How bad can a phantom get?

Sometimes it can be so bad that the only difference between the phantom and a genuine pregnancy is that there are no puppies. There can be nesting, lactation, imaginary puppies - and great distress, both mental and physical, for the bitch.

Absolutely - had to take my MIL's bitch to the vets to be x-rayed at one point as I had her at home during a family crisis and she looked so genuine I was worried she was going to have puppies. Would have known it as a phantom in my own bitch, but this one went out all day with landscape gardeners and could easily have been mated without people taking proper care. :rolleyes:

Had my bitch scanned yesterday - no puppies, despite the fact she's been off her food for most of the last two weeks, as she did last time she was in whelp, so am a tad worried she's going to 'talk herself' into a major phantom.

M.

Thanks guys, is that belly being large and constantly wanting food.

Susan

A phantom can be indistinguishable from a real pregnancy, so all the symptom of a genuine one - apart from the presence of puppies of course - can be present.

Hi

My friend had to take her bitch to the vet last week because she was crying, unsettled. Digging and collecting all her toys. She was of her food, being sick and in full milk. This was 10 week after coming out of season.

She said the crying was heartbreaking, the vet could actually hear it over the phone from the bitch in the background.

Phantom, he checked her over, gave her a shot of antibiotics just incase there was a infection and gave her something for the milk, She is going back to be spayed when everything as settled down. She is just a pet and my friend couldnt go through that again let alone the dog lol.

I have been lucky my bitches come into milk but nothing else

Wendy

Thanks for the replys the poor dogs i'd hate to go threw that:rolleyes:

Ditto with my MIL's - big, overweight GSD who we 'lost' and then found she'd dug her way under our decking! Treatment seemed to work relatively quickly.

Good thing she wasn't in whelp to some indiscriminate passing mongrel, as they were in the middle of a huge family crisis and that really would have been the icing on the cake.

Don't know what you mean by 'belly being large', I might be a bit concerned about that bit ...

M.

Belly being large as in pregnancy just behind the rib cage and i mean huge could this just be fluid in the uterus due to a phantom

After reading this post,I can only agree with above; A phantom can get as bad as the bitch actually having contractions, as if to give birth. It can include all, or any of, the sympthoms of pregnancy. Apart from the actual puppies, that is ;-)
You can get an increase of the width just behind the ribcage. Some bitches seem to accumulate water, and actually look swollen.
But I would be concerned if what you say is  huge, is really that; huge. Have you any reason to believe the bitch could be in whelp? If you are not absolutely certain that no male dog could have gotten to her during her season, then you'd better have her checked by a vet, as soon as possible. When did she have her season? Any changes in her diet lately? Previous history of phantoms?
If at all uncertain, please take her to a vet.
Karen
Edited to add: If I have misunderstood this post, and you are wanting your girl to be in whelp, then I think I might have reason to congratulate you to an upcoming litter