phantoms!

[claire_88]

I'd like to talk about Phantom pregnancies please

What they are, how they develop, what changes if any in the day to day behaviour, any reading material you guys could provide so i can fully understand the context of them.

xx

[zetstaff]

Let me google that for you


Sorry couldn't resist

[Caryll]

Originally Posted by zetstaff

Let me google that for you
Sorry couldn't resist

They basically occur about 6-8 weeks after a season, and is just a hormonal thing that makes a bitch think she's pregnant & about to give birth! She'll often get a little quiet/moody/whiney and will start to make a nest. She'll often carry around a soft toy or a squeeky toy & may get quite upset if it squeeks. She'll start to produce milk.

Most bitches cope reasonably well with them, but some can get quite distressed & depressed. There's also a higher chance of pyometra and milk fever if she doesn't absorb the milk.

[claire_88]

Lol, I had tried that, believe it or not! But there is so much misleading information on the web and thought I'd ask people who have been through it with their dogs

[kita]

Originally Posted by Caryll

They basically occur about 6-8 weeks after a season, and is just a hormonal thing that makes a bitch think she's pregnant & about to give birth! She'll often get a little quiet/moody/whiney and will start to make a nest. She'll often carry around a soft toy or a squeeky toy & may get quite upset if it squeeks.

They will often 'guard' the nest as well. Even normally mild mannered bitches can get quite nasty over it.

My BSD once made a nest in the cupboard under the stairs (right at the back where it is low), my GSD bitch made the fatal error of going in to see what was happening with Lucy - BIG mistake!! My OH had to pull her back out by her tail rapido! She ended up with a tooth mark in her muzzle.

The thing is that normally Lucy was her baby and she would never in a million years have attacked the GSD. In fact no-one ever attacked her, even the most aggressive dogs would back off with just a look from her! So when Lucy went for her it was quite a surprise.

This was the only time Lucy was moody.

Sue

[claire_88]

Originally Posted by kita

They will often 'guard' the nest as well. Even normally mild mannered bitches can get quite nasty over it.

My BSD once made a nest in the cupboard under the stairs (right at the back where it is low), my GSD bitch made the fatal error of going in to see what was happening with Lucy - BIG mistake!! My OH had to pull her back out by her tail rapido! She ended up with a tooth mark in her muzzle.

The thing is that normally Lucy was her baby and she would never in a million years have attacked the GSD. In fact no-one ever attacked her, even the most aggressive dogs would back off with just a look from her! So when Lucy went for her it was quite a surprise.

This was the only time Lucy was moody.

Sue

Did she ever get into a generally fed up/ depressed stage?
Thanks for that info btw

[Caryll]

Originally Posted by claire_88

Did she ever get into a generally fed up/ depressed stage?
Thanks for that info btw

Yes, they often do. They'll mope around or just throw themselves down & sigh. It's the phantoms that often make up someone's mind about whether or not to neuter!

[kita]

Originally Posted by claire_88

Did she ever get into a generally fed up/ depressed stage?
Thanks for that info btw

If she did I never noticed! Mind you she did live with two GSD's virtually the same age as her, so my house was a pretty busy/chaotic one. Also I was not really looking for any fed up/depressed stage, I tend to just get on with life so my animals are much the same.

I live in a town centre in a terraced house so when it came to walks they all got thrown in the back of the estate car and taken 15 mins away to an open beach. Once there I just used to open the back of the car and they all piled out running and jumping on each other - no real rules or discipline, just out and out fun and games.

So if Lucy happened to be 'depressed' she was not allowed to be for long!! She certainly did not want to miss out on the 'walks'.

I think sometimes they are like us, if you play along with them and 'pamper' them the symptoms are far worse (or they think they are), whereas if you jolly them along and act as normal as possible they get over 'hormonal' feelings much quicker.

She was the only entire bitch I have had though, I am sure they are all different.

Sue

[claire_88]

Originally Posted by Caryll

Yes, they often do. They'll mope around or just throw themselves down & sigh. It's the phantoms that often make up someone's mind about whether or not to neuter!

Does this happen with human men too? Wonder if i can book him in........

Originally Posted by kita

If she did I never noticed! Mind you she did live with two GSD's virtually the same age as her, so my house was a pretty busy/chaotic one. Also I was not really looking for any fed up/depressed stage, I tend to just get on with life so my animals are much the same.

I live in a town centre in a terraced house so when it came to walks they all got thrown in the back of the estate car and taken 15 mins away to an open beach. Once there I just used to open the back of the car and they all piled out running and jumping on each other - no real rules or discipline, just out and out fun and games.

So if Lucy happened to be 'depressed' she was not allowed to be for long!! She certainly did not want to miss out on the 'walks'.

I think sometimes they are like us, if you play along with them and 'pamper' them the symptoms are far worse (or they think they are), whereas if you jolly them along and act as normal as possible they get over 'hormonal' feelings much quicker.

She was the only entire bitch I have had though, I am sure they are all different.

Sue

Thanks
I just want to get as many different scenarios, symptoms and experiences as possible so i can include everything on phantoms in my assessment.

[Raven]

Raspberry Leaf tablets are good for phantoms as is Pulsatilla, Petra was over her phantom within a week of giving both these.