Is she close to going into heat?

meghan_m_25 · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 6:54 pm Post subject: Is she close to going into heat?

I have a 6 and a half month old pup. I think she is close to going into heat. She does this wierd thing with her tail when you scratch her butshe isn't bleeding. I found today she is biting more when you scratch her belly she tries to bite and licking more. do you think she is close to going into heat? And will they still spay her if she is showing some of these signs? If she does go into heat how long after do you have to wait to get them done?

charmedagain · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 2232 Location: uk

She could be due to start her cycle. With my girls i used to rub there back near the top of there tail and they would move there tail to the side when they were due to come into heat.

Its best to wait 12 weeks after the cycle before having her spayed as until then her hormones are all over the place and all females have some degree of phantom ( false pregnancy ) you can have the vet spay her before her cycle but most will not do it until 12 weeks after the cycle.

You should never get a dog spayed during her cycle either, This can cause problems..

Mike

Jamiya · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 5593

Would a vet be able to tell for sure if she is going into heat?

charmedagain · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 2232 Location: uk

A vet can do a blood test that will show if the levels of hormones have risen which indicate signs of a cycle but this can also give a false positive if the dog has some sort of infection or virus..

Mike

Samsintentions · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 4259 Location: Texas

You will see the vulva begin to swell and in some dogs (especially mine) their appetite will decrease. There will be a bit of discharge and you can use diapers of pup pants to help control the mess.

Whatever you do. Do not leave her un attended. Even after she stops bleeding and you "think" she's out of heat. Believe me...

Jamiya · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 5593

I'm just thinking if she hasn't actually started to go into heat yet, it would be better to spay her ASAP rather than waiting for the cycle plus 12 weeks.

charmedagain · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 2232 Location: uk

Hi jamiya even though she may not be showing an external signs of her cycle going to start there may be some internal changes where her uterus and oviaries start to swell up this makes things abit more difficult and the risk of a severe bleed is higher in a dog just starting a cycle or a dog that is part way through.

Some dogs have a silent heat so the only way to know is look at there vulva if they are in heat this will still be swollen but there will be no bloody discharge which makes it hard for some people to know if the dog is in heat or has been in and gone again.

Mike

meghan_m_25 · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:05 am Post subject:

The soonest we can get her done is Jan 25. They said if she does go into heat to wait 6 weeks after to get her done

charmedagain · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 2232 Location: uk

Thats soon after here in the uk its 12weeks because all bitches that are not mated or are but do not become pregnant have some degree of a false pregnancy.

But i suppose each vet and each country is different.

Mike