Saturday, October 18, 2008

Is your bitch in season?

Well, is she? If you have an intact (that is, unspayed) female dog, you'd better be able to tell!  Living with a spayed female dog, or a neutered (castrated) male dog is easier than living with an intact one.  But it's perfectly possible to be a responsible pet owner, and not spay or neuter your dog.  Being a responsible pet owner - among other things - means not letting your pet breed accidentally.  Breeding dogs is something that should be done using only the best and healthiest dogs possible, and only after some thought about how to select the best possible mates, to produce the best possible puppies.  Although there is no shortage of well-bred, purpose-bred dogs; the shelters ARE full of the results of "oops" breedings.  These happen when someone's intact male dog gets loose, or someone didn't realize that their female dog was in season and didn't know how to protect her.

I have NO problem with people who don't want to spay their female dog or neuter their male dog, as long as they are willing and able to prevent accidental matings. Managing an intact dog really isn't THAT difficult. But if you're debating whether or not to spay or neuter your dog you should realize that there ARE some inconveniences involved in responsibly keeping an intact pet.

And I've talked to a lot of intelligent people lately who have had basically no idea how to properly manage an intact male or female dog.

So let's cover a few of the basics. This is doggy sex ed 101. (THAT should get a few interesting search results!!! Ha!)

Let's talk about the boys first since they really are easier. The most important thing to know about keeping an intact male dog is:

KEEP HIM HOME!!!
If he's an escape artist and digs or jumps out of your yard every now and then, or if he successfully manages to bolt out of your front door... or if you just think that it's "good" for dogs to roam free now and then - you definitely SHOULD sterilize your boy!! Even if he's just 4 or 5 months old - that is the age of puberty for many dogs!!

If you don't want to castrate him, you can have a vasectomy done on him. That way if he's really young he'll still have his testosterone for normal growth and development, but he won't be siring litters all over your neighborhood. He'll still want to roam in search of a lady friend, but at least he'll be shooting blanks.

Now, if your dog escapes or bolts out the door or runs away you ALSO need to do some training! Neutering alone won't stop all those problems. But this post is about preventing accidental breeding which is part of the responsibility of owning a pet.

Now for the girls...

Although bitches do have a bloody discharge when they're in estrus (in season or in heat) it's a completely different type of cycle from a human female's menstrual cycle.

On average, a young bitch will come into estrus the first time when she's about 5 or 6 months old, and stay in estrus for 3 weeks (about 21 days). She will repeat this approximately every six months for her entire life - bitches do NOT go through menopause.

Just like in humans, there can be a huge variation in the schedule from one dog to another. Some will have their first heat cycle as young as 4 months - others won't have their first one until they're about 18 months old. Some will have 3 estrus periods in a year, others will only have one. If you have a puppy bitch, the best predictor of when she'll first come into season and how often she'll do it thereafter is to know what her mother/aunt/grandmother's cycles were like. If you can't talk to her breeder to find out, then plan for the worst. Be ready for her to come into season the first time at about 4 months of age, and be ever vigilant after that time.

The first symptom of a bitch coming into heat is usually some swelling of her vulva. She may lick it more than usual. The vulva and the skin around it may turn pink or reddish. Then a bloody discharge will start - in some bitches this can be a heavy flow, in others it is hardly noticeable. If you think your girl might be coming into season, one quick test is to fold a clean paper tower or kleenex and dab her vulva. If you see pinkish or bloody looking spots, then she's starting to come in season.

 Some bitches also have personality changes at this time - she may be more affectionate, or more cranky. She may not tolerate other dogs very well.  I had one young bitch who became very destructive when she was in season.  Your other dogs - even females or neutered males - will be more interested in her and want to sniff her rear. She may get tired of this and start to get snippy - you may have to separate her from all other dogs while she's in season to prevent fighting.  Don't punish her for any behavior changes during this time, just don't let other dogs bother her, and don't expect her to do her normal work (training, showing etc) during this time if she doesn't seem to be willing to do it.

After a few days - up to a week or so - the bloody discharge will taper off and you'll see a clear or pinkish discharge.

This does NOT mean that she's going out of season!! Rather, she's probably about to ovulate and is entering the most fertile time of her cycle.

