Why my dog ​​has milk and is not pregnant - discover the answer

Have you noticed that your dog has a milk discharge and you know she is not pregnant? Have you not had puppies and, therefore, should not be lactating? If it is your case, it is normal that you have doubts and ask yourself what is happening to you. The reason why this happens to some dogs is the heavy pregnancy or false pregnancy . It is a hormonal imbalance that occurs in the production of progesterone, which prepares bitches for gestation, although in this case is not real, and also affects the production of prolactin, increasing it and giving rise to milk in the breasts or a similar secretion. Thus, a dog with this problem can have maternal behavior, the somewhat distended abdomen and inflammation and secretion in the breasts, in addition to presenting other symptoms.

If you want to know everything you need about this topic, keep reading this article where we give the complete answer to your question about " why does my dog ​​have milk and is not pregnant? ".

Why does my dog ​​have milk if she is not pregnant

As we mentioned at the beginning, the main reason that your dog has milk secretion without being pregnant or pregnant is because she has a psychological pregnancy, also known as pregnancy or false pregnancy.

This problem only occurs in dogs that are not sterilized or castrated, because it is a hormonal imbalance in which the level of progesterone rises, which in turn increases the level of prolactin, the hormone that causes the breasts to produce and secrete milk.

It is a problem that although it is treatable and passes, there is a great tendency to repeat and cause other secondary health problems, especially if it happens often, such as mastitis, pyometra or much anxiety, among others. For this reason, veterinarians recommend sterilization or castration, the latter being the one that offers the best results.

However, it is necessary that the veterinarian tests and detects the reason for this rise in progesterone and prolactin, since there may be several, such as the simple heat cycle somewhat misaligned or a very high level of stress. Another cause of psychological pregnancy in bitches quite frequent is the fact of having crossed several times with males and that has not resulted in pregnancy.

Anyway, the first thing to observe, and better if a veterinarian does, is if it is really milk or pseudoleche (a liquid somewhat whitish but much more watery than breast milk), as it is also possible that try pus. If the bitch has pus in the breasts, surely, it will leave little amount and it will be thicker than the milk. In addition, although it may be whitish, in a short time it becomes yellowish or even greenish in more advanced cases of infection. Thus, if the animal presents pus in the breasts it will be a mastitis, which must be treated urgently in a hospital or veterinary clinic.

Discover in this other article How to know if my dog ​​has mastitis.

Symptoms of psychological pregnancy in bitches

The main symptoms of a psychological pregnancy in bitches are very similar to those that occur when there is gestation. It's about both physical and behavioral symptoms. See if your dog presents all or several of them.

• Nervousness and sobs.
• He does not want to leave the house.
• Hides.
• A nest is prepared.
• Stuffed animals and other toys are stored.
• He licks his vulva frequently.
• He licks his breasts.
• Lack of menstruation
• Change in vaginal discharge.
• Abdomen or enlarged belly.
• Swollen and enlarged breasts.
• Secretion of milk or pseudo-milk in the breasts.

If you detect any of these or several signs it is necessary to take your dog to the veterinarian, as only a professional can really diagnose whether or not this problem is treated and offer the best advice and treatment.

Treatment of psychological pregnancy in bitches

The veterinarian after making the review and the tests you need for your diagnosis will offer the best treatment options in each case. Generally, in mild cases of psychological pregnancy in bitches, this problem usually resolves itself by three weeks or a month since the symptoms began. However, it will be necessary to offer some care to make it easier for you to recover, because remember that you are having a bad time and suffer enough stress.

• Offer him much love and attention.
• Apply camphor alcohol to your dog's breasts. This product will help prevent possible infection and stop licking the area, since you will not like the smell and taste. It is vital not to continue licking the breasts, because this lick stimulates the production of breast milk, as do the puppies when suckling.
• Help him to do more exercise, increase the number of daily walks and play more with it. This will release stress and anxiety, as well as make your hormone levels stabilize more easily. It may be hard to get it out of the house, but it's worth it to get it out more.

In somewhat more serious cases of false pregnancy in bitches it is necessary that the veterinarian gives antiprolactin and anxiolytics, according to each case, as well as the professional believes that the best solution is the castration of the dog, or at least the sterilization, especially in cases where the problem is repeated.

Consequences of psychological pregnancy in bitches

If this hormonal imbalance is not treated at all or if it is allowed to reappear periodically after each heat, the consequences are several. Among the consequences of pesude pregnancy in bitches are the following:

• Secondary diseases such as mastitis or breast infections.
• Generalized pain and discomfort.
• Fever.
• Serious changes in behavior
• Depression.
• Stress and anxiety
• I refuse to leave the house.

For this reason, it is necessary to treat the problem correctly since it is diagnosed and follow all the advice of the veterinarian to solve it. Anyway, the best and most recommended by veterinarians is prevention.

How to prevent psychological pregnancy in bitches

How to prevent a bitch from having milk if she is not pregnant ? For this we must think about preventing psychological pregnancy in bitches. The best solution for this, without a doubt, being the most recommended by veterinarians is sterilization or castration of the bitch .

As their reproductive hormones (progesterone and prolactin) will no longer be in operation, there can be no unevenness that causes a rise that affects the animal in this way. With this, they avoid a variety of problems such as pseudopregnancy, behavioral problems derived from this condition, mastitis, pyometra, uterine detachment, unwanted litters and their abandonment, among many other problems.