A false pregnancy and false motherhood is biologically completely normal. In some bitches, this phase of the cycle is more intense than in other bitches. Changes in behavior and reduced activity are initially no cause for concern. Normally, after about 4 weeks at the latest, anoestrus, i.e. the resting phase in the menstrual cycle, should be initiated and then the behavioral changes usually subside again. If the changes in behavior are mild, no further action is necessary. Bitches can be distracted by increased mental workload. If the bitch shows severe personality changes that indicate a certain level of distress (e.g. depressive mood, violent aggressive behavior), or physical problems such as mammary inflammation, the bitch can be supported with natural or medicinal aids in consultation with the veterinarian. 

If there are frequent difficulties with false pregnancy and false motherhood, the bitch can be supported prophylactically at the beginning of each heat. 

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

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

activity

Bitches in heat that are pseudopregnant or are experiencing pseudomotherhood are generally a bit sluggish. During sham motherhood, there may be an increased refusal to leave the house. The right workload can help you and your dog to make the time as comfortable as possible. 

workload

The heat is different for every bitch, that activity level drops however clear. In order to ensure that your bitch is sufficiently utilized, you should open mental workload put. You can, among other things, ideal impulse control Make exercises. We even have free workout plans to download, each of which you can download in Impulse Control for Beginner, advanced or professionals can practice. This has the nice side effect that the impulse control generally paid off in everyday dog life. 

walkies

Rather sit up on walks short rounds, take your dog out often for this. Bitches in heat have to and want to release themselves more often than bitches that are not in heat. We can give you the following tips for your walk: 

• If you live in an urban area, you might ride your dog a little bit outside to go for a walk
• Choose if possible Ranzeiten, i.e. times when there is less going on
• Lead your bitch on a leash (possibly on the towing line)
• Avoid dog parks or areas where many dogs hang out (so-called dog hotspots)
• Point out to oncoming dog people that your dog is in heat and no contact desired is (and your bitch 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 bitch needs panties in heat. So much in advance. There are bitches who are very clean are and lick up their blood straight away. Other bitches, on the other hand, just leave the blood there. The length of the coat also plays a crucial role. While a long coat catches the blood discharge and the bitch then only has to clean itself, this is not possible with a bitch with a short coat. It is generally recommended that the bitch in her first two heats to offer the opportunity to get used to the situation and if possible no panties in heat to use. The first two heats (especially the first) are generally atypical. This means that the bitch should first get used to what is happening in her body. A panty in heat can be an additional Stress factor be, which we do not recommend. Important! The bitch must be accustomed to the heat pants before the heat. The same rule applies as for muzzles and the like: equipment requires training to get used to it. There is also a post with habituation training.  When choosing panties for heat, make sure that they do not cut in and allow enough air to pass through so that no unwanted inflammation occurs. Personally, we had the panties in heat made for Amalia and use standard sanitary pads with wide wings, which we stick into the panties and change regularly.

Order and Cleanliness

In order to keep the household clean, it makes sense to protect carpets and other textiles. You can during heat Clear away carpets as a precaution, as blood stains are not always easy to remove. In addition, a prepared mop or a Vacuum robot with suction and wiping functionto 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 blanket to protect bed and sofa. By the way, we already have in for you this blog summarized whether a dog is allowed on the bed or sofa. In this blog you will also find more tips for a clean household with a dog with recipes for natural and dog-friendly household cleaning products to download. 

feeding

To prevent milk from coming in, many veterinarians recommend that Reduce the amount of food 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 promote stress. 

nest building & toys Nest-building is a typical behaviour, which is mainly shown in the phase of sham motherhood. When building a nest, the bitch tends to toys and above all hoard stuffed animals and these as replacement puppies to treat. So that this behavior does not become very pronounced, we recommend that you already start with the Beginning of heat, putting away toys that are soft and cuddly. Squeaky toys must also be put away. During heat, the toy is not important to the bitch and does not pose a major separation problem. However, during sham motherhood, putting away toys can become a real problem for the bitch. She feels as if the puppies are literally being snatched from her. This causes disruption in the relationship between you and your dog and can cause a strong one in her separation pain cause and resource defense favor. Precaution is better than aftercare. Put toys away as soon as heat begins so your dog can't use them as spare puppies. As an alternative, offer her hard, meaningless chews (chewing bones, chewing sticks, etc.). Under no circumstances should you put away toys in the presence of the bitch if there is a fictitious mother. She feels this like taking her puppies away and could display a strong resource defense.