BUT - and I cannot emphasize this enough - unless you do hormone testing you CANNOT predict exactly when during her cycle the female is fertile.

YOU MUST KEEP HER STRICTLY AWAY FROM ALL INTACT MALE DOGS DURING HER ENTIRE HEAT CYCLE.

This means no contact from the INSTANT you even THINK she might be coming into season.

This means no contact at all - dogs CAN and HAVE managed to copulate through a chain link fence, baby gate, or during a 3 minute phone call when the owner wasn't paying attention.

This means ANY male dog - even her father, her brother, her uncle, her son. Dogs do not have sexual taboos, and do not recognize or understand the concept of "incest".

This means keep her on a leash when you take her out to potty, and don't take her off your property.  A loose running male dog can and will mate with her while she's on the end of your leash!  Only let her off lead in an absolutely securely fenced area, and even then only after you've checked to be sure no male dog has managed to get into the area. Even then, keep your eyes on her. Don't leave her unattended outside AT ALL.

This means you must keep her in the house even if she's normally an outside dog. It IS possible to build a kennel secure enough to keep out an amorous dog trying to get to a bitch in season, but it's expensive and difficult.  It MUST have a secure roof unless the walls are 8 feet high and absolutely un-climbable.  It should be enclosed within your property fencing, so there is a "buffer zone" around it.  It also must have a barrier buried around the edges to prevent a dog digging underneath.  It's much easier to just keep her inside.

This means separating her from male dogs for at least 3 FULL weeks (at least 21 days) - she may still be able to get pregnant just when you think she's going out of season.

Inside your home, her discharge may be messy.  You can keep her confined to a crate, pen or room covered with washable blankets and bedding, or you can teach her to wear a dog diaper (Seasonals are a good brand, there are lots of others) to keep her from dripping all over your house. I start teaching female puppies to wear diapers when they're 3 or 4 months old, I just put them on for a few minutes at a time when they're about to eat a meal which will distract them. Gradually increase the time they wear them, and by the time they have their first estrus cycle they won't mind wearing their "panties". Get several pairs, and wash them frequently. If your girl has a heavy flow, you'll need to put an adhesive menstrual pad inside the diaper - but be watchful that she doesn't remove it and try to eat it!! The absorbent materials in sanitary napkins can cause an intestinal blockage. Usually I find that the diaper itself provides enough protection. I change them at least twice a day.

I know this sounds like a lot, but even managing an intact bitch really isn't THAT difficult. Keep her inside and away from male dogs is really what it boils down to when it comes to preventing accidental breeding.

Do you think you're up to it?

31 comments:

E said...

I am so glad we have Luke, and don't have to worry about the bitch. He is a good boy! :)

DogsDeserveFreedom said...

Good points. I would like to add that your groomer would prefer NOT to groom your bitch when she is in heat (some will turn your dog away, but it is not nice when you run in and dump your dog without being honest about its current condition). I know a few groomers and nothing sends them off the rocker more than a bitch bleeding all over their table (and guess who gets their incensed call? Not the owners!). Owners of intact bitches, please be considerate of others when your dog is in heat.

Barb said...

That's an excellent point, thank you! Reminds me of some other things I'll put in a new post.

Anonymous said...

Good to read. Our bitch seems to have been in season for more than three weeks. her vulva is about 5 times the size as it is normally.
She is spotting drops of blood consistently.
Just wondering is it possible for this to go over the three weeks.

Barb said...

Anonymous: it is possible, but very unusual for a bitch to show signs of estrous longer than 21 days. Are you sure she has been spotting for that long? I have found that it often SEEMS like it's been forever, but when I look at the calendar (I write down the day I first see signs) it hasn't been all that long.
But if you're sure she's been spotting for more than 21 days, then I would recommend seeing a vet - abnormal heat cycles can be a symptom of hormone abnormalities, cysts or tumors on the ovaries, etc.
Or, of course, it might be perfectly normal for her. Especially if this is her first heat, sometimes it can be longer or shorter than you'd normally see.

Amanda said...

