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Nervous pregnancy of the dog

Nervous pregnancy is a condition where a non-pregnant dog behaves and changes as if she is expecting or has just had puppies. It generally occurs a few weeks to two months after the end of heat, in an unsterilized female dog who has not bee...

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Definition Signs Causes Diagnosis Treatment Prevention Complications When to see a vet Prognosis FAQ Sources Affected species

What is it?

Nervous pregnancy is a condition where a non-pregnant dog behaves and changes as if she is expecting or has just had puppies.

It generally occurs a few weeks to two months after the end of heat, in an unsterilized female dog who has not been bred or whose breeding has not resulted in a pregnancy.

This is not an anomaly of the female dog's character, but a normal hormonal reaction of the species: in female dogs, the hormonal profile after heat is close to that of pregnancy, whether fertilization has occurred or not.

Commonly observed signs

These signs are neither exhaustive nor specific. Only a veterinarian can establish a diagnosis.

Related signs — each one links to its page:

Swollen udder Abnormal milk Loss of appetite Reduction Unusual aggression Fatigue

The udders swell and become sensitive; milk or clear liquid may leak.

The dog prepares a nest: she scratches, digs in the blankets, isolates herself in a dark corner.

She adopts objects – stuffed animals, slippers, toys – which she carries, protects and licks like puppies, and can growl if you approach them.

She is agitated, moans, seeks presence or, on the contrary, isolates herself.

Decreased appetite or refusal to eat for a few days, sometimes followed by an exaggerated appetite.

Dejection, fatigue, slightly swollen stomach.

Occasional vomiting in some female dogs.

The signs usually last one to three weeks and subside on their own.

When to consult without delay

This list does not replace veterinary advice. It gathers situations that justify a prompt consultation.

Causes and risk factors

After each cycle, the non-pregnant dog produces the same hormones as a pregnant dog for about two months.

When this hormonal level drops at the end of the cycle, another hormone, the one that triggers the milk flow, increases. It is this shift that causes milk production and maternal behaviors.

It is therefore a physiological phenomenon, very widespread in the canine species, and not a disease in the strict sense.

A sterilization carried out in the middle of the post-heat hormonal phase can trigger the same picture in the days following the procedure.

Non-sterilized dog: necessary condition.

Occurs a few weeks to two months after the end of the heat.

History of nervous pregnancy: female dogs who have already had them tend to start again with each cycle.

Sterilization carried out during the hormonal phase following the heat.

No breed is spared, even if some seem more prone.

Diagnosis and care

Diagnosis is the veterinarian's responsibility, based on clinical examination and laboratory tests. Care is decided case by case.

A consultation is useful to confirm that it is indeed a nervous pregnancy and not a real gestation or a more serious problem.

The veterinarian relies on the date of heat, examination of the udders and vulva, and palpation of the belly.

An ultrasound allows you to quickly decide between a real pregnancy and a pseudogestation.

The udders are examined carefully: a hot, hard, very painful udder or abnormal milk indicates an infection of the udder, which requires treatment.

An associated abnormal vulvar discharge, significant thirst or marked depression should lead to a search for pyometra: this is an emergency not to be confused with a simple false pregnancy.

Treatment

In mild forms, no treatment is necessary: the signs disappear on their own within a few weeks.

We avoid milking the udders and massaging them: stimulation maintains milk production. We also avoid applying products that would cause the dog to lick herself.

Discreetly removing adopted objects, increasing outings, games and activity help to distract the dog's attention. There is no point in scolding her: she cannot control this behavior.

A collar or protective clothing can be used if she licks her udders constantly, on the advice of the veterinarian.

In marked, prolonged or painful forms, the veterinarian prescribes a medication that blocks the hormone responsible for the flow of milk. Improvement is generally rapid. This type of medication can only be given on prescription: the family of molecules concerned has its own effects and requires monitoring.

The old remedies of reducing drinking water have no place: the female dog must always have access to water.

Treatment depends on the cause and the animal's condition: it must be determined by a veterinarian. No self-medication.

Prevention

Sterilization eliminates cycles and therefore repeated nervous pregnancies. It is ideally practiced away from the heat and not during the hormonal phase which follows it, otherwise it will trigger the episode that we want to avoid. The moment is chosen with the veterinarian.

In an unsterilized female dog prone to episodes, noting the dates of the heat allows you to anticipate the risk period and consult early.

Avoid stimulation of the udders and changes in rhythm at the end of the cycle.

Possible complications

Udder infection: hot, hard, very painful udder, feverish and depressed dog. This requires a quick consultation.

Lesions from licking and scratching of the udders.

Guarding behavior adopted over objects which can lead to growling or even biting if one tries to remove them by force.

Episodes that repeat each cycle and affect the comfort of the dog.

Above all, there is a risk of confusing the picture with pyometra, a real pregnancy or a breast tumor, and thus delaying necessary treatment.

When to see a veterinarian

Your non-sterilized dog swells her breasts, produces milk or adopts fluff a few weeks after her heat: a consultation allows you to confirm the diagnosis.

A udder is hot, hard and very painful, or the milk seems abnormal.

She refuses to eat for several days, is very depressed, drinks a lot or has vulvar discharge: consult quickly, an infection of the uterus must be ruled out.

She growls when we approach her objects and the situation becomes risky at home.

The signs last beyond a few weeks or return with each cycle.

Prognosis

The evolution is favorable: most episodes resolve on their own within one to three weeks, and the treated forms improve quickly.

The tendency to recur with each cycle is, however, marked in female dogs who have already had it.

Sterilization, when chosen, puts a lasting end to the phenomenon.

Frequently asked questions

Is my dog really pregnant?

Only a veterinary examination, with an ultrasound, can make a decision. The signs are virtually identical in both situations.

Should the udders be milked to relieve it?

No. Milking or massaging stimulates milk production and prolongs the episode. We leave the udders alone and we consult if they become painful.

Is it serious?

In itself, no: it is a usual hormonal phenomenon in dogs. The important thing is to check that it is not hiding an infection of the uterus or breast, which are serious.

Does sterilization solve the problem?

Yes, by removing the cycles. However, it must be carried out away from the heat: practiced during the phase which follows it, it can on the contrary trigger an episode.

Should I scold her when she broods on her stuffed animals?

No. She does not choose this behavior, which is hormonal in origin. We remove objects discreetly and we increase walks and games.