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Help!!! Is Fiona in Heat?!?

Donna27

Well-known member
Ok, so tonight after I got home from work, I was rubbing Fiona's belly and I noticed some newly dried blood around her female area. She JUST turned 6 months old, and is scheduled to get spayed next week. Is it probable that she is in her first heat? Isnt 6 months young?I've never experienced this before, so at first I freaked out, but then after calling a few people it dawned on me that this is maybe what it was. What "should" the bleeding be like, if this was the reason? Should I be worried?

Sorry to sound frantic! :(
 
Around 6 months is about average but it can be earlier or later. Sound like your little girl is growing up. Stay cool! :D Oh and keep her away from the boys and do not get lulled into thinking that because she is your little sweetie that she wouldn't be the hussy, so keep her in an area that even Houdini couldn't get out of.

The amount & colour of discharge varies. It usually starts with the bright red blood and then turns to a paler, clearer discharge... a bit straw in colour. Many people think that the really fertile time is only happening when there is bright red blood, but this is not the case. You will have to keep her inside for at least 3 weeks, maybe even 4. When you start to think her season is coming to an end, each day dab her vulva with a white tissue to see if there is any discharge. Once the tissue comes away completely clean you need to keep her in for another week to avoid an unwanted pregnancy.

Have a look at this web site... it has some useful information

http://www.petcaretips.net/dogs_in_heat.html
 
Before you take her out, at the end of her season, bath her, as the scent will linger on her coat and attract the unwanted attention of males.
 
Better call your vets and have a chat. It sounds like she has gone into heat and you will need to very strictly manage her for the next 4 weeks -- no outdoor walks, constant supervision when in the garden, do not let any male dogs around her (even a neutered male may go for her and they could then be 'tied' for 30 minutes or more, with you physically unable to separate them). You may want to get some dog panties to keep her from marking furniture/carpets with blood. You will need to wait three months aftter this heat period as well before you can consider spaying her again. Your vets can give detailed advice and may have you come in so they can verify she is in heat. Bring her anywhere like this is a crate though! (y)
 
Karlin said:
You will need to wait three months aftter this heat period as well before you can consider spaying her again. Your vets can give detailed advice and may have you come in so they can verify she is in heat.

I just called my Vet, and spoke with the receptionist who was answering my questions with someone else (so I didnt actually speak to my vet, or one of the other vets). They said she is "probably" in heat, but wanted to go ahead with spaying her next week anyways!!! Is that normal? Then when I mentioned hearing that it should be a longer wait before we try, the girl said "umm...this period should only last 7-10 days, so after 7-10 days we can reschedule." Any advice as to what I should do? Karlin, I think I should just wait a few months like you suggested, because the whole reason we had scheduled her this early was to AVOID her first heat, and now that it is apparently happening, what's the poing of scheduling it soon?

Also, there wasnt any new blood this morning, so it looks like she's "spotting". The vet receptionist said this was normal (after asking someone), but she didnt even want Fiona to go in and get checked out. I'm just worried about my little girl :( I'm not old enough to have a teenager yet :?
 
If she is in season like you think, pay attention to what Karlin says. Do not have her spayed now. In fact, I would be a little concerned about any vet that would want to spay her when she is in season.
 
There are perfectly competent vets who WILL spay a dog in heat if necessary. However, it is more risky for the dog because there is more blood involved, so it is not a preferred time. Your vet may be experienced with these surgeries and the receptionist may assume that you and he will want to go ahead with this, but in your shoes I would want to postpone it.

You may be able to reschedule the procedure for about a month from now, but talk it over with the vet to see what he/she thinks will be best for Fiona.

This may be a controversial thing to say, but it is my impression that younger, more up-to-date vets no longer believe that it is necessary to wait three or four months, as traditionally has been the recommendation. Things evolve, just as with vaccination practices. But as always, if you trust your vet go with whatever s/he recommends.
 
We just went through this with Bianca because we got her when she was about 7 months old...she went into heat 2 days after we got her!! Don't worry, you can make it through this! We did it with a minimum of trauma. I have to admit, Bianca seemingly had a lot less trouble than Ellie and Shay's little girl with it, though. Be prepared for some stains and use a lot of washable towels, blankets, etc. to throw around. I am now marking down the days (months) before Bianca can be spayed! We didn't really have much trouble with her and other dogs since all our neighborhood dogs are spayed/neutered and I kept a good distance from them all until the owners confirmed that with me!! :flwr: -Natalie
 
Donna27 said:
I just called my Vet, and spoke with the receptionist who was answering my questions with someone else (so I didnt actually speak to my vet, or one of the other vets).