Great information thanks. My 9 mth old Great Dane is now in season and all going well but she does smell very strong of blood.
She cleans herself and I wipe a few times a day, which she doesn't like at all. Gets a little cross and I don't blame her.
I was thinking of bathing her, not making a big deal of washing all over but to see if I could get her to sit down for a few mins to soak her bits ?
What do you think ?
Many thanks

Barb said...

Thanks for posting, Amanda!
In my experience anyway, both the discharge and the odor are worse during the first week, then it gets better. Keeping everything really clean helps a lot too - if you are keeping pants on her, change any removable pads or wash the pants at least twice a day. If you're just using washable covers on her bedding, change and wash that at least once a day.
You can definitely give her a bath as often as you want, but I *would not* try to make her sit in the water! Remember that her feet will be in the water, so it's not remotely sterile and when in season, her cervix is more open than normal and you might be risking a pyometra (uterine infection) by making it easier for foreign bacteria to get in there. Pyometra can be life threatening!
Just wash her hindquarters. Or you can use some waterless pet shampoo - there are several different brands and they all seem to work well. Spray it on, rub it in and towel dry. Or you can pour a little on a washcloth, and rub it on that way.
Good luck, and thanks for reading my blog!

Unknown said...

Hi there,
Thankyou for your prompt reply and a big thank you for your advice.
Completely forgot about it not being sterile with her feet in there .... How daft am I.
I'm washing all the bedding daily and gently wiping her when she allows, she's definitely got PMT !! X bless her.
I'll leave her be and not pull her about.
I know every dog is different but does the bleeding last the full 21 days ? If not how long after is the season over ?
I've never used a blog before, yours is easy to use and so quick with the replies, many thanks.
Amanda and Lily (with very swollen bits, Lily my Dane not me 😫) xx

Barb said...

The bleeding is *usually* heaviest the first 6 or 7 days, then it gets lighter and may practically disappear. You'll know when she's out of season because there will be NO discharge at all for a few days, and the swelling will go down. If this is her first season, her vulva may not go all the way down to look like it did before, but it will definitely be much smaller. Wait at least 21 days after the start of the bleeding and swelling before allowing any contact with male dogs, even if the season appears to be over sooner than that. Many accidental breedings happen on day 19 or 20, when the owner thought the girl was out of season! If you're really not sure, your vet can take a swab inside the vulva and look at the cells under the microscope, and tell if she's still in season or not.
Oh - it's also perfectly normal for her to be touchy about her rear at this time. Don't push it, she may be sore or a little crampy. Or just feeling hormonal and irritable. It's not her fault, and once she's out of season she'll go back to her normal self. Usually I don't bother washing my bitches at all while they are in season, usually they lick and keep themselves pretty clean. It's more a matter of doing laundry. :-) After she's out of season, I will give her a little bath before going back to our normal training classes, to reduce any lingering odor.

Jamie Porter said...

My great dane has been bleeding for 18 days she has already past her stage of lifting the tale and wanting "action" for lack of better term. Her vulva is less swollen but still a little swollen and I have taken her to the vet and they did a full vaginal and rectal exam to clear her of cysts etc. I just don't know why she is still bleeding? Have others had this experience?

Barb said...

Hi Jamie! Thanks for posting. 21 days is the "average" length of time for a bitch to be in season, but there can be some individual variation. Also, although it's the usual thing for the bleeding to be heaviest during the first week, and decrease during the second and third week that also can vary from one dog to another. Especially if your girl is young, maybe this is her first season? They can be very irregular the first time. If she's acting OK, and your vet said she was OK I would not be worried at this time. If however she is still actively bleeding a week from now (Day 24 or more) then I'd go back to the vet. Be aware, many general practitioner vets actually are not very experienced dealing with reproductive matters - because most of their patients have been spayed or neutered. Sometimes we have to find a vet who specializes in reproduction. The best way to do that is talk to some people who show dogs in your area, they will know who to go to.
But the chances are that the bleeding will stop in the next few days. Be sure to keep her away from male dogs until at least 21 days, and the swelling is gone and there has been NO bleeding for at least 24 hours!

Unknown said...

This whole thread is really helpful thank you to everyone who's been posting. I have a 6 month old dane bitch and been trying to find out the gen on her being in season. Thank you 😊

Barb said...

