# Sticky  Dog in Heat for Dummies?



## JeanKBBMMMAAN

Hi Everyone!

Kyah from the rescue section appears to be going into heat.









Long story short, she was not healthy enough to spay, and we were hoping she was not going to come into heat before she was at a weight to do so, but she's now at a good weight and apparently (the good news) healthy enough to go into heat. 

What are the basics, and the precautions? Good cleaning recommendations for dog and home, any supplements suggested, changes in behavior-all examples welcomed. Let's pretend this is 5th grade health and the boys have been sent to the gym! 

Length of time averages, amount of bleeding, good diapers, common sense things-you cannot insult our intelligence on this because I as her former foster have only had one dog coming out of her heat cycle, and Darcy as her new foster has had none.







I am talking basics-to any advanced information as well that would be helfpul. 

They have no intact dogs at her house. 

However, there are neighbor dogs that do roam and they have a chain link fence. Kyah has been around the block so to speak and has had a litter of puppies (one that we know of). 

Does everyone pretty much leave their female in heat home (unless around highly trained dogs)? 

I am thinking you would want to leash her even in the yard, because if they got near the fence, her recall is not going to be what it normally is. Or if a dog scaled the fence...

Oh my gosh.







Thanks for taking her this weekend, Darcy! 

Thank all of you for any help! This dog just does not need any more headaches in her life.


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## WiscTiger

I only put bitches britches on them if I am going out in public, the Vet or training class. Most of my females were very clean and cleaned up after themselves.

Spotting can be any where from 7 to 20 days, she can be fertile past 28 days.

I don't change any thing food wise or supplement wise. Once ina while one of my females will go off her food for a day or so some time in the cycle.

She might be a little bitchy or touchy; she could be more clingy, she may show no signs of change in temperament. I would watch her around other bitches that is where the fighting problem is and then you have to watch out for any intact male. 

Val


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## ded37

See Jean - Kyah loves you so much and wanted to show her appreciation for taking such good care of her, that she waited to go into heat until today - foster transition day










Thanks Val. I have no intact males in the house, and hoping none come visiting. I will keep Kyah on a leash when outside. I have zero experience with a female in heat - yikes - and away from my can be bitchy females. Fun , Fun.

Iam just so glad that her body is healthy enough to now go into heat - wish we could have had her spayed earlier, but not in the cards for Ms. Kyah.


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## Sweet Mammy

Angel is in her second heat cycle, and one learns alot when going through the cycle (God Bless breeders its not an easy job!)
I am told after the bleeding stops they are MOST suceptable to getting pregnant... I think because YOU might let your guard down... SO BE CAREFUL!
I used a "Pupsters" washable doggie diapers.... I usually tossed in a reg panty liner (always) but again, I used it rarely ... Just if we had to go out... I did not take Angel to park, or any place she might be approached by other dogs.... but even a walk can cause trouble, so just be protective!
Angel will be spayed 8 weeks after she is done with this heat cycle (and I did it because of an inverted vulva)..... Last time... she went into false pregnancy, another FUN experience!


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## Alto

> Quote: I will keep Kyah on a leash when outside


If you can keep her urine & pooh to one area of the yard that would be great, especially if you can hose that area down. Expect to take her out more frequently, don't be surprised if she squirts in the house to mark territory (tho she may not as she seems to be a rather polite shy dog).



> Quote: there are neighbor dogs that do roam and they have a chain link fence.


Always do a yard check before you take her out to make sure there are no lurking intact boys that have climbed/jumped the fence or dug their way in - 2 experienced dogs can tie very quickly.

If you think your neighbors would be helpful, you could let them know the circumstances & ask for their help, OTOH dogs will travel miles to get to that lovely scented bitch. 

Do you have a good AC that will come quickly to pick up dogs that do enter your yard? do you have a garage/kennel are where you can lock up any wannabedaddies while AC sends someone out (or drop them off at the AC yourself).

You might be lucky & no dogs will show up ... or you might wish for a big stick & some mace ... I like to be prepared either way


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## nikko

when my girl went into her first heat we used little boys underwear...with a panty liner for public. they come in three packs so i could wash and have clean ones always and way cheaper. put the tail through the pee-pee hole.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN

Any other tips/thoughts? How long are they fertile? 

Yes, it was VERY thoughtful of Kyah to wait until she moved to start her heat. I am wondering if some of the blood drops in her bed were not from her tail as I thought...boy do I feel silly. 

Now in hindsight I am wishing we had spayed her the week before. Of course!


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## WiscTiger

Jean it is better for Kyah to wait until she isn't close to a heat cycle. So the week before would have had her hormone level pretty high. So assuming she is going to cycle every 6 months, I would spay her the end of July - Beginning of August at the earliest.


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## doggonefool

Questions from an ignorant foster mom: Hope I'm not hijacking this, just want to make sure that I understand the information here.

They go into heat every six months? It can last a month or more? They shouldn't be spayed until a month after they seem to finish being in heat?

I have an extremely underweight intact EPI female. We are trying to get the EPI under control and some weight back on her. I don't know how long she will be with me. I believe that she just finished a heat cycle before she came to me last week. 

So I am frantically learning about intact females and EPI and anything else that I can..Thanks for your help


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## Julie'somom

Also please remember that since dogs do not read our books, they may not follow any "typical" pattern for being in heat. Your best bet is to keep her off by herself and defineately away from any males for a MINIMUM of 3 weeks.
JMO.

julies'omom


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## doggonefool

Out of the 5 of them, not one of them behaves in the same way under the same circumstances. I 'read to them all' but they just don't seem to absorb it the same way I do.

Fortunately, my two males are neutered and I have a pretty sturdy dog run (magnum) to keep her in if I have her that long; am hoping to find her a forever home soon.