This is one of the things that infuriates me about some veterinary practices and is the reason I eventually left one that is otherwise good. It is the girl on the front desk giving advice when she should not be.

the girl said "umm...this period should only last 7-10 days, so after 7-10 days we can reschedule."

She is clearly clueless and should not be giving advice. I would demand to speak to the vet & suggest they change this dangerous & annoying practice of having the receptionist play acting at being a vet. :x :x :x

Grrrrr. Sorry but this really makes my blood boil. Okay, I feel better now. icon_whistling
 
I didn't know that a neutered male could still tie with a female!!! :eek: Damn! I am going to be in big trouble with my three neutered boys and Zoey...Looks like I might have to sneak her into work with me!
 
the eunuch tie

I didn't know that a neutered male could still tie with a female!!! :eek: Damn! I am going to be in big trouble with my three neutered boys and Zoey...Looks like I might have to sneak her into work with me!


Yes-- ahhhh they can. They usually don't have a huge sex drive-- they won't cry through the night wanting the intact girls. If they do tie, it isn't the end of the world (they can't reproduce, unless maybe they were recently neutered maybeee). sandy
 
Thank you everyone for all your advice!!! I actually got nervous over the weekend, because, apart from that first day, she wasnt really bleeding at all, and I thought maybe it had been something else. I called a few vets, and I guess that kind of sporatic spotting/bleeding is normal, especially for their first time. There was more blood on her yesterday though, so it all appears to be normal. She seems to be a lot more lethargic, is that normal?

As for the whole Vet situation, the whole thing kind of bugged me, and it turned me off from my Vet a little. I recently moved to the Sacramento area, and went off of my neighbors' advice, but after that I think i'd like to find someone with more Cavalier specific experience. I emailed a woman with the Bay Area Cavalier King Charles club, just to see if she or any of the members had any suggestions/references for Vets up in my area, so we will see! My vet is very nice in most regards, but I just feel like I'd like someone who knows more about these particular dogs, if at all possible...

Lastly, is it really imperative to keep Fiona inside until her cycle is over? Can we take her for walks and just pick her up around other dogs? I feel so bad about it being nice spring weather and having her cooped in the house because it's her "time of the month" :(
 
At the risk of sounding "cavalier", hee hee ha ha, you have to be REALLY careful, but we took Bianca everywhere, Donna. I mean, I kept her in a carrier when we went somewhere new and strictly limited her interactions with other dogs until any owners swore up and down that their male was neutered...but she did great going out with us, and I think it provided her much needed socialization..

Maybe we were naive, but we did take her out for walks, and to our neighborhood park on a leash, and it really wasn't a problem. To be honest, in our 'neck of the woods' most people have other toy dogs or well-behaved breeds, and spaying/neutering is pretty much a given. If that isn't the case around you, best be careful. I felt that the benefits of exercise, freedom, walks and socialization outweighed the risks...and we were close to keep a lookout. To be honest it really wasn't much of a problem at all. Okay, don't kill me guys but that's what we did! -Natalie
 
I suspect the biggest risk is that an unaltered dog, who is out loose, will try to follow her scent back to your home, especially if you were on foot the whole way. So be on the lookout for dogs that might wind up hanging around your house, and be prepared to have to try to figure out to whom they belong, if any show up. Dogs will travel pretty long distances once they've caught the scent of a bitch in heat. I think this is one reason people generally recommend keeping your female indoors, for the most part, during heat and not venturing out beyond your own backyard.

Fiona, at some point, will start to pee in a way that tries to spread her scent around as much as possible too, as she tries to attract males to her.
 
Thank you everyone for all your advice!!! I actually got nervous over the weekend, because, apart from that first day, she wasnt really bleeding at all, and I thought maybe it had been something else. I called a few vets, and I guess that kind of sporatic spotting/bleeding is normal, especially for their first time. There was more blood on her yesterday though, so it all appears to be normal. She seems to be a lot more lethargic, is that normal?


Lastly, is it really imperative to keep Fiona inside until her cycle is over? Can we take her for walks and just pick her up around other dogs? I feel so bad about it being nice spring weather and having her cooped in the house because it's her "time of the month" :(

Change in temperament seems to be different with every dog in my experience. However, once she is in standing heat, she will be anything but shy around the boys. My favorite saying is that that sweet little girl you thought you had will turn into a shameless hussey!!!

I would recommend you keep her inside except as necessary for doing her business; then stay as close to home as possible. Wouldn't want some dog like a Great Dane knocking you flat on your back trying to get to your in-season girl.

Good luck with your girl.
 
