False Pregnancy

Emma began her puppy heat March 30, 2008. The first week of May, she began developing mammary tissue and looking pregnant. She stomach area had been sensitive to the touch, and she was acting sad, low energy, and excessively hungry. I took her to visit her veterinarian, who diagnosed a false pregnancy. Apparently, false pregnancies are common after a heat when there is no conception. Thank goodness Emma's condition is not severe. Even so, we will wait to spay her for a couple of months, and each symptom of the false pregnancy is gone. The main reason is the increased blood flow to the reproductive areas makes surgery more risky than usual. Your dog has a high risk of bleeding out and dieing. It is best to wait until the blood flow is back to normal, then spay.