# First (and last!) heat - description of cycle?



## JaimeZX (Jun 12, 2012)

We have plans to get my girl a partial spay, but the appointment isn't for another several weeks. (She'll get the spay for her first birthday present! Yay! :crazy: ) 

Meanwhile, about 14 days ago we noticed her vulva was VERY big, and her nipples were also bigger than usual. But no blood or discharge. So we were figuring we lucked out... then a couple of days ago there was a whitish/yellow fluid there, but not really a *discharge* per se...

Yesterday she was standing in the living room and her tail arched up into it's "I'm pooping" position... and there were little pinkish drops on the floor behind her. 
SMELLY. 
SMELLY PINK DROPS.

SO. On with an old T-shirt as a make-shift diaper.

It's been about two weeks now, so I know there should be another week; but how long will the SMELLY PINK DROP phase last? This is clearly the most annoying part, I think. 

No blood yet. 

Does anyone have a detailed description of what to expect across the whole heat cycle? As in "Days 1-4... enlarged vulva, *etc.," 

THX.


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## JaimeZX (Jun 12, 2012)

Edit: unlike some other posters, she is not extra cuddly. More like, lower-than-normal energy. A little diarrhea. And she threw up a little a few times the other day. She is not ravenous. Normal appetite, but we fasted her after the throwing up, just some broth. Overall she seems fine.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I would have her checked by a vet just to be safe. I worry that she might have an infection of some sort. She should not have lower energy, diarrhea or an upset tummy just because she is in heat. It is not unusual for the discharge to smell (Elena is bad and my first GSD was bad), but she should have started with a darker red discharge that got lighter as her heat progressed.


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## Cheyanna (Aug 18, 2012)

Fiona has been swollen since march 8th. She never had the smelly discharge, but her sister did. Discharge lasts about 2 weeks. Can start with yucky yellow white discharge, Fiona did not, but her sister did. Give it another few days and if it does not start to dry up ( the discharge) see the vet.

Edit: Fiona was not cuddly. Both she and her sister vomited at the beginning and had soft poop. Fiona would go a day or two without eating too. A self-fast.
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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

I would have her checked by your vet to rule out a pyometra (uterine infection) as this can be life-threatening. 

Also, you mention scheduling her for a partial spay. I am assuming that you are going to have her uterus removed, but not her ovaries? She will still attract males and can have repeated false pregnancies if her ovaries are left in place. You might want to re-think a partial spay versus a total ovariohysterectomy. 

For what it is worth, I asked my vet the same questions years ago when I wanted to schedule one of my dogs for her spay surgery following rescue. He strictly advised against leaving the ovaries in a female dog as they will still be prone to mammary cancer and will still have the hormonal influence from the gonads/ovaries.


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## JaimeZX (Jun 12, 2012)

Thanks for the inputs, all.

Her nausea, I guess you'd call it, only lasted about a day. Her bowels seem normal. She is driving my 5-year-old neutered boy absolutely bonkers (he has NEVER had this much energy!!) and my friend with an unspayed female agrees she's in heat.

WVGSD - thank you for the feedback. We decided on the partial spay based on other threads and academic papers posted/linked in this forum, but I will look into it further!
I don't really mind if she attracts other dogs as long as the plumbing is gone (and the leaks!)


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## JaimeZX (Jun 12, 2012)

Aaand, a week later she's not dripping anymore, my boy isn't humping her every time we're not looking, and her vulva is going back to a normal size.

Hooray!

(I don't know how breeders do it. Once was enough for me! WHEW!!)


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