Pseudo dog pregnancy is a medical condition in found in animals, where although virtually all signs of pregnancy are present including swelling of breasts, change in behavior patterns, shortage of appetite etc, the ‘pregnancy ‘ will not end in the delivery of an offspring.
Going into the details about pseudo dog pregnancy, the essential difference between pseudo or false pregnancy and miscarriage should be explained. In miscarriage, the dog is actually pregnant with a baby (puppy) in the uterus. Nevertheless during fake pregnancy, only the signs of pregnancy are present; with no precise baby (puppy) in the uterus. In the case of a miscarriage, exact mating happens to form the pregnancy. In the case of pseudo dog pregnancy, no mating occurs.
The reasons behind pseudo dog pregnancy, is usually unknown, with many of the times it being attributed to hormonal imbalances and other glandular irregularities. Amazingly, the time of occurrence of pseudo dog pregnancy usually is 1 or 2 months after her estrus period; the very same time she would be pregnant if there was exact mating. The hormones of Prolactin and Progesterone should play an important role in the case of false pregnancy. Also in the list of causes is latest ovariohysterectomy (surgically removing of ovary and uterus); dogs which have experienced the surgery in the recent past may experience the state of fake pregnancy.
General symptoms for pseudo dog pregnancy vary from dog to dog, and are roughly the same as a pregnant dog: loss of hunger for the initial few weeks, change in behavioral pattern, restlessness, abdominal enlargement (to a degree) and finally lactation.
The only trail to arrive at a proper conclusion past the heavy confusion of fake and ordinary pregnancy is via correct medical help. Without correct blood tests, ultra sonographs and intestinal x-rays, differentiating between the 2 kinds of pregnancy is almost impossible. The strip test for pregnancy works on the principal of hormonal problems in the body while carrying a child. Since the hormonal irregularities in a pregnant dog and a pseudo dog are the same, the general pregnancy test (strip test) won't work. The strip test for pregnancy works on the principal of hormonal problems in the body during pregnancy.
The disposition of pseudo dog pregnancy usually goes away after roughly 2 or 3 weeks. There’s sometimes no cause for concern, as there are no common complications to the dog. But the behaviour changes and various other physical changes, and personality changes the dog goes thru might be a bit ‘irritating ‘ at the most, to the owner. There are no general sorts of treatment for pseudo dog pregnancy, and the most there can be one or two short lived solutions. Applying particular ointments or solutions to the lactating glands may momentarily stop the lactation. This is counseled by the vet occasionally. But a permanent prevention could be spaying the dog.
Summing up, pseudo dog pregnancy is extremely commonplace affair in dogs of all breeds but is mostly more common with huskies, and might put the unpractised owner in a fix. Therefore, it is always recommended to go the local veterinarian at once, whenever the first appearances of pregnancy crops up.
James Alfred Wight is a veterinarian with 20 years of expertise and recommends a dog raw food and is a powerful advocate against foods that could be poisonous to dogs.