Even normally well behaved dogs can undergo a split second personality change to get to an in heat female, and you could actually have a serious altercation with an aggressive large breed dog -- if it has to get to your dog through you, you could end up under attack. That's why people experienced with bitches in heat and intact males -- breeders -- generally will say to NEVER allow a dog in heat out on walks as it is so easy to get into a nasty situation. The risk can be quite serious to both dog AND owner. I've seen females under *attack* by gangs of males and seriously hurt as a result. This is NOT a risk worth taking, for the dog or for you if you had to try and intervene.

It may have been more the vet tech giving poor advice than what the vet would actually suggest -- but generally most vets do not like to spay a dog during heat as it has a slight extra risk, and anyway it makes more sense hormonally to let them go back to midcycle and there are medical reasons for waiting, too. I would be bothered by a vet who would advocate a spay during heat. All my vets stand by this policy unless there are other circumstances (eg a dog going into false pregnancies). Most vets do not really need to have a specialty in a breed to be a good vet. Six months is usually the right time to spay before first heat -- that advice was correct. Most don't like to do it earlier and any later you risk the dog going into heat. Most won;t come in as early as 6 months, that was just unfortunate early timing this time around! As long as your vet is aware of mitral valve disease, large platelets in the breed, and syringomyelia, that covers most breed-specific issues they need to know (and MOST vets need you to give them info on large platelets and SM in particular; lots of vets very familiar with cavaliers won't know of these issues in the breed). If you want a Sacramento area recommendation maybe Rory's mom will see this or pm her (Rory on the board) -- she's a vet student in Davis and knows some area vets.
 
It may have been more the vet tech giving poor advice than what the vet would actually suggest -- but generally most vets do not like to spay a dog during heat as it has a slight extra risk, and anyway it makes more sense hormonally to let them go back to midcycle and there are medical reasons for waiting, too. I would be bothered by a vet who would advocate a spay during heat. .

Thank you so much for your always valuable advice, Karlin! Unfortunately, the Vet Receptionist was apparently talking to a vet directly ( I Just wasnt--grr!!), and the vet saw no problem going ahead with her spaying, just that it would be "More difficult and more expensive". My thought was, then why do it while she was mid cycle? I completely agree that a vet doesnt need to be partial to a particular breed to make them a better vet, but when I asked VAGUE questions about MVD and SM when we brought Fiona in as a young puppy, she did not appear to know too much about the conditions. I am very happy with my vet in most ways, I just figured that if an cavalier owners/breeders/etc had a suggestion, it might be a great idea!

From all of your advice, I realize how serious it is to have Fiona (and myself!) potentially around other dogs while she is in heat. It's bad timing! Karlin, you said you used to live in Davis, so you'll probably understand...it's Picnic Day this weekend! I thought it would be a great opportunity for Fiona to socialize with other dogs, etc. Not now though, lol. Maybe next year!

Anyways, Thank you Karlin, Bruce and everyone for your advice. My mother uses forums to talk about her horses, and when I first had questions about Fiona being in heat, etc, my mom said Forum/Board members usually give better advice then vets often do, and I'm seeing she's right!
 
I agree 100% with the advice about not taking your girl out & about during her heat. The urge to mate is powerful & many a person has gotten seriously injured when getting between a dog & a bitch in heat.

You can make it up to her (not getting her usual walks) with lots of cuddles & fun games around the house.

Oh, and yes, some do get a bit down in the mouth around their season. I've often wondered if they get period pain & PMT like we do.
 
:yikes
We just went through this with Bianca because we got her when she was about 7 months old...she went into heat 2 days after we got her!! Don't worry, you can make it through this! We did it with a minimum of trauma. I have to admit, Bianca seemingly had a lot less trouble than Ellie and Shay's little girl with it, though. Be prepared for some stains and use a lot of washable towels, blankets, etc. to throw around. I am now marking down the days (months) before Bianca can be spayed! We didn't really have much trouble with her and other dogs since all our neighborhood dogs are spayed/neutered and I kept a good distance from them all until the owners confirmed that with me!! :flwr: -Natalie


I have just seen this thread. Hi Natalie....I'm glad Bianca went trough her cycle so well. Lily has finally gotten back to normal in the last week. Boy, what an experience that was....:yikes I don't see any signs of a false pregnancy as the Vet said she may be having, thank God! It was something I would never want to go through again.

I agree with Karlin and everyone else. I would not spay a dog in heat. I asked my Vet when I can spay her, and he said to wait a minimum of a month after her cycle ends. I want to get her in puppy class that we had to cancel when she went in heat. That is scheduled to start on April 18th and last for 8 weeks. I will have her spayed sometime in early July. That should be well before her next cycle.....praying here. It did seem to correct her vulva problem, so it was worth it.
 
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