From a biological point of view, false pregnancy and false motherhood are completely normal. For some bitches, this phase of the cycle is more intense than for other bitches. Changes in behavior and reduced activity are not a cause for concern at first. Normally, anestrus, i.e. the resting phase in the cycle, should be initiated after about 4 weeks at the latest and then the behavioral changes usually subside again. If the behavioral changes are mild, no further action is necessary. Female dogs can become distracted by increased mental workload. If the dog shows severe changes in her personality that result in a certain level of suffering (e.g. depressive mood, violent aggressive behavior), or physical problems such as inflammation of the mammary glands, the dog can be supported with natural or medicinal aids in consultation with the veterinarian. 

If difficulties arise frequently with false pregnancy and false motherhood, the bitch can be given prophylactic support at the start of each heat cycle. 

You should definitely take your dog to the vet if you have the following symptoms: 

• Fever
• Inflammation of the nipples (bacterial mastitis)
• Lactation (galactorrhea) with swollen breasts
• Purulent mammary discharge
• Severe depressive moods
• Unusually pronounced aggression

activity

Female dogs and female dogs in heat that are currently pregnant or are experiencing false motherhood are generally somewhat sluggish. During false motherhood, complete refusal to leave the house may occur more frequently. The right utilization can help you and your dog to make the time as pleasant as possible. 

workload

Heat is different for every bitch Activity level drops however clearly. To ensure that you give your dog enough exercise, you should mental workload set. You can, among other things, ideal impulse control Make exercises. We even have free training plans to download, which you can use in impulse control Beginner, advanced or professionals can practice. This has the nice side effect that... impulse control generally pays off in everyday dog life. 

Walk the dog

Sit up more when going for a walk short laps, go out with your dog often. Bitches in heat need and want to go away more often than bitches not in heat. We can give you the following tips for your walk: 

• If you live in an urban area, you may travel with your dog a little outside for a walk
• Choose where possible Randzeiten, i.e. times when there is less going on
• Lead your dog on a leash (if necessary on the tow line)
• Avoid dog parks or areas where there are a lot of dogs (so-called dog hotspots)
• Point out to oncoming dog people that your dog is in heat and no contact desired (and your dog may show behavioral changes)
• Leave your bitch not in the water, as the risk of inflammation may be higher due to the swollen vulva

Domestic measures

Heat panties Not every dog ​​needs heat pants. So much in advance. There are bitches who are very cleanly and lick up their blood straight away. Other bitches, however, simply leave the blood there. The length of the fur also plays a crucial role. While long fur catches the blood discharge and the dog then only has to clean herself, this is not possible for a dog with short fur. In general, it is recommended to keep the bitch in her first two heats to offer the opportunity to get used to the situation and If possible, no heat pants to use. The first two heats (especially the first) are generally atypical. This means that the dog should first come to terms with what is happening in her body. A pair of heat pants can be an additional option Stress factor which we do not recommend. Important! The bitch must be used to the heat pants before the heat starts. The same rule applies as for muzzles etc.: equipment requires habituation training. There will also be an article with habituation training.  When choosing heat panties, make sure that they do not cut in and allow enough air to pass through so that no unwanted inflammation occurs. We personally had the heat panties custom-made for Amalia and use commercially available sanitary towels with wide wings, which we stick into the heat panties and change regularly.

Order and Cleanliness

To keep the household clean, it is a good idea to protect carpets and other textiles. You can during heat Remove carpets as a precaution, as blood stains are not always easy to remove. In addition, one is suitable prepared mop or a Robot vacuum cleaner with suction and wiping functionsto quickly wipe the floor and clean blood stains. If your dog is allowed on the sofa or even bed, you can do both with a suitable one Lay out a blanket to protect the bed and sofa. By the way, we already have it for you this blog summarized whether a dog is allowed on the bed or sofa. In this blog You will also find further tips for a clean household with dogs, with recipes for natural and dog-friendly household cleaners available to download. 

feeding

To prevent milk from being released, many veterinarians recommend Reduce the amount of food just a little bit. This is supposed to inhibit milk production. We personally advise caution with this tip! On the one hand, food is an important basic need and too little food can increase frustration and, on the other hand, changes in feeding can increase stress. 