cuddle units

Many bitches need during their heat, but also afterwards in the pseudo-pregnancy and pseudo-motherhood much closeness and affection. If you want to learn more about the cycle, then watch here over. For the difference and behavioral changes in pseudopregnancy and dummy motherhood, see 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 an intimate 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 rub your dog's stomach or teats. This can stimulate milk production.

aids

Aids can help the bitch to alleviate a painful course during heat and later during false pregnancy and false motherhood. It is primarily about the balancing hormones and to prevent or balance a severe low in progesterone and a high in prolactin. Because the more balanced the hormonal process is, the easier it is for your bitch. In addition, in the case of existing difficulties with pseudopregnancy and pseudomotherhood, medication can inhibit milk production and mastitis. 

The following tools are for information only. Please ask your veterinarian or animal healer whether the remedy is suitable for your bitch and her health history as well as the symptoms. 

homeopathy

asa foetida Asa Foetida can be given to your bitch 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 the falling progesterone. It is also suitable as a remedy for gastrointestinal complaints (also in the abdomen).

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

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

Phytolacca Phytolacca can be given to your bitch three times a day for seven days in a 3X potency. Phytolacca mainly has a positive effect on the glands and therefore also on the mammary glands. It can help if the bitch has swollen teats that are not hardened. If it doesn't go away after seven days, you should take your dog to a veterinarian's office.

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

Body

Breastfeeding can occur in sham motherhood. In general, this is not a problem in itself. If the bitch starts to lick her teats a lot, milk production is stimulated again. Licking can also promote inflammation of the teats. So that has top priority Keep away from teats. In order to break this cycle, it makes sense to prevent the bitch from licking her teats. The body can prevent the bitch from constantly going to the teats. If this measure alone is not enough and there is still inflammation or heavy milk flow, 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 out.

When it comes to the body, also remember that such equipment is practiced with the dog beforehand so that the body does not cause additional problems. 

Estrus suppressant (conventional medicine)

Estrus, also known as estrus, is the phase in a bitch's cycle when she willingness to mate signaled. This phase can either be postponed, or but prevented will. The hormone is given to bitches who are in anoestrus 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 during proestrus. The hormone progestin can also help with pseudopregnancy. Danger! A true pregnancy should definitely be ruled out before hormones are administered. 

Prolactin inhibitors (conventional medicine)

In the case of a strong course of pseudopregnancy and pseudomotherhood, 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 sham motherhood. Using prolactin inhibitors mammary glands regress, milk production is inhibited and typical symptoms of the bitch subside after a few days.

Under no circumstances should it be administered to pregnant bitches, as it encourages miscarriage and termination of pregnancy. Since it is a hormone preparation, bitches with liver and kidney diseases should also not be given 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 deployed via the cannabinoid receptors. In contrast to humans, dogs have more cannabinoid receptors. This causes dogs to be more sensitive to CBD. You can find more about CBD in 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 response, digestion and also the perception of emotions. The endocannabinoid system is closely related to the regulation of the endocrine system, i.e. the hormone system. With regular consumption of CBD oil, the hormonal balance of the bitch 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 relax them by stimulating blood circulation. They are mainly administered as a tea. In the bitch, raspberry leaves can reduce the course of false pregnancy and false motherhood by adding the raspberry leaves fresh, dried or as a tea to the feed. For tea, 1.5g raspberry leaves are poured with 100ml boiling water and 30ml per 10kg body weight of the bitch is administered per day.

 

chaste tree (natural product)

Chaste tree has an effect on progesterone deficiency because it stimulates the body's own production of progesterone. As explained in the blog on pseudopregnancy and sham motherhood, the drop in progesterone during the bitch's menstrual cycle promotes a contained, depressed mood. In general, monk's pepper has a hormone-regulating effect, which is why it has a mood-balancing effect and can have a good influence on severe mood swings in the bitch. Since the effect of the chaste tree only becomes apparent slowly, you should give your dog chaste tree as soon as she is in heat. 

Monk's pepper must not be given during pregnancy, lactation or tumors in the milk bar! 

Parsley & Sage (herbs)

Parsley and sage can help if the bitch is lactating. 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 that your dog only gets parsley and sage when she is not pregnant. This would be counterproductive if a pregnancy took place.  

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