You're welcome Kerry, glad to help!

Morning Glory said...

When can I get my 7 month old Dane spayed? I do not want puppies and I wanted to get it done b efore her first hest but was told not to. Her vulva has been swollen for a week now and my son noticed blood on her pee pad that we keep by the door in case she has to go and doesn't make it outside. I am not sure how long this will last and if I can have her spayed now or not.

Morning Glory said...

When can I get my 7 month old Dane spayed? I do not want puppies and I wanted to get it done b efore her first hest but was told not to. Her vulva has been swollen for a week now and my son noticed blood on her pee pad that we keep by the door in case she has to go and doesn't make it outside. I am not sure how long this will last and if I can have her spayed now or not.

Barb said...

Hi Morning Glory,
It does sound like your girl is coming into season, 7 months is not an unusual age for that. I would NOT recommend spaying her now, because when she's in season the blood flow to the uterus is much greater which makes the surgery more difficult and more painful and risky for the bitch. After she goes out of season (it will take about 3 weeks) you want to wait a few more months before spaying her because their hormones do pretty much the same thing whether they are pregnant or not, and again there is more blood flow. She will be fine, as long as you are able to keep her strictly away from male dogs who have not been neutered. Do not leave her in your back yard unattended, not even for a minute. Obviously, don't take her to the dog park, I don't even take my girls on a walk in the neighborhood when they are in season - dogs can mate pretty quickly when conditions are right. There is a facebook group called Correct Great Dane Info that can help you too, there are lots of experienced people there. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

I have Samoyeds and someone linked me this article. This is the first time I've had an unspayed female and intact male in the house at the same time and I don't want an unplanned pregnancy. Very helpful!

Unknown said...

I have an intact male Great Dane that I just adopted about 8 months ago he is 6 years old. We are having issues with him being very destructive when a female is in heat. He ate the door knob off the door leading to goin outside. We were told he is to old to get fixed. Is there anything else we can do. And I guess he can smell the heat cycle for over a mile away because he excaped the house then the fence. We found him at a house there a female was in heat about 2 miles away now he he won't stop breaking stuff in the house to get out

Barb said...

Hi Jonathon! 6 years old isn't too old for surgery, unless the dog has some severe underlying health issues. And honestly, nowadays since the anesthetics and monitoring are so good, the underlying issues would have to be REALLY severe (like imminent heart failure) before I'd hesitate to have a dog put under for a necessary procedure. Our boy Teddy was about 7 I think when we had him neutered. Was it a vet who told you he was too old? If so, I'd seek a second opinion. One thing to remember: even after he's neutered, it may take several weeks for the testosterone levels to drop to the point where he's calmer when he scents a female in season. So I'd also talk to the vet about sedatives to help you manage him. If he were at my house, I'd also try crate training, but since he's so destructive I'd probably still sedate him so he wouldn't hurt himself trying to break out of a crate. I would also probably have a trainer come to the house and talk about some basic training, and management to help him fit in. I hope this helps - if you are in the US I might be able to help you find a trainer, just let me know. Also - before surgery check out the surgical guidelines at the Great Dane Club of America website - most good vets already do all this, but discussing it with your vet will help you feel more confident about surgery, and help ensure that your boy will come through just fine: http://www.gdca.org/health/surgery.html

kim daniels photography said...

Hi all! Wonderful doggy sex-ed 101 this morning! My 9 month old Dane, Lucy, just came into heat yesterday. I've had many, many danes and other dogs but have always had them spayed. Have never had to deal with this! My fear is,, I also have Lucy's sister, Giselle, that I fear will be following suit soon �� My question... Should I increase their nutrition or anything during this time??

Barb said...

Hi Kim, and thanks for reading!
It is pretty common for girls in the same house (canine or otherwise) to "sync up" so to speak. So don't be surprised if Giselle doesn't start soon. It's actually a little easier when they are on the same schedule, and you get it over with rather than dealing with one girl, and then a few weeks later the other one starts. But that can happen as well.
They shouldn't need any changes in diet or supplements at this time. Some bitches will go off their food for a day or two - as long as she seems to feel fine otherwise I wouldn't worry. It's OK in that case to tempt her with something tasty since she's not just being finicky. Any significant changes in behavior like being lethargic, or loss of appetite that lasts more than a couple of days are not normal, and she should see a vet.

