# Teenage Dog or Post Spay Side Effects?



## Sue T (Aug 1, 2012)

Hi. I mentioned on an earlier thread that our lovely Lucy had her spay a month ago and then subsequently had a phantom pregnancy. Ever since then she is been very very hyper and very naughty. Her hyper/naughtiness symptoms are: charging around the house in spite of long walks, (12 miles yesterday)! biting and tugging on the lead with her mouth, not wanting to give it back and then growling, and today she barked at me for taking it off her! She has also started grumbling at noises.

She is also being aggressive with other dogs - she is willing to go to another dog, and wags her tail and then growls and snaps at them. She is however fine with her close dog friends. 

We have always been firm on training, and we are continuing with what we were taught on her puppy training. I do not know if all this is a mixture of the side effects of her spay/phantom pregnancy or teenage years, or I suppose all these factors could be a mixture of hormonal changes. I would just like advice from anyone who has experienced any of the above and their relation to spay/phantom pregnancy. If these are teenage dog symptoms then advice please on how long it will last! (She is 12 months old on Saturday). Many Thanks!


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

Poor thing will still be in the throes of her phantom pregnancy. Her hormones are all over the place and will be why she is acting out. It will settle but will take a good few weeks.


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## Sue T (Aug 1, 2012)

Hi Karen. Thanks for your post. I hope that you are right that Lucy is acting as she is because of the phantom pregnancy. I just wonder if you have experienced this first hand, and if you did then roughly how long did the change in behaviour last? Many Thanks.


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## wellerfeller (Jul 12, 2011)

I have had a dog that suffered two phantoms. Every bitch is different so some get over it quite quickly on their own, others can seem to take an age and not be getting anywhere and some drug treatment from a vet may be needed to help them.
It can go on for over a month. If you are worried about her pop back to your vet and explain, they may offer some help to get her over it quicker.


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## Sue T (Aug 1, 2012)

Ok, thanks. Lucy was prescribed Galastop for a week which was effective in stopping her lactating, but that was about three weeks ago. I'll see how she is in a week or so and take it from there.


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