Unless you plan to breed your dog, you will probably plan to have her desexed. In fact, pet desexing is mandatory for dogs in South Australia and the ACT. The procedure is straightforward and predictable, but there can occasionally be an unpredictable factor that can complicate her desexing. Your dog hasn't had the opportunity to mate, but now that she has reached the age where you might plan to schedule the procedure, how is it possible that she seems to be pregnant?
A False Pregnancy
All mammals (including dogs) can experience pseudopregnancy. This is simply a false pregnancy, and used to be referred to as a hysterical pregnancy, although this term is outdated (and arguably sexist when applied to humans). It's a condition where all the symptoms of pregnancy develop without an actual pregnancy. It's certainly possible for your dog to be affected by pseudopregnancy. How would you know?
Signs of Pregnancy
Your dog will show all the signs of being pregnant. Their mammary glands can become engorged (occasionally even producing milk). They might vomit (morning sickness), can demonstrate nesting behaviour, and can gain weight. This weight gain can appear to indicate puppies developing in your dog's womb, but it can simply be the rapid accumulation of excess weight. But how do you know if it's a pseudopregnancy or an actual pregnancy?
Confirming a Pseudopregnancy
Unless you supervise your dog at all times during her interaction with other dogs, you cannot entirely rule out the possibility of a legitimate pregnancy, and this will need to be checked by your vet. A simple ultrasound is all it takes. When the symptoms are caused by a pseudopregnancy, your vet might decide to treat your dog with a dopaminergic medication in order to alleviate these symptoms. But how does this all relate to desexing?
Delayed Desexing
When your dog develops a pseudopregnancy at around the time when you planned to desex her, your vet will generally suggest a slight delay. Pseudopregnancy can develop some weeks after your dog's oestrus (heat) cycle and can be a recurring issue if your dog is mistakenly desexed during her oestrus cycle. Your vet will ensure that all signs of your dog's pseudopregnancy have passed, and then it will be safe to proceed with her desexing.
Just because your dog has not yet been desexed, her pregnancy symptoms don't necessarily mean she's expecting puppies. A pseudopregnancy won't interfere with her ability to be desexed, however, the symptoms will need to dissipate before the procedure can be performed. Talk to your vet for more information on pet desexing.
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