Phantom pregnancy?

[Sherbert37]

Our Border Terrier puppy is nearly 10 months old and had her first season last October. I have noticed her tummy is swollen under the last pair of nipples, nearest her bottom. She has been 'digging' on the carpet and in her basket too. Reading online this could be a phantom pregnancy. It sounds so sad.

I am making an appointment next week to have her spayed in early Feb. Any thoughts or advice?

My dog used to get them sometimes. She'd hide food and make little nests around the house. Was very upsetting to watch. She'd become really swollen underside too.

It just seems so sad. She's just a puppy herself. I'm very soft about her as you will gather!

I used to just give my dog lots of hugs and love. When she didn't actually have any babies she would 'adopt' soft toys she came across or rubber dog toys and carry them around in her mouth and nuzzle them like they were her babies and sleep with them in her prepared nests. Was awful

She has started carrying sticks around on her walks which she has never done before. Perhaps this is related.

Yeah, maybe. My dog always became more gentle around everything too.
It always seemed like she needed something to look after. Teddy, rubber ring, stick etc etc

Is she well in herself, Sherbet? Not drinking excessively?

Your vet will advise you, I'm sure, but I'd be unhappy spaying one of mine in the middle of a phantom.

I would ask for some meds to reduce the symptoms and then spay when she is back to normal.

One of our girls started to suffer badly with phantoms to the extent of lactating like mad, but worst of all they really upset her. She stopped eating, was frightened of everything and became very clingy. I had to ask for the meds, but she responded to them within hours.

We spayed her about 3 months later, if I remember correctly.

do not spay her until she is out of the phantom or it can extend it.
Our girl just had one after an extended 1st season and we were advised to put her in kennels at 7 wks post season to prevent nesting and "pseudo birthing" as she was milk producing.
It worked within 3 days she had dried up and chirped up after being a depression for weeks.
Are you 1000000% sure she has not been got at?

the more sympathy you give them the more intense the phantom can be...
tough love apparently.... works!

Echo what Bella says, also is she off her food and does she have any sort of discharge?

If it is a phantom, exercising her more and feeding her a bit less, plus not allowing her to 'pine' or carry toys or anything that migth be substitute puppies around will help her a lot and dry her milk up.

Do discuss spaying with yuor vet, bitches that have phantoms have been shown more likely to get pyometra, a serious and life threatening womb infection.

Not sure whether it is a phantom pregnancy as there seems to be no other symptoms - just as happy to walk for miles in the snow, play with other dogs, eat and drink as usual. Am as sure as I can be that she is not pregnant (her suitor down the road was 'done' before anything could have happened). Will check with the vet tomorrow.

Quick update - vet seems to think it is a phantom pregnancy. I'm to take her back in a couple of weeks. Need to wait before getting her spayed.

Oh good. Vets won't spay too close to a season or a phantom as much higher risk of complications. Hope she settles down soon.