I am hoping someone on hear will be able to help me with Paris's newest problem, she appears to be having a phamton pregnancy and i am unsure how to help her. I posted on hear not to long ago about how she had suddenly turned nasty with other dogs and i am now wondering if this could be the reason. The problem is because of her breathing difficulties we were advised not to have any op's done on her as it was to much of a risk but i have been trying to find out as much as i can about phamton pregnancy's and every thing i have read say's it only gets worse and the only cure is to have her spayed :-( . I am taking her to the vet's this afternoon to discuss what option's we have and also they have said they can give her something to bring her out of this one but what will this involve and how will she be with it. Paris is completley bagged up and her nipples have gone really dark almost black, she is producing clear fluid from them and milk and the last couple of days she has been nesting and digging and also she will not stop eating grass and has spent all morning being sick. Please is there anything i can do to help her and has anyone got any ideas as to what other options there are, thank-you Emma.

Phantom Pregnancy go back to when dogs lived in packs wild, the Alpha Bitch only had a litter & other bitches had phantoms so help rear the puppies(Well that's the theory anyway)so phatoms are quite normal. However in the domestic dog their are no puppies from other bitches to suckle so the bitches are distressed & can have health problems if the symptoms are not treated

If you are not planning to breed from your bitch then IMHO spaying is the option. Even if you breed from your bitch she may continue to have phantoms afterwards(I know of a local radio celeb vet who advised a friend to breed her Great Dane to stop the phantoms, after two litters she had a really bad phantom & the locum vet found the start of a closed pyrometra  & spayed her much to the celeb vet disgust(costs an arm n a leg to see him too)

There are treatments for reoccuring Phantoms depends on what your priorities are really as to what you choose

I have found homeopathic remedies useful in the past.
I know they are not for everyone  but I found them effective.One of my Springers has been having phantoms since her 2nd season and has one every time she's not mated.
I use Pulsitilla 15c  1 tab  twice a day
Urica Urens 3c if milk is present   same dose.
As the previous poster mentioned,if u are not going to breed her then why not have her spayed and  this will stop the problem

Hi thank-you for your replies, the problem is as i said to have an operation is life and death for paris, she only has a 40% survival rate and this is being optamistic. Paris has so many other problems as well and it is breaking our hearts to think after all we have been through something like this is forcing our decision, we have always known we would not have her for long but it is her first birthday next week and i hoped to have more time with her yet. We have never intended breeding from her due to her health problems but i was naive when i thought she would be fine un-spayed :-( , any more suggestion's would be gratefully recived, Emma.

Hi Emma,
Sorry to hear about Paris, Noo had a phantom pregnancy after she had a litter. We ignored it on the vets advise and after about 6 weeks she was back to herself.
I understand what you are saying about Paris being unable to have the op, try and sit it out and try some of the alternitive remedies talked about.
Sorry I cant be of much help, but if you want a chat email me, Paris really touched my heart and she is lucky to have someone like you to love her no matter what :)

Take Care
Kelly

One of the things that might help for her next season is to cut down on her food - halve it - whilst she is in season and for a few weeks afterwards.  The thinking is that if there is insufficient food they won't get pregnant (phantom).  It worked with one of my girls who suffered severe phantoms and I do it to a smaller extent with the others.

Cutting down on food and fluids (but not so they get dehydrated especially when the weather is warm) may help get rid of the phantom faster.

Did your vet not offer you "galastop"? Its a hormonal treatment for phantom pregnancies. Given in food once daily for 5-7d. No ops required!

Hi Emma,

sorry for the late reply, only just seen your post. What did the vet suggest in the end????
Karen.