What Causes Miscarriages in Dogs?

Pregnant dogs can have miscarriages, or spontaneous abortions, due to bacteria, viral infections, parasites, hormonal imbalance and other reasons. Some of the causes are treatable with therapy, while other causes cannot be treated. Some causes will not have any visible symptoms. Knowing some of the most common reasons for miscarriage in dogs, though, may help you understand why it happens and could possibly lead to diagnosis or treatment.

  1. Bacteria

    • Bacterium Canis is a widespread bacterial disease common among dogs kept in kennels. It transmits easily, and the disease can cause failure to conceive and miscarriages. B. Canis is characterized by discharge from the vagina, and other complications like arthritis and inflammation of the eye can accompany the disease. In most instances, bacteria remains in the dog's bloodstream for up to a year and a half after a miscarriage has occurred.

      Canine brucellosis is another disease that can cause miscarriage. This bacterial disease does not have visible symptoms but can cause miscarriage in dogs that are 35 weeks into their pregnancies, as well as embryonic death. It can also result in your dog having stillborn puppies.

    Parasites

    • Your dog can host a range of parasites that cause miscarriage. Toxoplasmosis is an organism, transmitted through cat feces or raw meats, that can live in your dog. This heightens the risk of miscarriage and birth defects. Neospora Caninum is a parasite that transmits through water, food, feces or animal flesh; it can cause miscarriage. Mycoplasma or ureaplasma can occur when your dog lives in an overcrowded kennel. Both of these organism cause premature birth, stillbirth or miscarriage.

    Hormonal Imbalance

    • If your dog has a hormonal imbalance, such as an insufficient amount of progesterone, she may be prone to miscarriage. Progesterone is the hormone that helps to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Without enough progesterone, your dog's body may believe its time to give birth and cause your dog to miscarry. Replacement therapy can be used to top up progesterone levels in your dog, to prevent abortions due to this hormonal imbalance.

    Infection

    • Dogs can contract a canine herpes virus. If your dog has a herpes infection while pregnant, she can miscarry her puppies. In a dog that is not pregnant, the herpes viral infection may cause only minor illness; but if a dog contracts herpes within the first three weeks or last three weeks of gestation, she is at risk of spontaneous abortion or losing her puppies when they're born.

    Other Causes

    • Other abnormalities that can cause complication during the gestation period of your dog include endocrine disorders such as hypothyroidism, genetic defects or shortage of nutrition. All of these abnormalities can lead to miscarriage. A fungus that can cause excessive bleeding of the uterus, called myotic abortion, can lead to a spontaneous abortion.