Thanks!


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN

Is the dogrun outside? With chain link openings? Because they can have at it through the fence, those animals!









Hopefully she will be healthy enough to be spayed before her heat. If the enzymes start to work, I think the recovery can be pretty dramatic. 

Good job taking on another toughie!


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## doggonefool

See, you've taught me already! Yes it is outside; it is a wire mesh; the enzymes have made dramatic improvement. I have tried to contact her previous owner for the vet info who made the diagnosis on EPI; I don't even have any shot records for her so will take her to my vet this week and see what's up.

Thanks for the tip


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN

Could Kyah be going into heat again?


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## WiscTiger

When did she cycle last? Not all dogs cycle on a six month schedule. Some have been known to go every 3 or 4 months.

Val


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## BlackGSD

Yes.
Sirens sister. (Actually half sister, same sire, different dam) decided to only wait between 2 1/2 and 3 months between heats.

Siren has only been in heat once so far. (Started in mid Feb. and lasted 6 weeks!)
Cheyenne was in heat the first time AFTER Siren, and has already been in TWICE.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN

May! 

I am wondering if she is so healthy now, like with us, we can be sickly and not have our periods for a while, then we get healthier and it seems to be a while where it's frequent. 

Okay...so it's possible. Regardless of why, it's possible. 

Gee, I bet Darcy will be glad to hear that, Val!


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## ded37

Bonus!

She has an appt for her Stage 2 Prosthetic fitting on Thursday (and a bit ironic, because she went into heat the day she had her Stage 1 fitting in May, not joking). 

My gut says it is another heat, Toby (all boys are neutered) is acting smitten again and she is acting the same way she did in May. I guess her body is telling us she is healthy enough and at a good weight to be able to handle a spay. 

She is also seeing Dr. G on 9/8 regarding scheduling a spay.


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## BlackGSD

Don't let the vet talk you into spaying her while she is in heat. (Most vets are "spay happy". And will tell you all kinds of things to get you to do it ASAP.)


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## Minnieski

> Originally Posted By: JeanKBBMMMAANIs the dogrun outside? With chain link openings? Because they can have at it through the fence, those animals!
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> Hopefully she will be healthy enough to be spayed before her heat. If the enzymes start to work, I think the recovery can be pretty dramatic.
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> Good job taking on another toughie!










YIKES!


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## WiscTiger

Darcy,

I totally agree with Tracy (BlackGSD) do not let you vet talk you into spaying Kyah if she is coming in or going out. 

If she follows the same schedule then I would look at look at late September early October.
I would also look into laser surgery if that is an option. 

Val


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN

Now that's one we know! Since we spay or neuter anything that walks in our homes (explains my lack of visitors?) we are careful not to do it during or close after a heat. 

Interestingly, the vet Kyah will be seeing is THE aflotoxin vet from the big 05-06 food recalls.


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## dogluver

*Say at the beginning of cycle?*

Ziva started bleeding yesterday. Her previous owners (who were very diligent) thought her last heat ended about two weeks ago. Obviously not. I have her scheduled to be spayed on Tues. Why should I wait until she is done?


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## Anja1Blue

dogluver said:


> Ziva started bleeding yesterday. Her previous owners (who were very diligent) thought her last heat ended about two weeks ago. Obviously not. I have her scheduled to be spayed on Tues. Why should I wait until she is done?


You are responding to a thread which is 2 years old - if you don't get the info you need you might want to start your own thread under Health and Wellness - Basic Care.
_________________________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge :angel:


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN

dogluver said:


> Ziva started bleeding yesterday. Her previous owners (who were very diligent) thought her last heat ended about two weeks ago. Obviously not. I have her scheduled to be spayed on Tues. Why should I wait until she is done?


Swelling - your vet probably will ask you to wait when you call tomorrow. Until she's done follow the precautions needed. 



> *Spaying a Dog in Heat*
> 
> The spaying procedure can be performed while the dog is in heat, however, it will be more complex and the surgeon will have to be extra skilled to prevent complications. During the heat cycle, the dog's uterus and ovaries will be swollen, so the spaying surgery will be more complicated and the bleeding during surgery will be more intensive. The dog may lose a lot of blood and this can be fatal in some cases. For these reasons, many vets refuse to perform a spaying procedure when a dog is in heat. However, in theory, the procedure is possible during the heat period.
> 
> Read more: Is Spaying a Dog in Heat Possible? - VetInfo
> ​


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## vomlittlehaus

Split heat.....it happens!


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## SARpup

I am going to post here and see if I get any replies that way we can keep all "heat" questions together!
I am thinking of taking a female dog from someone who needs her rehomed HOWEVER she just went into heat! The guy is willing to keep her until she is done bleeding and maybe even a week or 2 after because he says that the second week they are usually crazy! What kind of crazy? I am glad he will keep her for the week while she bleeds cause that is just yucky to me! But I would rather she be under MY supervision during the time she could possibly get pregnant! OTOH if she is going to be nuts I would prefer not!
ALSO I was going to wait for a little bit before spaying her to give her a little longer to mature but what I just read about them possibly going in to heat every 3 months scares me! She is 8 months now I believe. Typically she SHOULD go into heat again in November if she reads all the info right! So I could wait until say September to spay her and she would be about a year.
I have never had a girl before so this is new to me! Any help would be great!


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## David Taggart

Why should you wait... Because it's not a joke. Abdominal operations are potentially life threatening. No vet can guarantee that there wouldn't be any complications even in times when she's off heat. Just think, that you may cry being sorry for her.


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## stuartk

Its always better to spay a dog before her first heat to avoid the issue of mammary tumours.


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