# In 'Heat' / Season



## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

Firstly, I don't know the correct term sorry - is it a 'heat' or is it 'in season'? It may be not incorrect to say ... 'in heat' but for some strange reason, to me, it just seems a bit crude. I have also heard it likened to a 'period' .. to me that is a human term, but again, thats just me.

Anyways, whatever the correct term, my question is, pre-heat/season/period, do girls show any symptoms at all - I mean, is there any way to tell if they are about to go into 'heat/season/have a period?

Dakota is booked in for a spay, but due to circumstance, it will not be until she is 7.5 months old .... I realise there is the a risk here she may go into heat/season/have a period, but having spoken to her breeder, and learning none of his girls ever have until around 9 - 12 months old, and having him say he would be very surprised if Dakota were the exception to this, I am going to accept this risk, as I know I can keep her safe from an unwanted pregnancy.

So, do I need to keep a look out for anything?? She is nearly 6.5 months old. I'm asking because although Harley is neutered, I would hate for her to 'attract' his attention & have him going 'at her' at every given opportunity!! She's half his size & it probably happens all the time in the wild, but not to my baby girl!!!!! LOL


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## MySugarBaby (Jun 28, 2006)

You can use any term you like, in season, in heat, period.
Signs to look for, vulva will swell and she will start bleeding and licking herself alot. Some dogs keep themselves very clean so you may not see the blood if she is constantly licking herself. Her attitude may also change, she can become more clingy and lazy or even cranky.
Your male will also pick up on it and I am sure he will let you know when she is in heat. 

Here is how it works. A dog is usually in heat for 3 weeks. First week they will start bleeding. Second week the bleeding will lessen or stop completely. Now this is the week you really need to watch, because this is the week that the female can get pregnant and will accept a male. If you run hand down her back she will lift her tail to the side, this is how you know she is ready for a male. The third week she is coming out of heat. You will have to keep a close eye on them because the first week and the third week your female will not accept a male and may bite or attack him if he tries anything. So the second week is probably your biggest worry, around day 10 she can get pregnant. Most breeders breed their dogs on day 10, 12, 14 because this is when they are fertile. 

So once you see her bleeding, you will have to seperate your male and female. You will have to put them in different rooms because they can still mate through a cage or fence. Also, if you take her outside, keep it as short as possible and never leave her alone for a second. A male dog can smell a female dog in heat from up to a mile away and will try anything to get to her. You may need a diaper, some will bleed heavily but I diaper will not keep your male from mating with her. So your best bet is to just keep them seperated until her heat is over. You will know her heat is over when her vulva is back to its normal size and your male isn't as interested in her and she will definately not be interested in letting your male mate with her. Also, let your vet know she is heat if it is around the time of surgery, he will want to wait until her cycle is over because it adds complications and risks to spaying a female that is in heat.

Sorry this is so long, I hope this helps!!

Sorry, I just noticed you said your male is neutered. You still want to keep them seperated because he if tries anything with her, she could hurt him. Being neutered I don't know if he will be interested in her or not, some are after they are neutered and some aren't.


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## starry (Sep 4, 2006)

I found this post interesting.
I discussed spaying Holly last visit at the vet.








They strongly suggested to spay her bf her 1st cycle/heat began. They said it is good to prevent breast cancer,etc.
My husband did not want to fix our next dog (Holly now.) After Star dieing. Since there was no found reason for her GME and toxoplasmosis diagnosis he thinks it could hv come from getting surgery(infection? Her stiches came undone..)
He said also of course "the vets want to make $$$."(sorry to offend.. ,not all of you)
I know he is concerned mainly about Holly and said it's not good to cut open and expose her to the dangers of surgery. (I catch him playing with her







)
Now,I do not support bringing more dogs into this world(it was hard for me to buy one







) but I know eventually I will have to fix her now that I read thier heat and chances of getting pregnant last 3 weeks







(give or take the days inbetween that you mentioned.)
Even though she is (the alpha dog of my Lhasa and dtr's chi) 
at 3lbs.10oz (16wks) I know she is strong enough (I hope!) and not small and weak like maybe Star was.
I was really hoping to put it off till atleast after her 1st cycle, then it would be SpringBreak and quieter around here. I just hate the recovery scene as it is hard to keep her still and she jumps like popcorn at whoever is on the sofa, also I have stairs.
Sorry for the rambling,Just thinking out loud here..


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Your vet is absolutely right. By spaying Holly before her first heat cycle, you basically eliminate her chance of getting breast cancer later on.

There is firm medical research indicating that if a dog spay surgery is performed before the dog's first estrus cycle (heat) the chances for developing mammary gland cancer later in life is nearly zero. If a dog goes through one heat cycle and then is spayed, the chances of mammary cancer later in life are slightly reduced. And if a dog has three or more estrus cycles and then is spayed there is no protective influence against developing mammary cancer.  

http://www.thepetcenter.com/sur/sp.html

I know your husband is worried about losing Holly too. I don't think anyone has ever suggested a link between GME and spaying, though. GME is just one of those awful diseases our Maltese seem to be prone to. Getting a puppy from a reponsible breeder who focuses on breeding genetically healthy puppies is your best chance of not repeating your horrible experience.

