a few questions about heats/spaying

emily445455

We plan on getting Belle (5 month old lab pup) spayed at the end of June after her first heat. A few questions:

1) How long does a heat cycle last? How long will she bleed? How long do we have to be extra, extra careful?

2) We have her in obidience classes right now, they last until the end of June. What if she goes into heat before the class is over? Just not go to the rest of them?

3) Not sure what they are called...but should I get heat pads?

4) Will Belle hate me after she is spayed? How long until she can play, run around again?

Thanks!!!!

FriendsOfZoe

2) You will not be able to go to class while she is in heat, almost certainly. You can ask, but I have never heard of a training place allowing females in heat.

4) She will not hate you for spaying her. She will come home very groggy from the anesthesia. You will give her pain meds that will also make her groggy. She will need about 10 days to 2 weeks without running or playing with other dogs, depending on what kind of stitches she gets. Once the stitches are out, she can run and play as normal. Before then, walks on leash are permissible, but I will admit, it is a rough couple of weeks with an active dog. You'll get through it though.

Durbkat

You might still be able to take her to class if all male dogs are fixed. The group should have records of that so call them if she goes into heat before classes are over to see if all the dogs are neutered.

Motebi

The days you have to be extra careful are the days where your bitch is not having any bloody discharge. (Mostly around day 12/13 - but it differs from dog to dog)
Question: Why don't you have her spayed before she goes into heat ?

Durbkat

Because its better for the dog to go through its first heat before getting fixed.

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Motebi

That's a rumor. Au contraire.......if someone MUST spay, it's better done before the first heat.

Of course, being a responsible dog owner would make spaying and neutering obsolete. Why mess with nature ?

Durbkat

Actually, I believe its been scientifically proven. There was a discussion about this a few months ago and shalva was the one who posted the link I believe.

FriendsOfZoe

I doubt it. It's not just a matter of puppies being produced, it's a question of distractions. How is any male dog, neutered or not, going to concentrate with her right there?

briteday

1) a month or so...most females have a point where you know they are coming into cycle as their nipples and vulva enlarges. Then they bleed for about a week, anything from visable blood to seemingly nothing at all, depends on the dog. Then another 2-3 weeks where they are fertile Myrtle and still completely mess the boys up. Day 14 was always the most fertile for our dog when she was bred by her previous owner. But the entire month is really a shot in the dark as far as fertility.

2) I've never known an obedience class that allowed a female in heat to participate. Even if they are not bleeding they are such a distraction to the male dogs (neutered or not) that it is not allowed. Most obedience classes that I've attended will give you credit to bring your dog back during the next set of classes to make up the ones you missed. If not, you can always attend without your dog and take notes.

3) You may or may not need pads. Depends on the dog.

4) Hate you? Can't imagine that! I wish someone could turn off human cycles when childbearing days are over! Honestly, the females are bitchy, snappish, withdrawn, self-centered...or maybe none of the above. But it is not a big deal to spay a dog. Our most recently acquired dog was spayed at over 8 years of age and came through it fine. She was dopey the afternoon of surgery when we picked her up (vet gave her some pain meds jsut before we left), I kept her in the crate with just a small amount of drinking water for the rest of that night (only took her out to pee), she had a smaller than usual meal in the morning (just to be sure she wasn't still going to vomit, a side effect of the pain meds and anesthesia), small meal at lunch and dinner, back to two regular meals the next day. Since we have other dogs I kept her in her crate most of the first three days, until the wound was beginning to heal (check a couple of times each day for redness, swelling, oozing) and the edges looked more "mended." After that I left her crate door open and she napped a bit more than usual but nothing else noticeable. You will need to keep her from jumping up playing rough, or messing with the stitches until they are removed. I only had to remind our girl a couple of times not to lick and then she left it alone. But you can always use a cone collar if she is paying too much attention to the wound.

10 - 14 days and they are as good as new!

Durbkat

How could a neutered dog have sexual interest in a female in heat? I mean isn't that the point of neutering them so that they won't be sexually attracted to a female and won't wander off to find a female? Besides so that they can't reproduce.

briteday

Testosterone in not only produced in the testes, but in small amounts in other organs of the male body. And it is the brain being aroused (neutered or not) that regulates testosterone production. So even if a male dog has had his testes removed, it doesn't stop his brain from becoming aroused. And small amounts of testosterone are then produced in the body.

emily445455

Oh poor girl I'm not looking forward to spaying her...for both of our sakes, lol. But it has to be done sometime. I'll just pray she goes into heat after the classes are over...she'd be 7 months when they're done. Isn't 6 months the usual age for first cycles?

I'm getting her spayed after her first heat for 2 reasons: 1) health reasons, you wouldn't "spay" a 9 year old human and expect them to develope normally ( as someone on this forum pointed out to me); 2) she's in classes right now, so if I spayed her now she'd miss classes anyways.

Annamarie

I disagree with the "scientifically proven fact" that it's better to wait until after the first heat. A human or animal can develop totally normally without sexual organs or hormones, they just can't reproduce. There are human females that lose their uterus or ovaries due to health reasons like cancer and they certainly grow up to be normal.

Waiting until after the first heat cycle does, however, make your dog more at risk for certain cancers. That is a scientifically proven fact by the AMVA. Look it up

Pai

For large breed dogs I heard it's good to wait til their growth plates are done reaching maturity before speutering, just because having that hormonal balance helps them develop properly.

DobManiac

You'd be surprised.

Dusk has been around numerous females in heat. He gets over it. It will be harder on him I'm sure when Ollie goes into heat. But just the everyday in heat female, I haven't had any serious problems. No crying or yanking on the leash. He does sniff the air on occasion, but he'll get over that too.

But he has been exposed to females in heat since he was a puppy. There was actually a Weim that came to conformation class when he was about 8 or 9 months old. He kept giving her kisses. I think he wanted to take her out on the town. Silly boy.

But anyway, it would be a distraction. But if all the dogs are leashed I don't see why it would be a problem. Distractions are good right.

emily445455

From what I read, it's basically pick your cancerts. Spaying too early causes an increased risk for certain cancers and spaying too late causes an increased risk for other cancers.

We just can't win, lol.

poodleholic

The trainer in our advanced class urged me to continue to bring Maddy despite having started her heat cycle. There were no unaltered males in class, however, even neutered males will "have their way" with a willing bitch who is accessable! Interestingly enough the trainer was right - no problems encountered. And, since there was a class after ours, I made sure we left a bit early, before the next class participants arrived. Just in case.

And for those who may be wondering . . .my contract with the breeder required me to leave her intact. Since I had moved over 2,000 miles away, she decided to release me from the agreement, and allow me to have her spayed.

zimandtakandgrrandmimi

neutering doesn't take away the ability to have intercourse. and depending on the dog, it may not remove the desire to. a friend of mine has a neutered male who can and will get in a tie with any bitch in heat that crosses his path.

poodleholic

Durb, here's a good one on me: I've had dogs for more than 55 yrs. But, they were always spayed/neutered, so no experience with unaltered dogs.

Beau had been neutered, Maddy was not yet spayed. She was in her heat cycle. I came home from work, and surprised when I called, "come give mama some sugar," which is their cue to come out of the bedroom to greet me. No Maddy. No Beau.

I walked into my bedroom to find Maddy's panties on the floor, and Maddy and Beau having sex on my bed!

Duh.

Scout

A spay will tend to cost more money as well once a dog has been in heat since it is a much more delicate surgery afterwards. The blood vessels and tissues are a lot more delicate and can break easier.

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