# HELP! The first heat cycle



## germanshepowner (Oct 26, 2018)

Our puppy just started her first heat cycle. What do I do?! She’s wearing a diaper and hates it but is wearing it. We have to go through TWO heat cycles before the vet will spay her because she has had some massive UTI problems already.

I don’t have a large yard. How can I exercise her? How long will this last? How long until the next one?


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

I was always told 7 days coming in, 7 days in, 7 days going. I call it a month. You can still walk her just no off leash. Some bitches bleed heavy and some almost not at all. I don't use diapers, I just use old sheets and towels to protect fabric and carpet, keep the mop handy and carry on. Don't leave her outside unattended even for a minute.


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## germanshepowner (Oct 26, 2018)

Sabis mom said:


> I was always told 7 days coming in, 7 days in, 7 days going. I call it a month. You can still walk her just no off leash. Some bitches bleed heavy and some almost not at all. I don't use diapers, I just use old sheets and towels to protect fabric and carpet, keep the mop handy and carry on. Don't leave her outside unattended even for a minute.


Three weeks? Oh my. ? She seems to be a heavy bleeder. She’s fine wearing the diaper thankfully because we have a LOT of light beige furniture.. Could it be shorter since she’s only 8 months old? I’m panicking. I was supposed to go on a work trip and there’s no way now I can board her or ask family to watch her. 

And she should go through two heat cycles before we spay her?


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## Nikka Khrystyne (May 14, 2018)

My girl is a year old now and had her first cycle around 8 months as well. She wasn’t a super heavy bleeder (she didn’t wear a diaper) and we just cleaned up after her whenever we noticed any blood on the carpet or the hardwood floor. We also made sure the couch was covered with a towel before letting her up on it. 

For about a month we didn’t let her go to our community dog park unless it was late at night (8-10pm) when no dogs were there. But she would just lay there and not really want to run around so we just stopped taking her and took her on unstructured leashed walks instead until it was over.

She was pretty lazy the whole time she was in heat and she did have a couple of accidents in side (random peeing while she was laying down) while she was in heat. 

Overall it wasn’t as bad I assumed it would be. She did have her moments of not wanting to listen during her heat, but for the most part she was attached at my hip and we just made sure to give her extra love. 

We didn’t want to put her through a surgery before the heat because she was such a tiny girl & since it could’ve been past a year before she went into heat we decided to just let her mature as much as we can before spaying her. She’s an inside dog so it’s not the difficult to keep her away from other dogs. 

Plus I did a lot of research and talked to some vets and most of them agreed that since she’s a large breed dog it could be beneficial to let her have at least one heat cycle. Our vet recommended to let her hormones Even back out and we are spaying her next month. 

Overall I’m not opposed to fixer her after she’s sexually matures, but we will be moving to a more heavily populated dog city where we won’t be able to have a dog park next to us that we get to ourselves 90% of the time like we do currently, so I’m not taking any chances and getting her fixed next month before we move.


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## germanshepowner (Oct 26, 2018)

Nikka Khrystyne said:


> My girl is a year old now and had her first cycle around 8 months as well. She wasn’t a super heavy bleeder (she didn’t wear a diaper) and we just cleaned up after her whenever we noticed any blood on the carpet or the hardwood floor. We also made sure the couch was covered with a towel before letting her up on it.
> 
> For about a month we didn’t let her go to our community dog park unless it was late at night (8-10pm) when no dogs were there. But she would just lay there and not really want to run around so we just stopped taking her and took her on unstructured leashed walks instead until it was over.
> 
> ...


Yes totally agree with you! Good move. Our vet said if we can get through two, to do two heat cycles. But this is rough! Our girl is miserable and pacing endlessly. She randomly peed though?! Why???

Is panting normal? She’s very agitated too. Argh!


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

germanshepowner said:


> Yes totally agree with you! Good move. Our vet said if we can get through two, to do two heat cycles. But this is rough! Our girl is miserable and pacing endlessly. She randomly peed though?! Why???
> 
> Is panting normal? She’s very agitated too. Argh!


All of them are different in heat. I have had girls that you would never have guessed, I have had others that got aggressive, or cranky, or moody. Some showed signs of discomfort. But you have a girl who has a history of urinary tract issues and panting is often a sign of pain so I would give your vet a call and make sure all is good.


