Dog In Heat Questions

Vel

Glad to hear he is doing well after his op. Its a fairly straight forward op for the males. Just be aware that as far as I know he would still be capable of getting a bitch pregnant for a little while after the operation. I'm not sure for how long after but your vet might be able to tell you

Zapperzy

Steve30x wrote: »

My female Cavalier came into heat a week and a half ago even though she was 10 months old last saturday. I first noticed whe was in heat when she was in my arms and I felt the wet so I put her on her back to check and she was bloody below. Then the next day her Vulva was swolen. The bleeding stopped on tuesday this week and she is still swolen below. I havent walked her since I noticed she was in heat and when I leave her out to potty I go out with her for a few minutes. After all I dont want a Border Collie / Cavalier accident. I will be getting her spayed when she comes out of heat again in about two or three weeks.

Is your collie unneutered also? If he is and your female is in heat then please find somewhere for your collie to go until she's out of heat, consider boarding him or having a friend look after him if you cannot guarantee that he cannot get at her. It only takes a few minutes for them to tie and then it's too late, you could get an emergency spay done then but its riskier and probably more expensive.
A bitch getting pregnant by a dog much bigger than her is very very risky and really puts her life at risk as the pups could be too big for her to give birth naturally, so you could end up with a very ill (or dead) bitch, a litter of newborn pups and a hefty vet's bill for the c-section.

Only a few weeks ago my neighbour's 8 months old bitch gave birth to an accidental litter, she tried to keep her unneutered dog away from her while she was in heat but obviously didn't do such a good job of it, so accidents do happen.

cucoigcrice

I have seen alot of bitches stay in season for up to 4 weeks. What happens is, the bitches vulva will swell in size, a bloody discharge will appear. However this discharge may not be noticed as the bitch will try to keep herself clean. This discharge will then change in colour to straw like depending on the bitch this could be around approx 15 days etc.

I work in a vets and i have heared many a ole wifes tails from, that you shouldnt neuter a bitch until she has one litter, you should neuter before first season!!!! All is a bit strange.

I know in our place that our vets recommend that if you are going to neuter do it after 6months of age on. I have seen alot of bitches around the 6 years approx suffering from pyometra's (womb infection), i mean it is nasty. A dogs womb obviously depending on size would generaly be around the thickness of a pen. Alot of these infected wombs end up the thickness of a medium football. Yess i know and it is full of puss, i have desected one.

Just try and keep your bitch in because any dog will try and get in no matter how hard you try they will clear a 6 foot fence

tk123

Calhoun wrote: »

ok but is there difference of opinion on this ? Where i am coming from is why would a qualified vet advise me to do the wrong thing? are there difference of opinions on this in the medical world? i am basing this on the assumption that vets use medicial logic instead of old wives tales?

just curios is all.

I can't really comment on the dog going into heat - cos my dog's a boy lol :pac::pac: But I've found since our guy has had some problems and we've been back a few times that different vets can have completely different views on how they treat things and you are left confused wondering which one you should listen to!! So if there's say a few different vets in your practice it's a good idea to stick to one you trust!

Steve30x

Zapperzy wrote: »

Is your collie unneutered also? If he is and your female is in heat then please find somewhere for your collie to go until she's out of heat, consider boarding him or having a friend look after him if you cannot guarantee that he cannot get at her. It only takes a few minutes for them to tie and then it's too late, you could get an emergency spay done then but its riskier and probably more expensive.
A bitch getting pregnant by a dog much bigger than her is very very risky and really puts her life at risk as the pups could be too big for her to give birth naturally, so you could end up with a very ill (or dead) bitch, a litter of newborn pups and a hefty vet's bill for the c-section.

Only a few weeks ago my neighbour's 8 months old bitch gave birth to an accidental litter, she tried to keep her unneutered dog away from her while she was in heat but obviously didn't do such a good job of it, so accidents do happen.

Dont worry. He is outside all the time (until I can get him rehomed) and she is inside with me all the time. I am keeping an eye on him when I leave her out to potty. I go out with her until she is done then she comes back in with me. There wont be any accidents there.

Jinxi

Can we hear from people who have coped with a bitch in heat and/or tips to help get through it. Does bitch spray work? Do male dogs really jump over walls that are 6 feet high? Do you end up with dog poo all over your front garden?

Every thread seems to turn into the pros/statistics why one should neuter.

andreac

Jinxi wrote: »

Can we hear from people who have coped with a bitch in heat and/or tips to help get through it. Does bitch spray work? Do male dogs really jump over walls that are 6 feet high? Do you end up with dog poo all over your front garden?

Every thread seems to turn into the pros/statistics why one should neuter.

Bitch spray does not work. The scent of a bitch can travel miles so a spray doesnt work.
Males will try anything to get a bitch in heat so if they can get over high walls they will.

The only way to get through is to make sure she is totally secure and do not leave her for a second un supervised as thats all it takes for a male to mate with her.

lrushe

Jinxi wrote: »

Can we hear from people who have coped with a bitch in heat and/or tips to help get through it. Does bitch spray work? Do male dogs really jump over walls that are 6 feet high? Do you end up with dog poo all over your front garden?

Every thread seems to turn into the pros/statistics why one should neuter.

I had a female GSD for 13 years who wasn't spayed and I now have a 1 year old Rottie bitch who came into heat for the first time there 2 months ago. I've never tried any of the lotions and potions out there for bitches when they come into heat so I can't comment on that.
Yes I have had a dog jump my 7ft wall to get to my GSD, I lived in a terraced house so not only did he scale the wall at the lane but walked alone the 2-3in wide wall passed my neighbours house to get to my back garden, luckily my dog was inside at the time :eek:
When my dog is in heat I always drive rather than walk them to a location to excerise (always on a long leash, never off leash) so as not to leave a trail for males to follow back to my house and this seems to have worked for me, I've never had a dog wait outside my house or leave poo behind.

Jinxi

lrushe wrote: »

I had a female GSD for 13 years who wasn't spayed and I now have a 1 year old Rottie bitch who came into heat for the first time there 2 months ago. I've never tried any of the lotions and potions out there for bitches when they come into heat so I can't comment on that.
Yes I have had a dog jump my 7ft wall to get to my GSD, I lived in a terraced house so not only did he scale the wall at the lane but walked alone the 2-3in wide wall passed my neighbours house to get to my back garden, luckily my dog was inside at the time :eek:
When my dog is in heat I always drive rather than walk them to a location to excerise (always on a long leash, never off leash) so as not to leave a trail for males to follow back to my house and this seems to have worked for me, I've never had a dog wait outside my house or leave poo behind.

Thanks. We are dreading the first heat. We live in a housing estate where there are loads of unneutered males and they are allowed out and about :(

fishfoodie

morganafay wrote: »

A guy I know has a Jack Russell X Wolfhound, the Wolfhound was the mother! I don't even know how . . .

Did you never read the Fabulous Furry Freak brothers ??

He used a chair

lrushe

Jinxi wrote: »

Thanks. We are dreading the first heat. We live in a housing estate where there are loads of unneutered males and they are allowed out and about :(

What breed do you have? If she's a smaller lower energy breed I'd keep her in for the 3 weeks or so. Mine have always been larger, higher energy dogs so to keep them in for 3 weeks with no real exercise would have been a nightmare.
I've also heard people having good luck with chlorophyll in the bitches food though I've never tried it myself, the only side effect I've heard of is green poop!