check out:

Your vet can also help diagnose a pregnancy either by feeling the uterus or performing a blood test to check for the presence of pregnancy hormones.

We have a lot of information about dog pregnancy on the site, so take some time to explore. Don't hesitate to ask more questions. We'll help in any way we can. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

hi i have a staffie.she is nearlly 2 years old. I think she is pregnant but the rest of my famiy dont she has been on heat and the cycle. She also has had all the symptons to her pregnecy could you plz tell me what the chances are thnx!!!!(-:

-- Contributed by: keeley

Hi Darren,

if you're sure your dog was never bred, then this does sound like the symptoms of a false pregnancy. Give your dog a couple of days to get over her deliver behaviors, and then start getting her outside more for fresh air and exercise. This will give her a different perspective and help take her mind off "mothering" behaviors. Don't be surprised if she adopts a toy or some other item as a puppy. It happens. Most of this behavior and the milk production is usually over within a few weeks, but don't hesitate to contact your vet if it goes on longer than this because the entire episode is triggered by the hormones not returning to normal levels at the end of the regular heat cycle.

Thanks for your question. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

hi ,i have a staffie thats nearly 2 and not had a litter yet . took her to the vets last wk for some skin irritation and they put her on antibiotics,she yesterday started showing signs that u would ,i think ,would say she were pregs because shes trying to bed down a lott and shes producing milk from 6 of her teets,could this be phantom and what can i do 2 help her .

-- Contributed by: daren

Hi Jo, and welcome to the site.

Just to be clear, are you saying your dog is having heat cycles more frequently than every six months? She has to go through a heat cycle before a false pregnancy.

I can understand your vet wanting to delay spaying until the heat cycle has completely ended, but I'm not sure about why he wants to wait an entire three months. I don't think it would be a good idea to let your dog have a litter simply to regulate her cycle. It may be beneficial to get a second opinion from another vet. Spaying would put a stop to the hormonal rollercoaster your dog is currently on.

Thanks for your question, and I hope the situation works out for the best.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

I have 2 female 3year old german pointers. one of them I have only had a year. she is having recurring phantom pregnancys, the vet told me she has to be 3 months clear of this before she can be spayed, but unfortunately she is not going long enough and is now having another. would allowing her to have a litter help the situation?

-- Contributed by: Jo Brown

I have a 3year old american bull dog ... and a 9 month old boxer dog,is the boxer old enough to mate because i have just noticed the her nipples are full of milk and leaking a clear liquid, or is it a phantom pregnancy?

Hi Samantha, if your bitch has had her first season, there's a chance she could have been bred. There's a bit of concern here because she is a bit young to support a litter. My advice is to ask your vet to give her the blood test for pregnancy so you know exactly what you're dealing with. If she is pregnant, you can discuss with your vet how to provide the support she needs to help her through the pregnancy.

Thanks for your question, and best wishes that all turns out well.

-- Contributed by: samanth harrison
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