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## germanshepowner (Oct 26, 2018)

Sabis mom said:


> germanshepowner said:
> 
> 
> > Yes totally agree with you! Good move. Our vet said if we can get through two, to do two heat cycles. But this is rough! Our girl is miserable and pacing endlessly. She randomly peed though?! Why???
> ...


Ok I will! Eek I was hoping it was a regular symptom. She is so sweet apparently as her mood. She just used me as a mattress and isn’t leaving my side. I really hope it’s not something with her UTI’s. ?


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

germanshepowner said:


> Ok I will! Eek I was hoping it was a regular symptom. She is so sweet apparently as her mood. She just used me as a mattress and isn’t leaving my side. I really hope it’s not something with her UTI’s. ?


It may be, but with her past history I would just rather err on the side of caution if she were my dog.


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## techinstructor (Nov 15, 2014)

I think all heat cycles can vary though the norm is for them to last about 3 weeks. My girl's first cycle lasted 6 weeks. Ugh!!! Her bleeding level varied from light to heavy. She didn't like the diaper either but left it alone for the most part. As for exercise, I took her out ONLY on a long leash did very short throws for her to fetch, played tug and did some hide and seek. You might want to check out Susan Garrett's Crate Games for indoor, brain stimulating activities you can do with her. 



Good luck. It will be hard going through two heat cycles, but if this is best for her health, I'd do it.


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## germanshepowner (Oct 26, 2018)

techinstructor said:


> I think all heat cycles can vary though the norm is for them to last about 3 weeks. My girl's first cycle lasted 6 weeks. Ugh!!! Her bleeding level varied from light to heavy. She didn't like the diaper either but left it alone for the most part. As for exercise, I took her out ONLY on a long leash did very short throws for her to fetch, played tug and did some hide and seek. You might want to check out Susan Garrett's Crate Games for indoor, brain stimulating activities you can do with her.
> 
> 
> 
> Good luck. It will be hard going through two heat cycles, but if this is best for her health, I'd do it.


SIX WEEKS?! Omg. I don’t know how you survived that. I really hope it’s a max of 3 weeks for us. ???

Thank you! I love her so I’ll definitely check out the inside games. I kinda love how sweet she is during her heat cycle so maybe that will help me survive! She’s being a total mommy’s girl and quite literally took a nap on me today. I wish that part would stay! Hahah!!!


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

I skipped a lot of the responses to cut to this: For Pete's Sake! You can board a bitch in heat. I've done it. Other people have done it. Of my current pair, one was spayed at 4 yo because she developed false pregnancies and they were getting worse to the point that with other dogs she illustrated why the proper name for female dogs had become a profanity. My 5 yo is still intact. Neither dog has been bred, my house survives and so do I. So will you. Buck up my dear. Also - Diapers are good. With the intact bitch I get them out and say "Panties!" and she comes trotting up to put them on. Somehow I taught her that wearing these was a privilege.


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

My dog just finished up her 3rd heat, at 2 1/2 yrs old. The calendar, and my neutered male chihuahua said she was done. And so, although I watched her like a hawk initially, I allowed her to see other dogs again, and most all male dogs were not taking notice anymore, so all was good right? WRONG! She has a particular intact male husky friend for whom, in spite of the calendar and other male dog's disinterest, was plenty interested. The really surprising part for me was that my dog was too! She actually stood for him disregarding the fact the her "standing heat" period was long gone! I guess, outside of just venting my surprise, the lesson is that one has to be vigilant for a month or more even, to be sure!

Another thing that surprised me a bit with this 3rd heat was her change in attitude. Previous heats I noticed no change at all, but this one she definitely was more cranky and temperamental (probably, I'm guessing due to her discomfort).

Either way, this will be her last heat. But I thought sharing her change in temperament this time around might help to underscore how different one dog can be from another, and even how different one heat can be from another with the same dog!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Vigilent for a month to be sure. Tinny just went into her first heat, she is 13 months. She stays outside in a kennel with her dam, so I don't need to do anything different. Maybe. Maybe I will put them in the back And bring Ramona and Kojak up front just in case. You never know when a rangey mangy border collie mix might perform impossible feats of athleticism to get to her, and when she is ready, READY, then she will perform up to then unknown feats of athleticism herself.


