Signs of a false pregnancy
- Nesting, digging and gathering toys or blankets.
- Mothering behavior toward toys, sometimes carrying them around.
- Swollen mammary glands and sometimes milk.
- Restlessness, reduced appetite or mild depression.
- A slightly larger belly from fluid retention.
Why it happens
After every heat, hormones change in the same way whether or not the dog conceived. In some dogs the drop in progesterone and rise in prolactin triggers maternal behavior and milk production. It is not a sign of illness in itself.
How to tell it from a real pregnancy
The signs are similar, so only a vet can tell. An ultrasound at about day 25 to 30 shows whether there are fetuses, and an X-ray after day 50 confirms puppies. If she was mated, scan instead of waiting.
See your vet if…
- Signs last longer than a few weeks or are severe.
- Her mammary glands are hot, painful or leaking heavily.
- She has a fever, vomits, is lethargic or has a vaginal discharge, which can signal womb infection (pyometra).