~Debs~ Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 One of my whippet girls hasn't been eating very well since she finished her first season.She has been on agnus castus & pulsatilla for the last 4 weeks which has helped a bit,but now she has reached the stage where her puppies would have been born,i am really struggling to get her to eat! Has anyone got any ideas what else i can do??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Are you sure it's a phantom pregnancy? What did the vet suggest? She couldn't have an infection??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neatz Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 One of my whippet girls hasn't been eating very well since she finished her first season.She has been on agnus castus & pulsatilla for the last 4 weeks which has helped a bit,but now she has reached the stage where her puppies would have been born,i am really struggling to get her to eat!Has anyone got any ideas what else i can do??? What is that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 What is that? agnus castus (chaste tree) a herbal preparation used for PMT and other hormonal things, I believe. pulsatilla- I think it is a homeopathic remedy for colds??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neatz Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 What is that? agnus castus (chaste tree) a herbal preparation used for PMT and other hormonal things, I believe. pulsatilla- I think it is a homeopathic remedy for colds??? Right. I would take the dog to the vet to eliminate an actual pregnancy (or other condition). The false pregnancy usually resolves on it's own . Don't try and squeeze milk out of the nipples because this will only stimulate more milk production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puggy_puggy Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I can recall seeing on tv how some dogs or cats who have phantoms will collect things like shoes and toys and treat them like they are their puppies. Carrying them around, guarding them, cleaning them etc. I wonder if this behaviour is allowed if it helps the bitch or makes things worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Take the bitch to a vet and have thoroughly checked out. She may have an infection of the uterus. I would be taking her off what ever you have her on also. Dogs don't suffer from PMT as far as I am aware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Stop giving her agnus castus and pulsatilla, dogs have no need of this sort of stuff and they might even be doing her harm. Things that are quite suitable for use in humans are often harmful to dogs. Take her to the vet and make sure that she's not pregnant and not suffering from pyometra, as it's her first season it isn't very likely, but it can happen. If she gets a clean bill of health you will probably find that her appetite will return in due course once she's got over 'the birth'. Bitches often go off their food around the time their puppies are due. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Definitely see a vet and take her off the things you have been giving her. My bitches have often had phantoms and never go off their food. If anything they are usually ravenous. When really pregnant they go off their food for a few days around 4 weeks into the pregnancy and them again usually on the day of whelping from real physical discomfort. There are no puppies moving around to cause this with a phantom so loss of appetite is not normal. Phantom pregnancies are considered normal in dogs and do not need any treatment other than keeping them distracted if possible. In a wild dog pack only the alpha female mates and whelps but all the other bitches have phantoms at the same time so that they have milk available for the litter if anything happens to the mother. Mine put on weight, get milk and dig enormous dens to have their imaginary babies in. None of this is harmful to them and they eventually just get over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 ~debs~ how is you girl now? Did the vet have any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doglova Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Definitely see a vet and take her off the things you have been giving her. My bitches have often had phantoms and never go off their food. If anything they are usually ravenous. When really pregnant they go off their food for a few days around 4 weeks into the pregnancy and them again usually on the day of whelping from real physical discomfort. There are no puppies moving around to cause this with a phantom so loss of appetite is not normal.Phantom pregnancies are considered normal in dogs and do not need any treatment other than keeping them distracted if possible. In a wild dog pack only the alpha female mates and whelps but all the other bitches have phantoms at the same time so that they have milk available for the litter if anything happens to the mother. Mine put on weight, get milk and dig enormous dens to have their imaginary babies in. None of this is harmful to them and they eventually just get over it. Wow thats really interesting about the wild dogs i have learnt something today that really makes sense. Thanks dancinbcs. When my bitch has her phantom she collect anything she can to shove under her including sticks and rocks if i don't let her in the house to "nest " in her crate she will dig a big hole and sleep outside no matter what the weather is. I found it nice well i feel better if i let her inside with a couple of soft toys. Didn't make her worse just more comfortable in my eyes and its so funny one day they are her babies the all of a sudden they are her tug toys again!!! Her lasted for about 1 to 2 weeks but seems like an eternity. Now i know about the wolves it doesn't seem so strange having milk i always thought it was a big hormone imbalance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Debs~ Posted July 11, 2009 Author Share Posted July 11, 2009 Mmm,some of your comments are somewhat interesting. Firstly,i have had dogs for 30 years,so know what to expect if a bitch has a phantom,i was hoping that someone might have used a natural remedy that i hadn't tried that could have been of use to Izzy. Agnus castus & pulsatilla has helped her through the period after her season by reducing the swelling around her nipples that had come up,& also helped her mentally.The only thing it didn't help was her poor appetite! I & many others have used homeopathy very successfully over the years,so i would definitely NOT stop using it like someone has suggested. I certainly didn't feel the need to take her to the vets & believe me,i'd be the first one running if i was worried about any of my dogs. Anyway,Izzy is now starting to eat again thank goodness & is nearly back to her normal weight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allerzeit Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 You know, I love it when people come on here asking for help - members offer help, which will almost always include "see your vet" - only to have the OP come back all high and mighty about how they've had dogs for eons and they don't need the help offered, because they know better. Guess what OP - people here are not psychic. Nowhere in your question did you state that you had been involved with dogs for 30 years, and therefore have the experience to believe you don't need to see a vet, and that you are only wondering if others have natural remedies they have used for phantoms. For all we know, based on the information you provided, you might have only had dogs for 5 minutes and could have had a bitch with a pyometra. People are only able to offer advice on the information you provided, and suggesting the vet is a perfectly reasonable suggestion. If you only wanted to know of natural remedies for relieving phantoms, then that is what you should have asked for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 Nowhere in your question did you state that you had been involved with dogs for 30 years, and therefore have the experience to believe you don't need to see a vet, and that you are only wondering if others have natural remedies they have used for phantoms. For all we know, based on the information you provided, you might have only had dogs for 5 minutes and could have had a bitch with a pyometra. *nods* Glad she's on the improve now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 What is that? agnus castus (chaste tree) a herbal preparation used for PMT and other hormonal things, I believe. pulsatilla- I think it is a homeopathic remedy for colds??? Pulsatilla is used to treat hormonal issues including spay incontinence, false labour or pain and swelling in the limbs which is aggravated by heat or even anxiety at being left on their own - what is treats depends on the strength of the pills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Debs~ Posted July 12, 2009 Author Share Posted July 12, 2009 (edited) You know, I love it when people come on here asking for help - members offer help, which will almost always include "see your vet" - only to have the OP come back all high and mighty about how they've had dogs for eons and they don't need the help offered, because they know better.Guess what OP - people here are not psychic. Nowhere in your question did you state that you had been involved with dogs for 30 years, and therefore have the experience to believe you don't need to see a vet, and that you are only wondering if others have natural remedies they have used for phantoms. For all we know, based on the information you provided, you might have only had dogs for 5 minutes and could have had a bitch with a pyometra. People are only able to offer advice on the information you provided, and suggesting the vet is a perfectly reasonable suggestion. If you only wanted to know of natural remedies for relieving phantoms, then that is what you should have asked for Comment removed by Troy Edited July 13, 2009 by Troy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 thats a bit harsh ... All that was meant was that people reply on what you write, if you have had dogs for 30 years then why not write so and that you wanted advice on XYZ this forum sees a few people who have little idea and dosing can be dangerous without veterinary supervision. Maybe thats where you should go if this forum doesnt suit your tastes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 My my you do have a charming way with words. I note from your comment in Introductions that you are no longer going to contribute to this forum, probably just as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Oh, Dear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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