Phantom or pseudo pregnancies occur more frequently in dogs than cats and unfortunately bitches that have a tendency to these will often suffer season after season. Although the bitch will usually have obvious physical symptoms, there are also psychological aspects to be taken into account. Once a bitch is actually showing symptoms it is normally only possible to relieve the symptoms and the Homœopathic remedies Pulsatilla 15C and Urtica Urens 3C will be helpful for this.

Bitches can become anxious and stressed so Scullcap & Valerian tablets should also be given to keep them calm and more settled.

Prevention is always better than cure, and Raspberry Leaf tablets have proved to be very effective in either totally preventing a phantom pregnancy occurring or in reducing the symptoms dramatically. For bitches that are susceptible give the recommended preventative dose of 2 tablets per 10kgs bodyweight daily from the first sign of coming into season and continue for 12 weeks, which is the time she would have whelped had she been mated. This is a long course of tablets and so for bitches that are not to be bred from consideration should be given to obtaining veterinary advice regarding the ultimate spaying of the bitch to resolve the problem.

“I refer you the correspondence that I had with you concerning the phantom pregnancies that my Wire Fox Terrier bitch has had over a number of years. I can now tell you that the phantom pregnancy, that I was anticipated, did not occur during her current season. I can tell you that I am highly delighted with the outcome. No more nursing of the dog on my knee in the early hours, of any morning, now that I have found the cure for this affliction.” Mr N Fraser, Glasgow

“I just want to say a big thank you to Dorwest. One of my girls had a phantom pregnancy again this season and I contacted you as I didn’t want to go down the Galastop route again from the vets to take her milk away. The young lady I spoke to recommended Urtica Urens 3C from the Homœopathic range. I just wanted to say that, while I was a bit sceptical at first, it has worked 100% and her milk has now fully gone. I just wanted to thank the young lady on the telephone for her patience with me and to Dorwest who obviously train their telephone operators with knowledge of all of their products – very rare these days. I am now an avid Dorwest fan and will come to you first in the future.” Best wishes Jenny Mason, Stoke On Trent.