The dog is in heat
Estrus (estrus, estrus) is a natural physiological process in the body of females that occurs with a certain frequency. It is a sign that a dog has a sexual cycle, puberty.
During this period of life, females experience sexual heat, respond adequately to males and are ready to mate on certain days. The production of sex hormones and germ cells increases. Due to a hormonal surge, the dog’s character, habits, and behavior change.
Advice! By recording the start and end dates of your dog's mating, you can not only track the cyclicity of the sexual cycle, but also understand at what period of estrus the female is ready for mating.
How many times a year should estrus occur?
The frequency is individual for each animal, but on average, estrus repeats every six months. Its frequency depends on living conditions and breed.
Pets living outside shed only in the summer. This is explained by the difficulty of bearing and feeding offspring in the cold season. This is why aboriginal dogs from the Far North experience only one heat per year.
Estrus phases in bitches and duration
The body of domestic dogs is structured differently. The female is ready for mating 2-3 times a year and can become pregnant during a certain period of estrus, which is why the reproductive cycle in females is called polycyclic, estrous. In males, the reproductive organs function year-round and males are ready for mating at any time of the year.
Estrus in female dogs lasts on average 20-22 days and has four phases (proestrus, estrus, metaestrus, anestrus). At the beginning of estrus, the dog develops light pink bloody discharge from the vagina, the loop swells, and behavior changes. The female marks her territory, attracting males, but can be aggressive and not allow individuals of the opposite sex to approach her for mating.
Successful mating can only occur from the 8th to the 13th day (estrus phase). Bitches flirt with male dogs, move their tail to the side, become affectionate, docile, but can be disobedient and run away from the owner. To avoid accidental mating during this estrus phase, walk your dog on a leash away from public dog walking areas.
During the period of metaestrus, processes in the dog’s body are restored. During this period, the female does not allow males to approach her.
One of the indicators is the condition of the teeth
You should examine the animal's teeth and decide whether they are baby or permanent. By 8 weeks, the puppy already has a complete set of all milk teeth, and by six or seven months they are completely replaced by permanent ones. Specifically, by 6 months of age, dogs have permanent canines (the longest of all teeth).
If all the animal’s teeth are permanent and they are white and clean, then we can confidently say that he is 1.5-2 years old. At the age of 1-2 years, the dog's molars begin to turn yellow. Tartar forms on them. Between 3-5 years, wear of the incisors begins. After 5 years, gum disease and significant deposits of tartar can be detected on the animal’s teeth. If a dog is missing some teeth, it means that it is already quite old and its teeth need special care.
Reasons for delayed first heat or its absence
The cycle of emptying in bitches is individual for each individual and can vary from 4-5 to 6-8 months. The frequency of estrus is determined by age, individual characteristics of the body, hormonal levels, and emotional and psychological state.
Reasons for lack of heat:
- poor living conditions;
- congenital anomalies;
- developmental disorder;
- unbalanced diet;
- chronic, acute diseases of the reproductive tract;
- endocrine disruptions (dysfunction of the pituitary gland, thyroid gland);
- benign, malignant oncological processes in the body (neoplasia);
- inflammatory processes in the uterus and other organs of the genitourinary system;
- disruptions in the functioning of the ovaries caused by various factors (hypofunction of the ovaries with congenital anostria);
- hormonal imbalance;
- malfunction of the adrenal glands;
- cystic formations in the ovaries;
- hypothermia of the body;
- age-related changes in the body;
- frequent stressful situations.
The absence of estrus in females and disruption of the reproductive cycle in dogs may be due to hermaphroditism. With this pathology, females have underdeveloped male gonads instead of ovaries.
The female body can “delay” the onset of estrus. A weakened, sick, exhausted dog, experiencing stress or experiencing increased physical activity cannot bear and give birth to healthy puppies.
Lack of normal lighting, sunlight, odors of other animals, and other factors can also affect the absence or delay of estrus in bitches.
Taking action
If there is a deviation from the norm, the dog should be sent to the veterinarian. It is important to report every suspicious symptom. To ensure accurate information about your pet's condition, keep a diary. Fixed data will not have to be recalled, which will eliminate errors in generalizing symptoms. Reliable information will help the doctor prescribe treatment.
Only a healthy dog is capable of producing strong offspring. If an animal has pathologies in the reproductive system, it is excluded from breeding. A puppy from a sick bitch will be born weak. For dogs that are not intended to breed, it is better to undergo surgery. Castration or sterilization can preserve the health of your pet, eliminate pregnancy and prevent diseases of the reproductive organs.
Hidden, bloodless estrus
It also happens that in miniature breeds, estrus occurs hidden. There is such a thing as bloodless estrus. If the dog is clean, during estrus there is little discharge, the bitch takes care of herself and the owners do not notice that the pet is in heat and begin to panic.
Important! In most cases, the first heat in dogs is unnoticeable, which may be due to breed characteristics and genetics. In subacute cases, estrus in dogs cannot be detected without laboratory tests.
At certain periods of a dog's life, there are disruptions in the dog's estrous cycle. The intensity and color of the discharge may change. For example, a dog does not go into heat for a year, then several cycles of estrus proceed according to schedule, and again for a long period. This phenomenon is called “jumping anostria”, which does not pose any harm to the dog’s health.
