Puppy having "that time of the month"

WHIP IT!

Hi, I noticed this morning that my seven-month-old puppy is menstruating for the first time. I had planned to get her spayed and will do when I can arrange suitable time with the vet, but I was just wondering if there's anything I can/should do in the meantime to make her more comfortable at the moment? She seems to be quite sensitive "there" as I noticed her kind of gingerly stepping into her basket earlier on etc.

Is there anything in particular I should be watching out for during this time (apart from horny male dogs!)? ie, is she more prone to illness/infection (mood swings! - joke, girls! :P ) ?

Thanks In Advance!

lrushe

Female dogs need no more extra attention when in heat than they would at any other time other than watching them like a hawk for a full month when she could be inpregnated by a male of course:) My 10 month old bitch is in heat at the moment and other than being a bit more flirty with my other dogs she is her usual happy-go-lucky self.
There is sometimes a small chance of bitches getting a UTI while in heat due to them constantly clean themselves, its only a small chance but something to watch out for.

WHIP IT!

lrushe wrote: »

Female dogs need no more extra attention when in heat than they would at any other time other than watching them like a hawk for a full month when she could be inpregnated by a male of course:) My 10 month old bitch is in heat at the moment and other than being a bit more flirty with my other dogs she is her usual happy-go-lucky self.
There is sometimes a small chance of bitches getting a UTI while in heat due to them constantly clean themselves, its only a small chance but something to watch out for.

Thanks alot. How long should I wait before I can bring her to the vet to be spayed? She does seem fairly sensitive and swollen down there (sorry, I dont mean to be graphic), is there anything I can do to help her out or will it just run it's course?

lorebringer

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Thanks alot. How long should I wait before I can bring her to the vet to be spayed? She does seem fairly sensitive and swollen down there (sorry, I dont mean to be graphic), is there anything I can do to help her out or will it just run it's course?

Nothing you can do to speed up the process or help her out, you just need to let nature run it's course. She may get a bit moody and down but it's totally normal. If you notice that she is peeing more or going in the house when she never did before, she may have a UTI and will need to be seen by a vet.

Generally, spaying happens half way between heats (or before, but that doesn't apply here). Usually bitches come into heat every 6 months, so about 2-3 months after her heat is the best time to get her done. Your vet will be able to advise you on this.

It is a good idea to mark on a calendar when she came into heat, when she started to bleed, when she stops etc. so that you have an iead of the general time line of everything.

lrushe

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Thanks alot. How long should I wait before I can bring her to the vet to be spayed? She does seem fairly sensitive and swollen down there (sorry, I dont mean to be graphic), is there anything I can do to help her out or will it just run it's course?

I would leave spaying for about 3 months to allow all the swelling (inside and out) to go down. As this is her first heat she is probably a bit uncomfortable, the swelling is completely normal so there is no need to intervene unless she seems in excessive pain or is peeing excessively. Bleeding should stop after about 2 weeks though she will still be fertile for anything up to two more weeks but after that she should be back to normal.

boomerang

Just to clarify for you, she's not actually menstruating - female dogs don't have periods like women do. She is actually entering a brief window of fertility. The process takes about three weeks and it's during the first week that she will be spotting blood - after that the discharge becomes clear.

Please don't underestimate just how desperate male dogs will be (and the amazing lengths they will go to!) to get to your bitch once she's receptive to being mated. They will climb high walls, break through hedges... they'll even jump in the windows! So be extra, extra vigilant and keep her safely indoors.

WHIP IT!

Thanks so much for all that. I think I will bring her to the vet tomorrow as she has been peeing far far more often than usual & peed indoors last night even tho she usually wudnt.