Memaws Malty Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 I think my Maltese might be having a phantom pregnancy. It is really hard to tell and I need some advice.i am not one to call the vet with every little question. She was mated on the 23 December with a tie, she may have mated again two days later. I thought she was pregnant as her nipple are larger and her vulva never returned to normal size. She became increasely hungry. She however did not get real big, she a slight bump in her ribs. She is slightly heavier and sometimes does not really like her tummy being touched. I did feel walnut shapes in her belly at around 30 days. She did have fluid coming from her teats on Sunday. She was due yesterday, I checked her temp in the am at 8.00 and is was 99.5 then in the PM by 2.00 it was 100.4 She spent a lot more time in her bed and stretched out. I thought today was the day but nothing happened. Today she is acting normal, eating and sleeping. Her nipple are slightly larger today but not a lot.Her temp today is 101.3 Do you think it is a phantom pregnancy? I was going to take her for an X ray but when i rang the vet they said wait her out and see how she goes, how long do i wait for? I know pregnancy can be a dangerous thing if things go wrong, but I have been keeping a very close eye on her. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 if she has not had any vet checks during the pregnancy .. one now would be a good idea, I think :) is it a first litter? How old is she? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Memaws Malty Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 She is 3 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Memaws Malty Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Yes also her first litter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 I really think a vet check would be a plan - just to make sure - also so the vet knows her in case you need urgent treatment/surgery .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 If she is not showing any signs of distress you can leave her for another couple of days without any worry. There is nothing dangerous happening so nothing to rush to the vets for. In my small breed I never see nipples getting bigger until they are full of milk after the birth & cannot squeeze milk out of them either but all is always perfectly normal. Signs are usually she will start digging her nest either in the birth bed you have hopefully given her or if she doesn't want to have them there on your bed, where you are, lounge or where she feels like. She will appear restless & start to pant as though she is too warm. If only one puppy in there to go over time is not unusual. Its not always problematic having a single pup either. If you are still concerned by Friday & nothing occurs maybe pop her in a vets for an ultrasound but she may return to normal if not pregnant when the 9 weeks are up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Memaws Malty Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 She has her bed where she is comfortable...The male is constantly by her side. I will give till Friday and see how she goes, she does not appear to be distressed at all. She is still rough and tumbling with the father is that normal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 She has her bed where she is comfortable...The male is constantly by her side. I will give till Friday and see how she goes, she does not appear to be distressed at all. She is still rough and tumbling with the father is that normal? Yes if they are friends & have always done it. May be time to move the male away into another room though. She will not want him or any other animals around when whelping & may get snappy & protective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 I would be taking her to the vet. Her temp is going up, she may have an infection. You don't sound very experienced so better to safe then sorry and maybe lose your girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 If this was my bitch I would have her at the vets immediately for an ultra sound to prove that she is in whelp and if she is I would them have a progesterone test done to see what is happening and I would remove the male immediately. Best of luck for a litter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 We always confirm our bitches are preggo so we now. Personally i would be at the vet whilst its day hrs especially if you aren't sure & if your vet isn't very offay in breeding look elsewhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_PL_ Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Vet immediately. If you've never done this before and don't have an experienced mentor holding your hand, don't use guesswork via google. It's easy to lose pups and/or mum when things go even the tiniest bit wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airedaler Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 (edited) I agree with others. You need to take her to the vet to confirm pregnancy at the very least so that you know if puppies are expected or you are just going to need to deal with a phantom pregnancy. I would also be concerned that her temperature is rising at this time. If it is the first litter you have whelped I would like to see you being a little more proactive rather than sitting back and letting things go. Have you been in touch with the breeder of your girl to seek their assistance? Is the father a Maltese as well? Edited February 27, 2014 by Airedaler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Memaws Malty Posted February 27, 2014 Author Share Posted February 27, 2014 Thanks for all the advice...I have had experience with dogs whelping before. However I have never dealt with a phantom pregnancy before which I believe this is. I have gone through the mating and delivery before of my other dogs. She is showing no signs of labour at all...She is acting very normal like she did before she mated. Her vulva is going down in size. She had stopped going into her whelping area as well. I own both the father as well who is also a pureabred Maltese. I am going to still hold off on the vet as she is in no distress at all. She is playing, eating, drinking, sleeping and is her usual self. She is running around in the afternoons playing tag with her partner as per usual. If she changes in anyway I will however take her to the vet. I am with her 24 hours a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Im confused why you asked for advise then ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I would be taking her to the vet. Her temp is going up, she may have an infection. You don't sound very experienced so better to safe then sorry and maybe lose your girl. It may be confusing that the temperature is not posted in centigrade however conversion shows that the dog does not have a high temperature & is within the normal range so there is no reason to be in a panic. As the dog seems to be acting normal, is not ill, & the owner is not an idiot & was merely asking if others have experienced a phantom I can't see the cause of great concern here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Memaws Malty Posted February 27, 2014 Author Share Posted February 27, 2014 I was asking advise for reassurinsh and get some feedback from other people. All advice was taken, had planned on taking her to the vet on Monday. But a big change in her behavior made me think diffrent and thought I would update you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I would be taking her to the vet. Her temp is going up, she may have an infection. You don't sound very experienced so better to safe then sorry and maybe lose your girl. It may be confusing that the temperature is not posted in centigrade however conversion shows that the dog does not have a high temperature & is within the normal range so there is no reason to be in a panic. As the dog seems to be acting normal, is not ill, & the owner is not an idiot & was merely asking if others have experienced a phantom I can't see the cause of great concern here. it's exactly as I posted last night before the OP said she was not a novice breeder. I was responding to the initial post and I still stick by it, better to be safe then sorry and risk losing your dog just for the sake of a consult fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I would be getting an ultrasound, then you know if there are any babies, there may only be one and labour may not start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 If she is not showing any signs of distress you can leave her for another couple of days without any worry. There is nothing dangerous happening so nothing to rush to the vets for. Very dangerous advice. In my breed they never go over their due date without it being due to a major problem. Primary inertia can happen in any breed so if they are not in labour by the due date they should be monitored by a vet and have a caesar at the first sign of puppy distress. It is always safest to ensure that you actually know if they are pregnant or not by ultrasound or x-ray. With modern vet practices, guesswork and risking bitches should be a thing of the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now