Metestrus
This period is quite long and can last from two to three and a half months. Metestrus is the stage at which the dog is actively preparing to become a mother: it collects a nest for the expected puppies and protects it from strangers. Sometimes bitches show care for other people's offspring. Often, kittens living nearby become their foster children.
During metestrus, the uterus and the entire reproductive system of the animal are restored. The dog drives away the males. Her level of the hormone progesterone increases, which is present both during pregnancy and during the so-called pregnancy. It should be noted that during the period of metestrus, some bitches exhibit symptoms of false pregnancy. Mostly, the dog does not need help in this case. But often specialist consultation and even treatment are required.
What to do if your dog is not in heat
Only a veterinarian can determine what led to the disruption of the reproductive cycle in a female after an examination and the necessary tests (blood biochemistry, hormone testing, serological, instrumental studies).
To stimulate the first estrus and resume the cycle of estrus, the veterinarian individually prescribes hormonal therapy to the animal (progesterone, estradiol, cortisol), symptomatic drugs to restore functional failures, normalize, and strengthen the body.
Other signs
The animal's body size should be assessed to determine whether growth has been completed. If the dog continues to grow, then it is less than one and a half to two years old. Small dogs finish growing in length and height by about one year, and large dogs grow up to 18-24 months.
The muscle tone of the animal is also assessed: in young animals, as a rule, the muscles are more elastic and stronger, since the dog moves actively at this age. Older animals, on the contrary, become bony or gain excess weight due to a sedentary lifestyle.
You should watch how the dog moves. If the animal's movements are difficult, this also indicates its aging.
It is necessary to pay attention to the coat: in young individuals it is usually thinner and softer, while in older individuals it is thicker and coarser, sometimes oily. Older animals sometimes develop gray hair, especially on the face. The dog's eyes are also examined. A young individual's eyes are clear, bright, without any discharge, while an older individual's eyes are dull or cloudy.
Experts recommend taking the dog to a veterinarian, who will determine the animal’s age based on its comprehensive examination and special tests. This method is considered the best for determining the real age of a dog.
Pathological processes in which the discharge is abnormal
Vaginitis, pyometra, endometritis, tumor processes in the genital tract - this is not a complete list of all possible diseases that pose a danger to the pet’s health and are accompanied by unpleasant discharge and a pungent odor. Only a specialist can accurately diagnose the disease and prescribe appropriate treatment.
Vaginitis is an inflammation of the vaginal mucosa. With this pathology, minor discharge is observed, the animal licks itself a little more, so most often the owner is not always able to recognize the disease in a timely manner. It is for this reason that vaginitis is often confused with normal estrus. The progression of this pathology entails complications that can seriously deteriorate the dog’s health.
There is also a rarer vaginitis - juvenile . Puppyhood or prepuberty to puberty. This vaginitis is characterized by inflammation of the vaginal mucosa, occurring due to endocrine disorders. This is a disease of young females before the onset of puberty, which is manifested by a transparent mucous discharge from the vagina, often with a whitish tint or a thick yellow-green secretion, the abundance of which may vary from dog to dog. Vaginal discharge may be itchy, and dogs may lick the genital area vigorously. It is extremely rare that the disease leads to a slight disturbance in the general condition, sometimes with an increase in temperature. To establish an accurate diagnosis, cytology of a vaginal smear is required, since it has a characteristic picture for this pathology. According to the results of cytology, in the case of a bacterial infection, additional antibiotic therapy is required.
Endometritis is also characterized by inflammatory processes of the uterine mucosa. The disease occurs in acute or chronic form. Inflammation of the endometrial walls in bitches at the initial stage does not have pronounced symptoms or strong discharge and is associated with hormonal imbalance. As a result, the mucous membrane of the uterus thickens, and increased accumulation of secretions occurs. The secretion is a favorable environment for infection, so the discharge becomes purulent. With chronic endometritis, the only symptom may be the inability of the bitch to become pregnant or bear offspring. Most often, no discharge is observed. The general condition of the dog is quite good.
Pyometra is a purulent inflammation of the uterus in bitches. It is characterized by the accumulation of purulent contents in large quantities in the body and horns of the uterus. This disease has two forms: open and closed. The open version is easier for the dog, since the pus comes out through the open lumen in the cervix. When the pyometra is closed, pus gradually accumulates in the uterus, which leads to intoxication of the body, uterine rupture and death of the pet. But you need to understand that an open form can easily turn into a closed one. The animal may experience a deterioration in its general condition, fever, vomiting, refusal to eat, etc. The disease can be fatal. The diagnosis is made based on the collected medical history, general blood test, ultrasound and vaginal smear cytology. Most often, treatment is surgical, but if the dog is in good health and the tests are not too bad, drug therapy is possible.
Tumor processes in the genital tract are also a common pathology, which leads to the appearance of discharge and deterioration of your dog’s condition.
There are tumors of the ovaries, less often of the uterus, there is also venereal sarcoma, which affects the mucous membrane of the genital organs.
Venereal sarcoma (transmissible sarcoma, i.e. sexually transmitted) is a malignant neoplasm that affects the mucous membranes of the genital organs in dogs. It occurs in females and males used for breeding, or most often in street animals. Owners notice drops of blood coming from the external genitalia, which are often mistaken for estrus. The tumor resembles “cauliflower” in appearance and is localized mainly in the mucous membrane of the genital organs, but mechanically can be transferred to the mucous membranes of the mouth, nasal cavity, and eyes. Infection occurs during mating of animals.
