# Do you swim your female while in heat?



## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

We don't, it is a big :nono: for us. The cervix is the gateway to the uterus. It remains tightly closed except during heat. When it is open, bacteria (normally found in the vigina) can enter the uterus rather easily.

Someone I know almost lost her young female to Pyometra and it made me wonder. For those who don't know, Pyometra is an infection in the uterus caused by bacteria. The prefered treatment for this is emergency spay, but a lot of dogs have died from it. 

Not saying this is how this person's female got it, don't even know if she was swimming the dog while in heat and I'm sure there are other causes to Pyometra. But I just thought I would caution people who are unaware of this. You might want to think twice before swimming your dog while in heat.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

That makes perfect sense. A nurse told me to stop letting DD soak in the bath all the time because that was a known cause for UTI's.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

I remember my grandmother saying you can't take a bath when you have your period. I never would have thought there could be some sort of problem for a dog. Lakota's 1st heat most likely happened in fall/winter I couldn't pin point it. She was spayed before her 2nd summer.


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## Bear L (Feb 9, 2012)

Well, darn, I just came back from the creek with a female in heat and decided to look it up to see if that is ok or not. 

Want to bump this thread to see if anyone else swim their females when in heat?


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## GsdLoverr729 (Jun 20, 2010)

Koda loves swimming, but when she's in heat we avoid it. I'll allow her to walk in creeks, so long as they are about halfway up her legs at the deepest.


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## N Smith (Aug 25, 2011)

I swim my dog when she is in heat all the time, it is a great way to expend energy and know that I am not going to run into a dog on a trail.

Never heard of the possibility of bacteria being introduced, I am willing to do some more research on the topic though, and see what comes of it.

Thanks for bringing it up though, great new thing for me to locate more info on


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## Mooch (May 23, 2012)

Hmm it's perfectly fine for human women to bathe or swim during their period - it just depends on if you feel comfortable with it or not  
(btw my grandma told me the same no swimming or having a bath thing - must be an older generation myth)

I had never considered that it may be bad for a dog (all my girls have been spayed)


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

This most definitely is an old wives tale. Have you ever heard a human dr tell you not to swim in a lake or ocean when you are ovulating?


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## lsatov (Mar 29, 2011)

absolutely not true.


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

I wouldn't do it just to be safe, not worth the risk whether it's true or not.


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