This page is for the average lay person
who wants to know when their dog is in heat.
Before
your female actually comes into heat you may notice some of these signs listed in order of occurrence.
The female dog usually will have their
first heat {period} at about 5 months to 1 year of age depending on the breed. When your dog has her heat {period} it will
last about
3 weeks.
First signs of heat are.
Personality change up to a month prier to coming into heat.
Your female may act shy for no reason or
cranky with other dogs or people, some dogs even become more affectionate. What you are looking for is just a personality
change. This is the female dog version of PMS.
here is a good site with lots of information
, on what to do when your dog has her period and where to get doggy panties to wear while having her heat.http://www.squidoo.com/what-to-do-when-a-dog-has-her-period
Swollen, vulva
Up
to a few weeks prier to being in full heat your dog’s vulva will seem larger and puffier then normal
As she gets
farther into her heat it may become loose and floppy in the vulva. The main thing again to look for is a change in the vulva.
Increased urination
Some female will start urinating more often,
beware this is to leave her scent, to tell all the boys she is coming into heat.
Teats {breasts, nipples} may get a bit pink and puffy
Blood from the vulva
You may notice some red blood on the floor
or on your dogs bedding.
At the first sign of blood we will say
this is the “first day of heat”.
The dog will ovulate approximately 6 to
18 after first sign of blood.
As your female gets closer to ovulation
the bloody discharge may turn pale pink, straw color or disappear altogether.
Your dog is most likely to get pregnant
after the bleeding has stopped. So just because you see no blood dose not mean it is safe to let you female dog around other
dogs.
Once your dog gets close to ovulation she
may become more friendly and playful with other dogs.
The only real way to tell when your bitch
is ovulation is to take her into the vet’s office and have them check her progesterone level.
My dog was bred, will she get pregnant?
If your dog was bred there is a good chance
she will have pups.
How to tell if your dog is pregnant
Your vet can do a pregnancy test. They
can do an ultrasound or a relaxin test to determine if your dog is pregnant.
Some of the signs of dog pregnancy are
Your dogs vulva remains floppy and dose
not go back to its normal pre heat shape.
Nipple enlarge and she begins to loose
hair from around the nipples
Increase weight.
Many female go off their food and loose
weight the first 3 weeks after being bred if they are pregnant. After the first 3 weeks they will increase there food intake.
Increase in tummy size.
Personality change. Many female
become more affectionate or more submissive, and some crankier if they are pregnant, you are looking for a personality change.
Links to check out
What to do when your dog has her period
http://www.squidoo.com/what-to-do-when-a-dog-has-her-period
Mastiff breeders directory
http://www.englishmastiff2.com/mastiffkenneldirectory/
Add your pets emeorial link
here for free http://www.englishmastiff2.com/mastiffkenneldirectory/id18.html
Worlds Greatest Mastiff
http://www.englishmastiff2.com/skippy/
Island West Mastiffs http://www.englishmastiff.com
