Oestrus in dogs is one of the most frequent concerns of canine guardians, as it leads to the appearance of new behaviors and symptoms, as well as the possibility that their dogs could have offspring. In addition, it is common for them to have doubts about the different aspects of this period.
In this article on our site we are going to focus on answering the question of how long does a dog's heat lastWe will take this opportunity to remember that sterilization is the recommended option to avoid both offspring and problems associated with heat, whether behavioral or he alth.
How is a dog's heat?
To know how long a dog's heat lasts, we first need to know what her estrous cycle is like, which will begin around six months of life, although there are variations depending on her size. Bitches usually have two heat periods a year.
Further on we will specify how long a dog's heat lasts, but for now let's see that the estrous cycle is divided into the following phases, of which proestrus and estrus are considered as the heat period:
- Proestrus: this phase is characterized by the emission, through the vulva, of a bloody fluid. Coloration can vary between pink and yellow. The vulva will be swollen. They also pheromones are produced that attract males, although the bitch will not be receptive to mating at first. As soon as you accept it, we will move on to the next phase.
- Estrus: also known as receptive heat, so it will end when the bitch rejects the male again. The discharge in this period is pinkish. In estrus ovulation occurs and these are the fertile days of a bitch, so the bitch could become pregnant if mating occurs.
- Destroy: Starts when the female refuses to mate. The male also loses interest. If the bitch is pregnant, this period will end with delivery. This phase lasts for between 60 and 90 days.
- Anestro: is characterized by sexual inactivity and usually lasts 4 to 5 months, which concludes with the beginning of a new cycle, returning the bitch to proestrus.
Symptoms of a female dog's first heat
A bitch's first heat may appear as early as six months of age It will be delayed in larger breeds and may get ahead of the smaller ones. Its symptoms will always be the same throughout the reproductive life of the bitch, which usually lasts until approximately ten years of age
The symptoms of a female dog's first heat that we will have to attend to in order to identify this period will be the following:
- Bloody discharge from the vulva that will take on different shades.
- Swelling and softening of the vulva.
- Unneutered males will show obvious interest in the bitch.
- At the beginning of this phase the bitch will reject males, sitting down if they try to mount her, moving away, growling or trying to bite.
- On the other hand, in the end, he will accept the mating and show it by raising his tail, moving it to the side, raising his pelvis and presenting the vulva if you notice a friction in the posterior area.
It is likely that at this stage we are wondering how to keep dogs away from a bitch in heat. Below we will detail how many days a dog's heat lasts.
How long does a dog bleed?
Once the characteristics of this period have been explained, we are now going to detail how long a bitch's first heat lasts, although it should be noted that this initial heat could present irregularitiesApproximately six months later, if we haven't sterilized her as recommended, the bitch will have a second heat and, repeating the same pattern, the following ones, normally two a year.
The time a bitch is in heat is as follows:
- Proestrus: this initial phase of a bitch's heat lasts an average of 9 days, although it can range between 3 and 17. During the first 4-5 days is when the female still shows no interest in mating. In this way, we already know how long the bleeding of a dog in heat lasts or, put another way, how long the period of dogs lasts.
- Estrus: this second phase lasts for between 7-9 days, with a range of 2-20.
Can you cut a dog's heat?
Once we know how long a dog's heat lasts, it is likely that some caregivers will be interested in knowing what contraceptive methods are for dogs. The vet may administer drugs to achieve this, but it is important that we know that these have serious side effects, such as:
- Breast tumors
- Uterine infections
In addition, the bitch must undergo a veterinary examination beforehand so that its use is safe and it must be clear that, a few months later, the dog will enter again in heat Therefore, interrupting a bitch's heat with medication can be a one-off solution in an emergency, but should not be used as a permanent method of contraception.
That's what sterilization is for, a definitive and safe method. Our veterinarian will tell us in detail about all the advantages of sterilizing a dog. Bitches can be spayed before the first heat.
Once we know how long a dog's heat lasts, we leave you this video from our site with some curiosities after mating between dogs.
