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09-15-2008, 02:31 PM | #1 |
Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Vancouver Island, BC
Posts: 14
| Advice Please! Puppy in heat for the first time! My little Sadie just turned 7 months, and I've noticed some blood spotting the last 2 days, so I'm assuming she's in heat. She does seem a bit sleepier than usual, and her genital area seems quite swollen - I understand these things are all normal. I also realize that we have to keep her away from any males - which won't be a problem. What can I expect? I know absolutely nothing about this (and naively thought I had a few months to read up on it yet!), and am not sure if I need to "do" anything? How long will it last? Will there be a lot of blood? What are "doggie diapers"? (I don't think Sadie would leave them off - she'd likely chew them off and eat them!) How often do they come into heat? We are not really sure if we want to breed her or not: is it a bad idea to let her go into heat a few times and then maybe decide to have her spayed? Any answers/advice would be appreciated! Thanks, Wendy-Lee |
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09-15-2008, 03:30 PM | #2 |
YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Virginia
Posts: 2,808
| It's not uncommon for them to have their first heat this early, anywhere between 6 to 18 months is fine. The amount of blood also varies between individuals. I had a gal that bleed like a stuck pig and I another who has to be tested with a cotton swab to see any color at all. My gals have such a small flow that I just keep an eye out and clean up, I have hard wood floors. Gals usually heat every 6 to 10 months and each will last about three weeks. You'll start with a red discharge that will gradually go to a straw colored discharge before it stops. As far as letting her heat before getting her spayed, there are two trains of thought on this. Because of the correlation between the sex hormones and the growth plates some would like to see the gals go through a heat so that the sex hormones can signal the growth plates to close. Because the sex organs increase in size with the first heat some prefer the surgery to be done before the first heat while the organs are in puppy size and it's less invasive to remove them. Meanwhile have your gal evaluated for breed conformation, genetic health issues, and temperment tested. Gather as much information as you can about her family and about whelping and raising pups before you make this very important decision.
__________________ Tami |
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