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Why is my unspayed dog leaking milk, whining, and acting pregnant?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Female | unspayed | 65 lbs

My dog has started whining non stop and licking her teats. She had a litter 14 months ago, now her teats are leaking milk. She isn't pregnant.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Laura Johnson VMD

Veterinarian

Published on January 6th, 2018

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Boo! If Boo had a heat recently and you know for sure she isn't pregnant then she is likely experiencing a false pregnancy. This is a hormonal imbalance where the dog thinks she is pregnant when she isn't. The mammary glands can enlarge and produce milk, she can show nesting behavior, carry toys around like babies and act needy or anxious. False pregnancies last 2-3 months and tend to reoccur with subsequent heat cycles, so it would be best to have her spayed once her symptoms resolve. I hope this helps and I wish Boo the very best! http://www.merckvetmanual.com/dog-owners/reproductive-disorders-of-dogs/reproductive-disorders-of-female-dogs

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    Answered By Silvia De Cecco, DVM, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on May 25th, 2018

    She probably has a phantom pregnancy. It usually occurs 2 month after the previous heat period and the typical symptoms are: enlarged mammary gland, milk production, behavioral changes, nesting, mothering activity. In mild cases treatment is not necessary but in more severe cases (if Meka is uncomfortable, mammary glands are enlarged, warm and painful, if she continues to produce milk) treatment is required. I would suggest to have her checked by your local veterinarian to confirm the diagnosis and receive the treatment, if necessary.

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    Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 1st, 2023

    I'm sorry but I cannot tell you if she is pregnant or not. Did you breed her? Does she have access to intact male dogs? If not, then she is probably not pregnant. If so, then she very well could be. Pregnancy can not be confirmed based on symptoms. The only way to know for sure is to have a veterinarian examine Sage. She could be pregnant. She could be having a false pregnancy. She could be having a hormonal imbalance, a cystic ovary, a uterine infection, or something related to that. There are so many different reasons for dogs to show these types of behaviors. If you are worried you should take her to your vet for an examination. My best guess would be false pregnancy but again, without examining her myself, I cannot tell you for sure. Here is a link about false pregnancy in dogs: ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/false-pregnancy-or-pseudopregnancy-in-dogs )

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