It is my experience that yes, if can be common for bitches to go through false pregnacies.

 

Hara had them on virtually every heat cycle.

 

Flirt gets them every heat cycle. The first one also freaked me out. I knew there was no possibly way she was bred, and I thought her breeder was going to send someone to SHOOT ME Flirt actually gets milk too.

The day she starts her cycle, I start giving parsley, celery and a bit of garlic. 2 tbsp per meal until she'd be done weaning puppies.

Here she looks like she just had a litter...it never fails to coincide with a show either

 

Thanks Guys!

I am 99.999% sure that she was not bred. As I seen the changes in her I was baffled and worried! From what you know if it happened this cycle, is it likely to happen every cycle or can it be a once off?

 

Annie has had 2 heat cycles, and although the first "pregnancy" was by far worse, she definitely thought she was pregnant both times. The first time, she even lactated.

 

Every bitch has a false pregnancy every cycle, it's just some false pregnancies are more extreme than others. This is perfectly normal, and indicates it's a healthy female.

Along with the parsley, etc. that Adara mentioned, you can start bitches who have really obvious false pregnancies on senior dog food the first day of their cycle, and keep them on it for a couple of months.

 

or at least the first that you notice it - seems they sort of sneak up on you!
Thanks for an interesting idea - Annie eats TOTW, so is there any particular senior food you have found works best? She's due in about 3 or 4 weeks, and being on prednisone for Masticulatory Myositis, she's already a bitch on wheels!

 

I've never seen any particular recommendation, just senior kibble. I can't even remember right now what kibble I used for Razzle when she had falsies..thank God she's spayed now! I think the important part of using a senior kibble might be a lower protein content, so definitely try something other than TOTW, where most of the varieties are pretty high protein.

I feel your pain about prednisone..Razzle has been on it for over 2 years now for her liver disease. The long term side effects are...not fun. But if it keeps them going with decent quality of life, you do what you gotta do.

Just for general informational purposes about false pregnancies for everyone-if the bitch decides a stuffy toy or any other object is a "baby"-take it away from them! They'll just worry themselves sick over it, all you do is prolong the agony if you let them keep it.

 

Bumping this - Good information for those who have bitches intact as I know several on here have asked about heat cycles lately...