Nest building & toys Typical behavior that is mainly shown in the phase of pseudo-motherhood is nest building. When building a nest, the bitch tends to use toys and especially Hoarding stuffed animals and these as Replacement puppies to treat. So that this behavior does not become too pronounced, we recommend that you start with this Starting heat, put away toys that are soft and cuddly. Squeaky toys also need to be put away. During heat, the toy is not yet important to the bitch and does not represent a major separation problem. During false maternity, however, putting away toys can become a real problem for the bitch. She feels as if the puppies are literally being taken away from her. This causes disruptions in the relationship between you and your dog and can have a strong impact on her Pain of separation cause and Resource defense favor. Better prevention than aftercare. Put away toys as soon as heat begins so that your dog cannot use them as a replacement puppy. As an alternative, offer her hard, meaningless chews (chew bones, chewing wood, etc.). Under no circumstances should you put away toys in the presence of the dog during a false mother. She feels this is like taking her puppies away and may display a strong defense of resources.

Cuddle sessions

Many bitches need food during their heat, but also afterwards during pseudo-pregnancy and pseudo-motherhood a lot of closeness and care. If you want to find out more about the cycle, take a look here over. You can find out about the difference and the behavioral changes in false pregnancy and false motherhood here Further information. Looking for proximity and lying in contact leads to the release of the bonding hormone "Oxytocin“. Among other things, oxytocin is also called the cuddle hormone. Oxytocin builds a close bond between you and your dog and creates togetherness. Oxytocin also reduces stress and anxiety in you and your dog. 

When cuddling, be careful not to stroke your dog's belly or teats. This can stimulate milk production.

Aids

Aids can help the bitch during heat and later in the case of false pregnancy and false motherhood to alleviate the suffering. The main thing is that... balancing hormones and to prevent or balance a violent low in progesterone and a high in prolactin. The more balanced the hormones are, the easier it is for your dog. In addition, if there are difficulties with false pregnancy and false motherhood, medication can inhibit milk production and inflammation of the mammary glands. 

The following resources are for informational purposes only. Please ask your veterinarian or animal health practitioner whether the product is suitable for your dog and her health and symptoms. 

homeopathy

foetida wing Asa Foetida can be given to your dog as globules for 2-3 weeks in potencies D4 to D6. It is suitable for restlessness and nervousness. In the case of false pregnancy and false motherhood, it initially helps with the mood swings caused by falling progesterone. It is also suitable as a remedy for gastrointestinal complaints (including in the abdomen).

Belladonna Belladonna is made from belladonna. Deadly nightshade contains the toxin atropine, which affects the nervous system. Belladonna in potency D30 is mainly used for sudden symptoms that can occur with false pregnancy and false motherhood. Belladonna mainly helps with inflammatory complaints, such as inflammation of the nipples.

Ignatia Ignatia in potency D30 is suitable for bitches that show strong potential for aggression during pseudo-pregnancy or false motherhood, but are otherwise rather friendly bitches. It can be administered once daily for 2-3 weeks. It is not suitable for dogs with other symptoms (e.g. swollen mammary glands).

Phytolacca Phytolacca can be given to your dog three times a day for seven days in D3 potency. Phytolacca mainly has a positive influence on the glands and therefore also on the mammary glands. It can help with a dog's swollen teats that are not hardened. If it doesn't go away after seven days, you should take your dog to a veterinary practice.

Pulsatilla Pulsatilla in the potency D30 is said to help with a whole range of complaints and is therefore often used for women's problems, such as pregnancy, breastfeeding, infertility, climacteric and menstrual disorders. It is recommended for bitches if the bitch shows a strong maternal instinct and suffers from swollen teats.

