Why is my spayed dog still having phantom pregnancies after surgery?

It's very unusual for a spayed female to suffer from a phantom pregnancy, i would strongly recommend to take her to the vet in order to get that checked, it may be a case of a remnant ovary or maybe it is an infection of the mammary glands.

I am sorry for the delay in answering your question. It sounds like you’ve gotten her to the vet by now, and I hope you got some answers. My thought when reading your question is that some dogs will have some remnant ovarian tissue (small amounts ovarian tissue that either is left behind at surgery or is growing elsewhere in the abdomen). Ovarian tissue can cause false pregnancy which could cause these symptoms. A hormone profile test (run on blood) should be able to give your vet information to determine if there is ovarian tissue still present. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Again I apologize for the delay in your answer.

I suggest you take her back to the vet for an exam. She may have a piece of ovary that was left behind during surgery that is causing stimulation of the mammary and vulvar tissues. The vet can do some hormone blood testing, a vaginal cytology and/or an abdominal ultrasound to check for this. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/ovarian-remnant-syndrome-in-dogs )

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Maya! Sometimes when a dog is spayed close to the start or the end of a heat cycle they can experience pregnancy signs (false pregnancy). This occurs due to a hormonal imbalance or sudden withdrawal of hormones. The body then thinks that it is pregnant when it is not. The dog will carry stuffed animals around like puppies, nest, act clingy or anxious, they can even have mammary gland development and produce milk! It is temporary but can last 2 months but can be shorter. I hope Maya feels better soon! https://www.merckvetmanual.com/reproductive-system/reproductive-diseases-of-the-female-small-animal/false-pregnancy-in-small-animals

That is unusual. This may be from spaying her when in heat, and the discharge is just coming out. The hormones also can take up to six weeks to go down so she may be having a false pregnancy even though she’s been spayed. I would watch her closely. These symptoms should resolve over the next few weeks. If the bleeding continues that is not normal and could indicate a problem with the internal incision. If she stops eating, or becomes lethargic then please bring her right in for a recheck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Cleo.

That is unusual behavior for a dog but I do not suspect it is related to her mentally thinking she is in heat. That being said, dogs can have a heat cycle if they were not spayed properly or if they have too many ovaries. Your veterinarian can preform a simple blood test to determine if ovarian tissue is present. Next time she exhibits these symptoms, have her seen while she is showing signs as a blood test is more likely to find evidence of ovaries if they are present. That will at least rule that out. Other potential causes could include Addison’s disease or anxiety. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Unfortunately you can not stop the lactating. It will have to stop when the hormone level drops. When dogs are in a false pregnancy the spay has a higher risk of complications. The largest complication is extra bleeding. The blood vessels to the uterus and skin are very large when a dog is in heat or false pregnancy. The blood vessels get smaller after they cycle. Also the tissue is more friable and likely to tear. I find patients are more painful after surgery too. Hope that helps. If you have more questions you could always set up a pet coach consult