In general, female dogs experience bleeding twice a year, colloquially known as menstruation or period. In this article on our site we are going to give some clues about bleeding and examine the correctness of this terminology to refer to the reproductive cycle of bitches.
Understanding how this cycle works we will be able to avoid unwanted pregnancies and we will discover the importance of sterilization. Do bitches have their periods? Find out below!
Female dog reproductive cycle
To know if female dogs have their period, we must know how their cycle works and that it is repeated, in general, twice a year from when they begin to mature, around6-8 months of life , depending on the breeds. This is divided into four phases which are as follows:
- Proestrus: in this phase of about 9 days the bitch begins to spot and produce pheromones that will attract the males, although it will not accept them yet. The vulva begins to swell and, in addition, the dog may present changes in her behavior. It is normal for her to urinate more often less to spread her odor
- Estrus: this is the bitch's truly fertile period. The vulva is made flexible to facilitate coupling. The staining continues. The characteristic of this stage of 7-9 days duration is that the female does accept the male, which is why it is also called receptive heat. Occurs ovulation
- Diestro: this phase lasts about two months, begins when the female rejects the male and ends with childbirth if the bitch has got pregnant. If she is not, pseudopregnancies or psychological pregnancies may appear during this period.
- Anestro: This is the longest phase of inactivity, which ends with the start of the next proestrus.
It is common to think that bitches have their period because of the bleeding that occurs during proestrus and estrus. In the next section we will see if this comparison is real.
So, do female dogs have menstruation?
It is widely believed that female dogs get their periods in the same way as humans. The woman's cycle repeats itself every month. Ovulation occurs around day 14 and a couple of weeks later, on average on day 28, if the egg has not been fertilized, the inside of the uterus, which is called endometriumand that had thickened to receive the embryo, comes off causing the bleeding we know as menstruation
Bearing this in mind, if we ask ourselves if female dogs have their period as we understand it, the answer would be no.
Differences between heat and menstruation
In this section we will look at the differences between human and canine cycles to clarify whether female dogs have periods. They are as follows:
- Menstrual bleeding occurs when the egg has not been fertilized. On the contrary, female dogs always bleed, regardless of what happens to the eggs.
- Bleeding in female dogs is caused by increased blood supply to the area. In women, it is caused by the fall of the endometrium as fertilization has not occurred.
- Bleeding in women corresponds to the end of the cycle. On the other hand, in female dogs, it indicates the beginning of the fertile period. Therefore, contrary to what happens in women, it is during bleeding, specifically in estrus, when the bitch will ovulate and can become pregnant. We must take extreme precautions during those days.
Therefore, it would be correct to speak of menstruation in the case of women and of oestrus in that of female dogs.
Does bitches have periods?
Although we have determined that it is not correct to say that female dogs have the period, the truth is that it is the most widespread nomenclature, which is why it is still used. Regarding pain, there is no evidence that bitches feel it during estrus. We will be able to observe changes in their behavior such as restlessness, increased number of urinations, decreased appetite or aggressiveness.
To avoid these problems, unwanted pregnancies or pathologies such as mammary tumors or canine pyometra, an octubrehysterectomy is recommended, that is, the castration of the bitch.
