# Heat induction in a bitch



## ploss (Jun 26, 2014)

Hi, I was wondering if anyone with experience with breeding(or wwho has gone through a similar experience!)could give me a little insight into heat induction in bitches. Two members of my schutzhund club are on a waiting list for puppies from a breeder. The female was purchased by the breeder in Germany and was supposed to be bred to a stud in Germany before shipment to the states. She was supposed to go in heat the end of February. This week, they got word from the breeder that the female, still in Germany was going to be induced into heat, since she still hasn't gone into cycle naturally.

Does anyone know what the rate of success is for induction? 
Is it a common process?
Does it affect litter size or the health of the pups?

I'd really appreciate any insight that anyone is willing to share!

Thanks so much...


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## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

I would like to follow this. I don't know of the ability to induce heat but it must be something like the fertility clinics do for humans I'm guessing to produce eggs. Hope someone knows more details.


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

I have heard of it. They give masses doses of hormones and stimulating hormones to bring her into season. Course there are plenty of issues that can happen, so it is not recommended at this point as a normal thing, not sure many vets will even try it. Small litters, infections of reproductive track, no litters, among other issues can be a few of them.


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## MadLab (Jan 7, 2013)

A question should be raised on the age of the female

Is there a medical reason why she isn't going into heat.

Is the disability to go to heat gonna be passed on to future generations of these dogs.

Sounds risky

I wonder why people advertise pups before they are even born. 

There are some czech sites which sell actual bred pups for sale and they come from famous schutzhund kennels.


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## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

MadLab said:


> A question should be raised on the age of the female
> 
> Is there a medical reason why she isn't going into heat.
> 
> ...


My thoughts as well.


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## David Taggart (Nov 25, 2012)

The intervals between periods could be up to one year. My bitch comes into heat, and the next period I expect in 10 months. The intervals should be of your worry only if they are too frequent, it would mean that the dog produces many hormones, that indicates hormonal disbalance, and may lead to cancer.
I'm surprised that your female should have been mated before travel. No dog leaves Germany unvaccinated, and vaccination should take place not earlier than 2 months before travel ( not 100 sure, but I'm not far from truth). You cannot vaccinate bitch during pregnancy - the immune system of puppies would be completely destroyed, altogether vaccine - is not a good thing for the dog save that it protects from diseases.
Don't worry, it could be the consequence of travel and all that stress as well.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

David, where do you get your information? It's constantly lacking any real facts...

Plenty of people import pregnant bitches, selzer on this board has done it. It happens all the time. You buy a bitch, you arrange to get her mates, and she is sent over. I know a lot of breeders that have done this.


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## ploss (Jun 26, 2014)

wyominggrandma said:


> I have heard of it. They give masses doses of hormones and stimulating hormones to bring her into season. Course there are plenty of issues that can happen, so it is not recommended at this point as a normal thing, not sure many vets will even try it. Small litters, infections of reproductive track, no litters, among other issues can be a few of them.


This matches what little I have been able to find on the internet. My guess is that the female will have to be shipped soon, bred or not. I doubt the sellers are going to want to keep her at their kennels much longer, since she isn't their dog anymore!

Thanks, everyone, for your input


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

If something is off in her heat cycle I wonder if she should be bred anyways (once she goes into heat of course).
I would never overload a body with these hormones. There are plenty good GSDs available. She is not the last GSD on earth.


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## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

I had never really considered the possibility of forcing a heat to begin. From reading what others, more in the know than I am, wrote it doesn't seem like a good idea. When humans are given hormone therapy there can be bad effects such as cancer, multiple births with not fully formed fetuses, or still born babies. It seems like a much better idea to breed only a healthy female with normal heat cycles to insure the continued health of the breed (dogs, not humans).


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## TEZPUR1976 (Jun 29, 2014)

During last one year I had interacted with many breeders of gsd, lab and also of Indian dog breeds. I have become close friend with quite a few breeders.

I have never heard of "inducing heat" in a female by artificial means in our part of the world.

Of course, as martemchik has written it is quite common for breeders to import pregnant bitches. But that's a different issue.

I am told by several vets that in India hormonal therapy for dogs has been banned in all government run vet hospitals.

My friend Ankur is an experienced breeder. He has a latin american dobe bitch which came to her first heat quite late. Ankur simply waited.

I am not in favour of hormonal fertility treatment either for human or canine.

Of course if there is an issue like blockage of a tube (in a human) then surgical intervention is necessary. That's not playing with hormones.

I will not bet my money on a female dog (irrespective of bloodline or pedigree) for breeding if she requires hormonal treatment for coming into heat.

I would rather prefer a female with great health record and experience of producing at least one healthy litter to her credit.


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