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## germanshepowner (Oct 26, 2018)

I need more help! I don’t know what to do. My dog was vomiting yesterday all morning with not eating or drinking. She’s been panting randomly, nose running, and super tired. Took her to the vet, and they did a scan of her abdomen and checked a few other things, and said she has a minor flu. Gave her fluids, anti nausea injection, and sent us home with something else for her stomach and nausea pills.

Last night, she peed her dog bed. She is only 8 months but she hasn’t had an accident in over FIVE months. Is this normal?! I’m calling again to talk to the vet but should I be worried about Pyometra? Not to mention, she went out very late last night. And she ALWAYS wakes us up with a bark when she has to go out. So she 100% peed herself in her sleep


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## germanshepowner (Oct 26, 2018)

They also did an ultrasound to check for abdomen blockage in case she swallows something and said it was clear. But she’s had unexplained diarrhea the last few days as well. And this is a dog that will alert us when she has to go outside to throw up when she was sick in the past. She would never ever go inside by choice. She was 100% asleep.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

germanshepowner said:


> They also did an ultrasound to check for abdomen blockage in case she swallows something and said it was clear. But she’s had unexplained diarrhea the last few days as well. And this is a dog that will alert us when she has to go outside to throw up when she was sick in the past. She would never ever go inside by choice. She was 100% asleep.


Please realize that this is not relayed to her heat. Regarding the heat: the end of the bleeding is NOT the end of the heat. Usually they are at their most fertile and receptive to males. 
During Deja's bleeding I rol up the rugs and mop after her. A diaper prevents her from cleaning herself. Can't you drive your dog to a male-safe area and work with her there? Otherwise you just have to get creative at home and stick it out. Play games, teach her new tricks. for us it is one week of extra hype before she bleeds for two weeks, then a week or so of being in 'standing heat' (standing for a male or when you scratch her at the base of her tail, she will move the tail aside). All in all an entire month of preventing a litter of puppies.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

It seems like something beyond a heat cycle is going on. I hope you get this figured out and your pup back to her normal self. However, I would suggest that the OP quit stressing over a heat cycle, just be vigilant for about 4 weeks if the cycle is normal. It's been my experience when I get weirded out, so does the dog. But I really hope that you find out what is going on and get her health back soon.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

I think vets often add to this anxiety. Spaying brings in cash and many are not educated on the latest research.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Usually vomiting or fevers do not accompany a heat cycle. Peeing in the house might. As she becomes more and more ready, her instincts can be to leave her scent all over the place and some bitches mark like dogs. Other bitches will need to urinate more frequently as the hormones take over her plumbing. Remember, just because she hasn't been bred doesn't mean that her body isn't going through the same as though she were. That is just how it works with bitches. 

Pyo for puppies is not unheard of. But not common. Usually it happens at least a month after a heat cycle. If you are worried, than bring up your concerns to the vet. Do not just expect them to consider it. Ask, could this be pyometra? Then they can tell you why or why not. Then you will feel better. Or you will hope the guy/gal is right.


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## germanshepowner (Oct 26, 2018)

selzer said:


> Usually vomiting or fevers do not accompany a heat cycle. Peeing in the house might. As she becomes more and more ready, her instincts can be to leave her scent all over the place and some bitches mark like dogs. Other bitches will need to urinate more frequently as the hormones take over her plumbing. Remember, just because she hasn't been bred doesn't mean that her body isn't going through the same as though she were. That is just how it works with bitches.
> 
> Pyo for puppies is not unheard of. But not common. Usually it happens at least a month after a heat cycle. If you are worried, than bring up your concerns to the vet. Do not just expect them to consider it. Ask, could this be pyometra? Then they can tell you why or why not. Then you will feel better. Or you will hope the guy/gal is right.


Apparently with the fluid they gave her, 800 cc’s, the vet told us it was totally normal for her to pee herself in her sleep. Sigh. They didn’t tell us this! She seems a little better so just keeping a watchful eye. It does seem odd to me that she would somehow get sick during her heat cycle. That was the vets explanation.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

The first heat cycle is heavy I find it gets lighter each time. The pants with the liners do keep thing clean with heavy bleeding. I still took Luna out leash walked.


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