I have a 12 week old female. She is half Lab and a mix of beagle and austrailian shepherd. Is it normal for her to have started menstruation at this age. She has started having some thin pink fluid coming from her vagina. Any help would be great.

Thanks again

Hi, Jason,
Dogs ( i.e. bitches) do not menstruate..
The sexual cycle in primates involves menstruation, when the lining of the womb is discarded at regular intervals when fertilisation has not taken place.
In lower animals (i.e. non-primates) there is an 'oestrus cycle' which takes place at or about the time of ovulation, and which prepares the lining of the womb for implantation of the fertilised egg.
!2 weeks is at the lower end of the age range at which most bitches experience their first oestrus ( commonly referred to as 'coming into season'). It will last about three weeks, during which time the discharge will become darker and more profuse, and after about 10 days she will ovulate and become capable of becoming pregant if a dog gets at her. She is far too young to breed, and you must take every precaution to prevent it happening. If she does get mated, get her to your vet within 48 hours to get a 'morning after' injection.
Walter

i have an 8th mo. old shitzu & i am now noticing her menstruating. is this normal time & how long will this last & how often this will happen each year?

Hi, Imelda,

If you read my response to the message before yours on the Forum, you will see that it answers your question.

W

hi I have an 18 month old german shepherd who has come into season for the first time simce I got her as a rescue dog. This morning she has a runny nose and seems to almost have a cold. Is this part of her season or should I be worried?

Hi,
The signs you describe are not usually associated with oestrus. In a reply above i describe the difference betweent eh menstrual cycle, as seen in humans and other primates, and the oestrus cycle as seen in other species of mammals.
I would be inclined to 'wait and see', and if anything else develops get her sen by a vet. I am assuming that she has been vaccinated against distemper.
W

i have a 2year old shitzu an want to mate her. How do i know when she is in season, and when is the best time to put her with the male. thanks

Hi, Tasha,
A bitch comes into season (heat or oestrus) on average twice a yea, and only then will she mate.
Each oestrus period consists of a 'pro-oestrus' which lasts for 7 to 10 days, during which she will attract males, but will not accept them. This is followed by oestrus proper, lasting for about 7 days,when she will allow a male to mate her.
She will show her willingness to mate by standing still with her tail raised to one side - she may even back up to the dog presenting her hindquarters to him.
After a little checking to ensure that she is receptive, the male will mount her. After insertion, dog and bitch will 'tie' and they will stay tied for up to 20 minutes before they can seperate. Under no circumstances must you try and separate them.
It is advisable to try and mate twice, first between 10th to 12th days.

Good luck!

W

Hi I have an 9 month medium sized austrailian shepherd and my mom is going crazy because there is blood all over the place hoy long do u think it will last??
Thanks

Hi,

Oestrus ( this is the proper name for this) in the bitch lasts for about three weeks, and she is capable of becoming pregnant if she is mated by a male dog any time after the first week until it has ceased.
If you have no intentions of breeding with her, get her neutered by your vet in two to three months time.
W

Hi
I mated my staffy 2 times they locked and thought she was pregnant but wasnt,i thought when dogs lock that means it was succsessfull but in her case it wasnt pleased could u tell me went wrong,thanks

Hi,

Not all matings result in pregnancy.and either your bitch or the dog may be infertile.

W

Hi, I have amstaff dog , is it normal to have every 4 months cycle, they say there's something wrong to her, is something to worry about ?.
Please help me

Kathy

Hi,
The average Oestrus (NOT Menstrual) cycle in the bitch is six months, but some individual bitches do have shorter cycles and are not abnormal.

W

I have 18 month old german shepherd that is on her second mentruation season. She started with slight mixture of blood in her urine on 25th October. On 27th she started droping blood properly. Please calculate the appropriate time and dates that I can serve her to a male dog.

Hi,

Dogs do not have a menstrual cycle such as primates,includig humans do.
In the Oestrus cycle in the bitch the ferrtle period is towards the end of the show of blood, but in the human menstrual cycle in a women conception cannot take place then.
About another week and she should be ready to be mated.

W

Hi. I have an 8month old miniature bull terrier who is in heat for more than a month now(1 and 1/2 months now and still counting as of today). Is it normal for their breed to have a heat cycle last that long? thanks much.

A bitch's normal heat cycle lasts about 3 weeks. Are you sure the bitch is not having a phantom pregnancy? What symptoms exactly is the bitch showing?

my bitch was mated on the second time oestrus. after 4 months of delivering babies, she again got oestrus. we left that time. now when she is again in oestrus (fourth time), can we leave her unmated again? will it effect her health?

I do not see a problem at all not mating her

hi. i have a 1year 5months old shih tzu. i've read that dogs come in heat twice a year. im a bit worried about my dog. it seems that she bleeds often, about every other month or 2. is this normal or is there something wrong with her? i can't tell if she's ill or not coz she's jolly and playful all the time. please help. thanks!

Hi

No that's not very normal at all. It may not be affecting her health that much but her heat should not persist or happen that often. I suggest a check up at your vets. If you have no inention to breed her, either some hormone therapy to regulate her or just getting her neutered may be the best answer.

Cathy Wickenden BVet Med MRCVS
Barton Lodge Veterinary Centre
1 Midland Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 5BH
Tel: 01442 216048 24 hours
[www.bartonlodgevets.co.uk]

hi i have a 10 month old shih tzu but she havent had her heat. iam worried that something is wrong with her ..

Hi Cris

I don't think you should worry too much, she may just be maturing a bit more slowly than the average age. It is also just possible that she did have a heat but it was very slight with not much bleeding. Sometimes, if it happens like that its easy to miss the signs.

Cathy Wickenden BVet Med MRCVS
Barton Lodge Veterinary Centre
1 Midland Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 5BH
Tel: 01442 216048 24 hours
[www.bartonlodgevets.co.uk]

hi i have a 1 yr and 6 months old cocker spaniel... and she's still not having her menstruation.. is this normal? thanks

Hi

She's certainly becoming very late in maturing. You should take her to your vet for a check up if you are concerned. They will be able to check her over for signs of a normal reproductive system and any signs of her maturity.

Cathy Wickenden BVet Med MRCVS
Barton Lodge Veterinary Centre
1 Midland Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 5BH
Tel: 01442 216048 24 hours
[www.bartonlodgevets.co.uk]

i have a 7 months old shi tzu x terrier and her vagina is swollen and has blood on it is this normal?

Hi Joyce,

Yes sounds to me like she's had her first heat period. It should all settle down again after 2-3 weeks

Cathy Wickenden BVet Med MRCVS
Barton Lodge Veterinary Centre
1 Midland Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 5BH
Tel: 01442 216048 24 hours
[www.bartonlodgevets.co.uk]