Estee is fine after a false pregnancy
10/10/07 10:55 Filed in: Bichon Frise
Estee and her Prince Charles had their 4th anniversary week in bliss in late July, however, their mating this time has resulted in a false pregnancy. Even though Estee exhibited all the physical signs of pregnancy such as weight gain, swelling of the abdomen, preparation of a nest and swelling mammary glands, there are no puppies. Our vet, Dr. Hauser says this could be caused by a hormonal imbalance, it might be that the eggs at that particular season were not fertile and, if the bitch is mated on a subsequent heat, that she will whelp a normal litter. In the mean time, Estee is snuggling with her Bichon puppet and CoCo and Einstein to "mother". It has also been recommended to occasionally apply alternating hot and cold packs to her swollen breasts, and to pat not rub her breasts as rubbing can actually stimulate the production of milk. We are also reducing the food and liquid intake and soon her problems will be over. Most importantly, Estee is happy, active and in no distress. Estee and Charles will mate again during her next cycle provided Estee is healthy and we have Dr. Hauser's approval.