Body

In false motherhood, milk production can occur. In general, this is not a problem in itself. If the dog begins to lick her teats vigorously, milk production is stimulated again. Licking can also cause inflammation of the nipples. So that is the top priority Keep away from mammals. To break this cycle, it makes sense to prevent the bitch from licking her teats. The body can prevent the dog from constantly touching her teats. If this measure alone is not enough and inflammation or excessive milk flow still occurs, you should take your dog to the nearest veterinary practice. There she will then be given prolactim inhibitors. It is not advisable to use cooling pads, wraps, cooling ointments or milking.

When it comes to the body, remember that such equipment has already been practiced with the dog so that the body does not cause additional problems. 

Heat inhibitors (conventional medicine)

Estrus, also known as heat, is the phase in the bitch's cycle in which she Willingness to mate signaled. Using gestagens (e.g. the active ingredient proligeston) this phase can either delay, or but prevented become. The hormone is given to bitches who are in anestrus to prevent heat. Repeated administration can prevent heat in the long term, but since the side effects can be very severe, it is not recommended. To suppress estrus, the hormone is administered in proestrus. In the case of false pregnancy, the hormone gestagen can also be used. Danger! Proper pregnancy should definitely be ruled out before hormones are administered. 

Prolactin inhibitors (conventional medicine)

If false pregnancy and false motherhood are severe, veterinarians mainly administer prolactin inhibitors. This type of medication (such as Galastop) impede the distribution of Prolactin. Prolactin is mainly responsible for typical nest building behavior and milk production in pseudo-motherhood. With the help of prolactin inhibitors mammary glands recede, milk production is inhibited and the bitch's typical symptoms subside after a few days.

Under no circumstances should it be administered to pregnant dogs as it promotes miscarriages and abortion. Since this is a hormonal preparation, dogs with liver and kidney diseases should also not receive a prolactin inhibitor.

CBD (Natural Product) Hormonal changes can cause mood swings. In the blog for False pregnancy and false motherhood This has already been explained in detail in connection with the case of the hormone progesterone. CBD is developed via the cannabinoid receptors. Unlike humans, dogs have more cannabinoid receptors. This causes dogs to be more sensitive to CBD. You can find out more about CBD for dogs in this blog. The cannabinoid receptors are located in the cannabinoid system, which are mainly found in the central nervous system and immune system. The cannabinoid system regulates, among other things, the stress reaction, digestion and the sense of emotions. The endocannabinoid system is closely related to the regulation of the endocrine system, i.e. the hormonal system. By taking CBD oil regularly, the dog's hormonal balance can be regulated by supporting the endocannabinoid system.

Raspberry leaves (herbs)

Raspberry leaves are often referred to as the “woman’s herb” because they are said to strengthen the uterus and pelvic area and at the same time loosen them by promoting blood circulation. They are mainly given as a tea. In female dogs, raspberry leaves can reduce the risk of false pregnancy and false motherhood by adding raspberry leaves fresh, dried or as a tea to the dog's food. For tea, 1.5g of raspberry leaves are poured into 100ml of boiling water and 30ml is given per 10kg of the dog's body weight per day.

 

Monk pepper (natural product)

Chasteberry has an effect on progesterone deficiency because it stimulates the body's production of progesterone. As already explained in the blog about false pregnancy and false motherhood, the drop in progesterone during the dog's cycle promotes a subdued, depressive mood. In general, monk's pepper has a hormone-regulating effect, which is why it has a mood-balancing effect and can have a positive influence on the dog's severe mood swings. Since the effects of monk's pepper only become apparent slowly, you should give your dog monk's pepper the first sign of heat. 

Chasteberry must not be given during pregnancy, lactation or tumors in the milk duct! 

Parsley & sage (herbs)

Parsley and sage can help if your dog's milk is flowing. However, it may take some time for the two herbs to take effect. To stop the flow of milk, you can mix two tablespoons of parsley and two tablespoons of sage into your dog's food twice a day until no more milk comes out. Make sure your dog only receives parsley and sage when she is not pregnant. If a pregnancy were to occur, this would be counterproductive.  

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