just a quick question.....

[rowdiebrindlepit]

i am wondering when do females have their first heat cycle so that i can have my female seperated from my male so i dont end up with a bunch of puppies. i dont wanna bread them, i just dont have the money to get her fixed right now....and are there any ways of telling if she is about to come into heat or do i just have to keep an eye on her?

[Shineillusion]

What age a female comes into heat can vary a great deal, depending on the breed, size, and general condition of the dog in question. I've known some to have their first heat at 5 months, others not until they're a year or older. They can also have what is called a silent heat, with little or no outward signs that they're in heat at all. You're male will know, though.

Some signs to look for: swelling of the vulva and surrounding tissue. Flagging her tail when you touch her backside. Some females will get, well for lack of a better term, bitchy. Your male will probably pay more attention to her, and sniff her backside a lot. If you notice her vulva swelling, start wiping her a couple of times a day with a white tissue or cloth. If there's any pink at all, she's coming in heat.

Keeping her confined during her cycle is extremely important, and can be extremely difficult. Males have been known to climb fences, dig under fences, dig through doors, break windows, and a host of other things to get to a femal in heat. If something like that should happen, call your vet ASAP. She can have a missmating shot to prevent her having a litter.

You might want to call your vet's office and see if they know of any local organizations that can help you pay for having her spayed. A lot of local humane societies and such have spay/neuter clinics where you can get the surgery done very reasonably, and some will even cover the entire cost. It's certainly worth a phone call.

[Sara]

Speaking of males and females in heat...sometimes females can be the escapees too...you do get the occasional (for lack of a better word) whorish female out there.

On that note though, my Boerboel male who had gone through a couple of heat cycles with our pits and other boerboels was used to his crate and being crated adn whatnot but one day I think he'd just had enough of the temptation and when we got home he was out of his crate...it looked like a small explosion happened with the bars all pushed out and twisted...I'm still not sure how he did it or how he fit through the hole but they will do ANYTHING they can sometimes. I'd confine BOTH dogs in different rooms with secure doors on them...crated....in a crate with JUST ENOUGH space...if a dog can't get enough leverage due to lack of space they can't break anything (chewing though is a whole different issue).

Also about three months or so after your female's heat cycle (which for safety you should assume will last a month) watch for signs of possible issues of infection. I lost my female to a uterine infection...so if she stops eating and she's about three months out of her heat cycle you may want to take her in for a quick blood test to check for infection...it moves quickly so I can't stress that part enough. I'd also do whatever you can to get the cash together to get her spayed...saves a LOT of headache.

[Shineillusion]

Also common with the uterine infection is excessive drinking and urination. Sometimes that's the only symptom. If you suspect it, it's something that needs to be checked out right away. It's a killer.