Here are some other benefits of spaying:

Female dogs, like males, have an increased risk of aggression if left intact. Estrus can cause moodiness, and hormone changes in pregnancy can make some females downright aggressive. Her attitude can change overnight. If your dog is going to have contact with children, that's another reason to seriously consider spay/neuter.

With estrus, intact female dogs may show erratic behavior, signs of pain that may be similar to cramping in humans, and a greatly increased propensity to get out of the house or fenced yard. Some dogs stay clean, while others may leave stains around the house. You won't be able to leave her outdoors unsupervised for even a second because the scent of her urine (she will urinate quite frequently) attracts male from a mile or so away. 

When a female dog is in heat, both she and the intact males in her vicinity will show changes of behavior, and many of the spay/neutered dogs in the vicinity will, too. It is not fun managing a female dog in estrous. 

Many people spay their female dogs after one cycle, because it's so much more difficult than they expected it to be. Many more spay their females after one litter because it's not only more work and more heartbreak than they expected, but it's also much more expensive. Spaying the dog prior to ever getting pregnant can spare both her health and her temperament from sometimes dramatic deterioration. Also, dogs can die attempting to give birth. 

Two or more female dogs in the same home will in many cases not be able to get along, especially if one or more of them are intact. Like aggression problems with male dogs, if you wait until the fighting has already begun, fighting may have become a habit that will not be changed with the relief of the hormone pressures when you spay. 

Female dogs will sometimes fight each other to the death. That would not be necessary in the wild, where one of them could be driven away to form a new pack. In our homes, it's up to us to manage the dogs so that two incompatible animals are not forced to live together. Spaying dogs before they are fully mature increases the chance of them living together in peace.

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.p...;A=1570&S=1


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## Edwinna (Apr 21, 2006)

I noticed that Audrey got really cranky prior to the bleeding. PMS maybe???


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## starry (Sep 4, 2006)

Marj, Thank you so much for all that info.
I didn't realize all those facts and she is already aggresive.








I just don't want her to go into heat and make the surgery more difficult so I guess 5 months is a good time to consider doing it.
Thanks again so much for typing all that, it really made me change my mind to 100% sure it shld be done. Now I must convincce my hub...


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

Thanks everyone, I will continue to keep a close watch on her, I took the risk knowing she MIGHT go into season before her scheduled spay, but I honestly thought it was a calculated risk ..... I just hope I was right!!

thanks again.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

> Marj, Thank you so much for all that info.
> I didn't realize all those facts and she is already aggresive.
> 
> 
> ...


You are most welcome!


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## MySugarBaby (Jun 28, 2006)

> Marj, Thank you so much for all that info.
> I didn't realize all those facts and she is already aggresive.
> 
> 
> ...


I am glad you decided to spay her, she will benefit from it sooo much.
I don't know what type of stiches your last dog had done, but I would suggest getting dissolvable stiches done when you get her spayed. I heard of the other type of stiches coming undone or even one horror story of one tearing the stiches out causing her insides to come out. I always worried this would happen with mine so I asked the vet for the dissolvable stiches. The stiches are in the inside so you won't have to worry about it coming undone or her tearing them out. Then they dissolve, they are perfectly safe and you don't have to add in a check up to get stitches out like you would with the regular stiches. Plus, in my experience, with the dissolvable stiches, the healing time is quicker and leaves less scarring and just looks so much better and causes less discomfort, the regular stiches can rub against their skin causing discomfort which is why they want to chew on them or tear them out.


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## starry (Sep 4, 2006)

> I am glad you decided to spay her, she will benefit from it sooo much.
> I don't know what type of stiches your last dog had done, but I would suggest getting dissolvable stiches done when you get her spayed. I heard of the other type of stiches coming undone or even one horror story of one tearing the stiches out causing her insides to come out. I always worried this would happen with mine so I asked the vet for the dissolvable stiches. The stiches are in the inside so you won't have to worry about it coming undone or her tearing them out. Then they dissolve, they are perfectly safe and you don't have to add in a check up to get stitches out like you would with the regular stiches. Plus, in my experience, with the dissolvable stiches, the healing time is quicker and leaves less scarring and just looks so much better and causes less discomfort, the regular stiches can rub against their skin causing discomfort which is why they want to chew on them or tear them out.


Thanks Poptart (love those AND the name!
Well I am going to a different vet with her and they said they do use the dissolveable stitches.







but now my little monkey dog can jump up on the sofa (and down!!!







) so I think that is one reason Star's stiches came undone. So I am worried about how I am going to keep her calmed down long enough for any type stiches and healing to begin. She is just such a wild thing (puppy energy) and I know even baby gating her in a room she will jump up and down at the gate.
She has never been crated except in the car going to the vet so I really don't want to crate her just bc she has stiches







, I hope no one makes me.
I hope Dakota does well with her surgery..


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