Phantom Pregnancy in Female Dogs — What Does It Involve?

A phantom pregnancy, also called pseudopregnancy, happens, in short, when a female dog behaves after her heat cycle as if she were pregnant, without actually being so.

It's a fairly common disorder in intact females, meaning those that haven't been spayed, and although it might seem purely psychological, the truth is it can lead to other consequences too.

What Is a Phantom Pregnancy and How Does It Happen?

A phantom pregnancy is a hormonal and psychological disorder, and, as a result, a physical one, caused by the presence of the hormone progesterone and the development of corpora lutea in the ovaries after estrus, or heat.

In non-pregnant females, there's no mechanism for breaking down these corpora lutea, so the drop in progesterone is more gradual, which can lead to pseudopregnancy. Symptoms appear between six and twelve weeks after estrus, that is, during diestrus (the period after the receptive heat phase).

A female dog that has a phantom pregnancy is likely to experience it again after some of her following heat cycles. It's not usually a serious disorder, but we should keep in mind that it's a stressful situation for the dog, which we should try to prevent.

Symptoms of Phantom Pregnancy in a Female Dog

A female dog with this disorder will show the typical picture of a pregnant dog, as if she were actually gestating. So, the symptoms we can detect in her are the following:

• Weight gain. Enlarged mammary glands and edema.
• Sometimes the mammary glands become hard and painful (mastitis).
• Brownish/whitish milk discharge.
• Preparing a nest as if she were about to give birth.
• Adopting toys, stuffed animals, or any object as if it were a puppy.
• Aggression, especially toward anyone who tries to take away her toy-puppy.
• Loss of appetite, although this can also increase instead.
• Fatigue — the dog doesn't want to go out for walks.
• Behavioral changes, commonly restlessness, nervousness, and anxiety.

Mastitis as a Symptom of Phantom Pregnancy

Hardened mammary glands can occur as a result of a phantom pregnancy. This is a symptom that does need to be treated by a vet. It's caused by milk buildup, and causes the mammary glands to swell, along with inflammation, edema, pain, and warmth.

In female dogs with a phantom pregnancy, this happens because there are no puppies to nurse from the milk, which can lead to an ascending bacterial infection, possibly facilitated by the resulting state of stress and immunosuppression.

This can be made worse because these females tend to have a highly developed maternal instinct, which leads them to lick their mammary glands frequently. This stimulates them, producing more milk, worsening the problem. We need to prevent her from licking the area, which could get infected and worsen the case of mastitis. An Elizabethan collar can be used. The vet will assess the situation to recommend the most suitable management and treatment. Sometimes a milk-suppressing drug is needed.

What Is the Treatment for Phantom Pregnancy?

First, before considering treatment, the vet needs to confirm the female isn't actually pregnant. Once pregnancy is ruled out, in some cases of phantom pregnancy, no treatment is needed at all (as long as there are no symptoms harming our dog's wellbeing).

Sometimes, this disorder resolves spontaneously within a few weeks. That said, if the female shows severe symptoms as a result of the phantom pregnancy, the vet can prescribe treatment based on luteolytic hormones or milk suppressants.

Some drugs used to treat chronic, recurring pseudopregnancies can, over time, cause pyometra, so in cases of recurrence, the best treatment is spaying the female.

Spaying as the Solution

Since it's common for these dogs to experience recurring phantom pregnancies after their heat cycles, it's our responsibility to prevent them. The solution, as mentioned above, is spaying, which involves removing the uterus and ovaries.

This surgery, possible and recommended either before or after the first heat, prevents disorders such as phantom pregnancies, mammary tumors, uterine infections, and, of course, reproduction, among others. It's a routine surgery that many vets are used to performing.

This should be our choice as part of responsible pet ownership and for health reasons. Spaying, in females with a phantom pregnancy, should be performed once the symptoms of the pseudopregnancy have resolved. It's recommended two months after the heat cycle.

Managing a Female Dog With a Phantom Pregnancy

Besides any medication the vet may eventually prescribe, in some cases it's necessary to adjust the diet or reduce the amount fed. The vet can recommend adjusting the amount, if we notice she's gaining too much weight, or switching to a higher-fiber food.

It's also a good idea to distract the female, offering activities such as frequent walks. While she's out of the house, another person can remove any toys she's adopted as puppies, to gradually reduce the maternal instinct. The dog shouldn't be stressed and should be left as calm as possible while at home.

That said, it doesn't hurt, as mentioned, to keep her mentally distracted while we apply the medication the vet has prescribed. That said, spaying is recommended in any case, since its advantages are vastly greater than its downsides.