Has anyone's dog ever had symptoms like this? The breasts are enlarged, the belly is enlarged, milk is flowing. As an owner, when we see this, we think...This is definitely a pregnancy! Hurry and take your dog to the vet to prepare yourself to be a new mother. But when you go for a checkup, nothing is found. It turns out that the dog is not pregnant. So what happened to our dog? Why does she have the same symptoms as a pregnant dog? Let's get to know about "pseudo pregnancy" in dogs.
Pseudopregnancy or Blighted ovum It is a condition where the dog has external characteristics and hormone levels similar to a pregnant dog, such as breasts, milk flowing, an enlarged abdomen, and behavior of digging a nest for giving birth. Some dogs may hug or cuddle dolls or toys like they are raising their puppies. Some dogs may behave aggressively and possessively of toys or dolls, like dogs possessing their puppies. But in reality, the dog does not have any puppies in its stomach. This symptom is usually found after the dog has been in heat for about 2-3 months.
What causes false pregnancy?
To understand why dogs get false pregnancy, we must first understand the dog's estrus cycle. The estrus cycle has four stages:
- Proestrous period This is the period before actual mating, which will last approximately 3-17 days (with an average of 9 days). Owners will notice that the female dog's genitals will be swollen and red, and there will often be blood flowing from the genitals. During this period, the male dog will show interest in the female dog, but the female dog will not yet allow the male to mate.
- Estrous period This is the true mating period (heat period) which will last from 3 to 21 days (with an average of 9 days). This is the period when the female will allow the male to mate. Ovulation will occur and fertilization with sperm will result in an embryo (if mating occurs). During this period, the female dog's genitals will still be swollen but will start to shrivel up when compared to the Proestrus period. Some bleeding from the genitals may be found, but it will usually be lighter in color than the first stage.
- Dyestrous period This is the period after mating. When entering this period, the dog will not allow the male to mate. This period will be a period with high progesterone hormone. This hormone will help make the dog's uterus suitable for pregnancy. If the dog mates, she will become pregnant. The pregnancy period is approximately 60 days. In dogs that have not mated, this period will be uncertain, usually around 60-80 days.
- Anestrous period It is a resting period of the estrus cycle. It is a period that follows the dyestrus period. It usually lasts for about 90-150 days. It is a period where there are no changes in the reproductive system in female dogs. The genitals will be of normal size and there will be no swelling or redness.
The important point is the dyestrus stage. Generally, if a dog is not bred, the level of progesterone will be high for a while and then gradually decrease. However, some dogs have a continuous high level of progesterone, similar to a pregnant dog, and then decrease rapidly (in pregnant dogs, progesterone will decrease rapidly on the day of birth). This causes the brain to release another hormone called prolactin. This prolactin stimulates milk production, which causes some dogs to have symptoms similar to a pregnant dog.
In addition, spaying a dog shortly after it has stopped being in heat (spaying during the end of heat or during the early dyestrus period) can also cause a false pregnancy. This is because spaying removes the ovaries, which are the sources of progesterone. This causes the progesterone level in the blood to drop rapidly, just like during childbirth. This can cause a dog to have a false pregnancy.
Treatment of dogs with pseudomembranous colitis
In general, dogs with pseudopregnancy No treatment is required Because when the progesterone hormone level decreases, the false pregnancy will disappear on its own, which usually takes about 2-3 weeks. In addition, you should not do anything that stimulates the dog's breasts, such as not massaging or squeezing the breasts, and not applying warm compresses to the breasts, or letting the dog lick its own breasts because it will cause more milk to flow. You can use a collar to prevent licking for dogs that lick their own breasts, and the owner should remove toys or dolls that the dog has hugged or raised as puppies.
In some cases where the breasts are very swollen or there is a lot of milk flow, diuretics may be given to reduce milk production, or some short-acting hormones may be given to inhibit milk production. For those who have pseudomembranous pregnancy for more than 8 weeks, they may need to see a doctor to find certain diseases that may cause pseudomembranous pregnancy to last an unusually long time, such as liver disease or abnormal thyroid hormones.
Prevention of pseudomembranous gestation
The easiest way to prevent false pregnancy is to get neutered. This can be done if you don't want your dog to have puppies. However, if your dog is in heat or has just gone out of heat, don't get neutered yet because false pregnancy can occur. Wait to get neutered about 10-12 weeks after the end of heat. View dog sterilization packages
False pregnancy may not be a big problem and there is nothing to worry about if we understand it. If we notice that our dog has the symptoms mentioned above and the owner is uncomfortable, we can take them to see a veterinarian to check their symptoms.
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References
Dr. Oraya Prapanpoj, veterinarian at the Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Surgery and Department of Cardiology, Talingchan Animal Hospital
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