Unknown said...

I have a 9 month long bitch whose not showing any signs of heat. Her vulva is still tucked up pretty high as well. Also, very dominant among the neutered males we have.

Barb said...

Hi Christina!
The dominance is probably just her personality, and doesn't have anything to do with whether or not she is about to come in season. It's very normal for large and giant breed bitches to be a year or more old before going into season the first time. If she still hasn't come into season by the time she's about a year and a half (18 months) then I'd talk to your vet. That doesn't necessarily mean there is something wrong, but I would start to be concerned at that age.

Anonymous said...

Hi, My dane/mastif has been in heat for about 21 days now. She is still bleeding and I know that is not unusual. However, just today I notice she has a bad smell....lots of what sounds like gas. She hasn't had anything unusual to eat so I am puzzled. Anyone else have this problem. The smell is bad.

The Visualist at SonnyRaeSomethings said...

Hi there, Thanks so much for all this really helpful information on the heat season. My 9 month old bitch has had a really nasty green/yellow discharge for the last 5 or 6 days, and now her vulva is very swollen and she's licking it a lot, but there doesn't seem to be signs of blood. The vet said she may be coming into season so didn't check her vulva for anything else and I'm just a bit worried that i might be mistaking it for some kind of nasty infection instead. All he did was give me Metacam pain killer for her. Does the bleeding come along with a discharge or more obviously just bleeding?

laurie mahood said...

At what age should Great Dane females stop being bred? Your blog said they do not stop having heat cycles.

Barb said...

Hi Laurie! Great question. It really depends on the dog, but I would say that most responsible breeders will breed a female Great Dane who is between two years and, say 5 years old. Two or three years is usually the optimum age. Just like humans, the older she is the more difficulty she may have with pregnancy and giving birth.

Unknown said...

We have a 6 year old Dane is she too old to keep breeding or will she stop at any point? She had a litter 4 months ago and hasn't gone back into heat we try to keep them separated but they got hooked this last time without us knowing.

Barb said...

Female dogs never stop going into heat - unlike humans, even very old ones can get pregnant. But it's very hard on them and each time increases the risk that the mother will die. Please get her spayed if you don't want more puppies! If you really do want to breed her again, be prepared to pay for a c-section if necessary. That can cost $1500 or more for a giant breed dog. And it sounds like maybe you need to do a better job of keeping your male and female separated? Kids or other family members can forget and leave gates open - you may need some actual padlocks that only you can open. Or some other solution - just remember, if you don't want to spay or neuter, then it's up to you to be responsible and truly keep them separated!

laurie mahood said...

We have 2 females and one full male Dane. Our young girl (11 months) is more than mid-way thru her first heat. We have barricades up at every major doorway. the girls go outside, then come back in, then the boy can go out. So far, its all working. I would like a little more sleep, one of these days. (Half the night, I have been napping in my big armchair, in the living room, with 2 of them, the third can access the rest of the house.) I figure we are in the Most Vulnerable Stage, as our boy has started his 'nose-whistling', and whining, where he has been fairly quiet up to now. (We have made efforts to make sure one of us humans is in the house with him,. if the girls are outside in the yard, so he doesn't fret and start damaging things.)
Once the work day is thru, we ALL sit in our armchairs or couches or loveseats, and watch tv together. As long as we humans are Vigilant, no sniffing or 'playing' is allowed, we can stay in the same room together. If I have to leave the room, and have any doubt at all, and i just bring one or the other into the bathroom with me.
It FEELS like this has been going on forever, but the calendar says we still have another 4 - 5 days to go. ...and then a few more, just to Be Sure. I appreciate your blog, thanks. Laurie

Barb said...

Thank you for reading, Laurie! I understand the feeling! 2 suggestions that may help: a big crate (colossal size) can help to secure your boy when you're all hanging out in the same room or if you leave the house. #2: try letting him potty somewhere the girls have NOT been. Even they're in the same house, if he can't get his nose down where she's peed it helps. I take my boy out front on a leash, while the girls go out back. Good luck! :-)