Lola in heat

My 9 month old Lola went into heat 2 weeks ago. She is doing great! We've been keeping a keen eye on her; gates shut and locked, never alone, and her Lab "sister" keeping guard over her.

Lola definitely is more, not needy, but cuddly. We decided to wait until after her first season to let her hormones mature and everything to figure itself out... Based on information from our breeder as well as this site (we had our Lab fixed at 6 months though).

I've had several other dogs in heat before (all Labs though) but it just seemed so different than the Cavalier for some reason. Lola's Vajayjay is very swollen(normal) As well, her nipples are very large (which I don't remember from my other dogs). Will her nipples reduce in size after heat, or is this permanent from the hormone change?

Lola is scheduled to be fixed the end of July (went into heat the last of may), do you think that's enough time, or should I push it back a little while?

The nipples will reduce. The things you are noticing would not really be cavalier apects of heat, just normal variation amongst dogs. I have seen dogs totally swollen outwards and others where you cannot even tell they are in heat! The first time you see a really swollen female with the vulva protruding like that it can be a bit of a shock -- like baboons... :lol: If the nipples do not go down, and she seems to stay in heat, talk to your vet as she may be stuck in a false pregnancy. I've been told heat for dogs is not like menstruation for humans as the dog's system goes into full pregnancy mode regardless of whether the dog becomes pregnant. This makes heat and false pregnancies more intense than a human menstruation. False pregnancies can be really exhausting for the dog (and have been one reason I have spayed in mid 'heat' for this a couple of times on vet's recommendation).

If she is in heat now, July is really too early. Most vets wish to wait til about 3 months after the heat actually ends. That puts her midcycle and her system will have gone back to 'neutral', so to speak. You might as well spay midheat as spay in July -- and there would be slight extra risks/ If your vet hasn't said this, I would probably change vets!

I have spayed a few dogs midheat because rescues generally do not have the luxury of fostering out dogs for three months, and the risk is quite small (I have never had a problem nor has anyone else I know of in rescue). But still, I would never spay in heat or within only weeks of it ending unless there was a really strong and urgent reason to do so. If you have no need to do it in July, I'd wait til late September/early Oct or so.