Hello
I am trying to find some information out for a friend who has a young female cocker. She is 1 and had her first season in December of last year when she suffered a phantom pregnancy. She is having her second season at the monent and has milk leaking from her teats my friend has taken her to the vets and he has said she is suffering a second phantom pregnancy. She has taking the advice of the vet and booked Lucy in to be spayed in a couple of weeks when the season had ended and I just wondered if anyone wouold be able to offer any information on why a bitch would have two phantom pregnancies when she is so young and hasnt been around any other pregnant bitches, is it going to be a problem for her as she gets older? My friend has absolutely no intentions of breeding from her she is a much loved family pet only and has defonately not been around any male dogs. Any explanations will be gratefully passed on.
Thanks
Nicola

All bitches go through phantom pregnancies to varying degrees after every season. Some bitches simply become a little quieter than normal, others go the whole hog producing quantities of milk and guarding imaginary babies. These ones can make themselves quite ill, and the only cure is spaying.

I'm a little concerned that the vet intends to operate so soon, because usually they won't spay until there are no symptoms of phantom pregnancy (lactation etc) to avoid possible behavioural problems later. The usual time to spay is about 3 months after the start of the season, when hormone activity is at its lowest level.

She had her first season in December and now her second one only 3 months later?  Maybe she has a hormone problem hence the vet spaying her early!