When we make the decision to live with a female dog, it is very important that we take into account her reproductive cycle. They will go through stages of fertility, popularly known as "zeal in bitches". During these days is when fertilization and gestation could occur. But, after giving birth to a bitch, when does she go into heat? In this article on our site we are going to find out the answer to this question. We will also review the characteristics of heat and the importance of spaying.
Heat in dogs
To answer the question of when a bitch goes into heat after giving birth, it is essential that we know the reproductive cycle of this species. The females will sexually mature around 6-8 months, although there are variations depending on the breed. The smaller ones will be fertile sooner and the larger ones will take a few more months.
The fertile period, in which the bitches can be fertilized, is called heat and is characterized by signs such as vaginal bleeding, inflammation of the vulva, an increase in the elimination of urine, nervousness or the display of the genitals by departing the tail and raising the rump. Oestrus occurs approximately every six months, that is, twice a year. Outside of those days, bitches cannot breed.
In males, on the other hand, once they mature, on average, at nine months, also with differences according to size, there is no fertility period. Anytime they spot a female in heat, they're ready to mount.
Discover this period in detail in our article, heat in dogs: symptoms, duration and phases.
Can a dog get pregnant after giving birth?
Taking into account the characteristics of her reproductive cycle, after giving birth to a bitch, when does she go into heat? As we have seen, the bitch's jealousy will occur, on average, every six months, regardless of whether pregnancy has occurred in one of them or not. Therefore, the bitch can gestate again after giving birth depending on when the previous heat passed. Neither nursing nor caring for her litter will affect the six-month interval
How long does it take for a bitch to go into heat after giving birth?
We explain in more detail when a bitch goes into heat after giving birth: on days of receptive heat, if the bitch contacts a male, it is very likely that mounting, copulation and mating will take place. fertilization. Gestation in this species lasts about nine weeks, about 63 days on average, after which the birth and rearing of the litter will take place, which will be fed with breast milk during their first weeks of life.
Taking into account the separation between oestrus of about six months and the duration of gestation of approximately two, the bitch will come into oestrus about four months after giving birth.
Can a female dog that has just given birth be sterilized?
Now that we know when a bitch goes into heat after giving birth, many keepers are considering spaying or neutering her to avoid new litters and heat. And it is a very good option and the one that is recommended as part of responsible ownership. Spaying or neutering consists of the removal of the uterus and ovaries In this way, the bitch stops being in heat, which prevents the birth of litters that contribute to dog overpopulation.
There are more dogs than homes willing to take them in and this ends up with a very high number of abandonments and mistreatment. But, in addition, sterilization reduces the possibility of suffering mammary tumors and makes it impossible to suffer from uterine infections or canine pyometra.
Other methods, such as administration of drugs to prevent oestrus, are discouraged due to their significant side effects. As we explained in the previous section, once a bitch gives birth we have a margin of about four months before she comes back into heat. During the first two, it is recommended that the bitch stay with her puppies and we should not interfere with the breeding by scheduling an operation.
Thus, it is advisable to fix the sterilization once the puppies have reached eight weeks, have been weaned or have moved to new homes.
