what is a normal change in the appearance of a bitch after her first season.
would you expect to see enlarged nipples that are fuller than usual?

a friends bitch finished her first season the same time as puepa, witch was about 2 months go. however her bitch looks almost bagged up behing and then less as you get the nipples under the arm pits. she has not got any bigger, but is cingy.

her vulva is larget than it was before the season. coudl this be a phantom pregnancy?

Neither the teats nor vulva go back to pre-pubescent discreet size after the first season so it may be the size she is now is what will be normal for this bitch from now on.

However if the teats appear to be filling up with possible milk rather than slightly more prominent nipples only, then it could be she is having a phantom.   If she is having a phantom it is best that anything she becomes attached too - such as toys - are removed from her to prevent her brooding over them.  Her exercise should be stepped up and add some further mental stimulation to her daily routine to "take her mind off things" and disengage her maternal instincts.

Your friend's vet should be able to advise if it is an actual phantom or not.  There are meds which can be given if it is proving very problematic but, although fortunately my girls have never gone through this, I personally would prefer to avoid meds unless it was genuinely in the dog's best interests.

HTH, Teri  :)

 

we know for 100% sure she has not been in contact with a dog!

so that is why she were thinking it coudl only be a phantom. also she has not got any bigger, and so that really backs up the fact that she coudl nto of been got at.

she looks the same as she ussualy does, its just that her nipple area is a lot more fleshy than before and althoguth you cant see any milk come out of the nipples when squeezed they do feel liek little breasts!

Just a word of worning. Don't squeeze the nipples too often because if she is having a phantom then this may cause her to think she is having pups even more and then she may well start to produce milk. :)

>we know for 100% sure she has not been in contact with a dog!

Where did I suggest that she was

I agree with Anna about not palpating the teats.

no sorry if that came across thew wrong way. what i ment was that we knew that there was no way she coudl be pregnant, and so the only possibites were either a phantom or something more sinister.