maggies 7 month and went in heat been 10 days how much longer

[victoriasaussie]

im not use to smaller breeds my last dogs were rotts and german shepards and both my females were around 13 months or 15 months before starting she had only been 7 months for 3 days when she started and it was swollen now it is real big and dripping how long? it actually scared me at first her starting so early can someone help me.........v cusanelli

[Karen]

Small dogs can go into heat earlier, as they mature faster. This not unusual, some breeds as early as 5 months. Here's a good guideline:


Answer: There are four stages to the canine estrus cycle:
Proestrus: vaginal discharge, males attracted to females, females unwilling to mate. Length: 4-20 days.
Estrus: swollen vulva, yellowish vaginal discharge, mating occurs during this phase. Length: 5-13 days.
Metestrus (or Diestrus): period after estrus or mating. Length: 60-90 days. If pregnant, pregnancy lasts between 60-64 days in the dog.
Anestrus: period of inactivity (sexual and hormonal) between estrus phases. Length: 2-3 months.

So if there is discharge, you may want to put a diaper on her until it is over, and be sure to keep her away from any unneutered males, okay?

Keep an eye on her, and call the vet to schedule an appointment to get her checked, and see when you can safely have her spayed, if that's your plan!

[Freedom]

Yep, Karen gave you all the info you need!

Most state laws require dogs be fixed at age 6 months. So it is well beyond time for this girl to get spayed. Make the appt now. The vet will want to see her once anyway prior to the surgery.

[Jessika]

It can last for a few weeks. Keep in mind, that even if you aren't seeing discharge, she can still be in heat!!! I say ballpark each "phase" lasts a week, but to be safe just assume she is in heat/fertile for the entire month or more.

Some vets will still spay a pet even while they are in heat. I STRONGLY recommend you take her in for an exam now so you can discuss this with your vet and schedule a spay during a timeframe that your vet feels comfortable with.

In the mean time, DO NOT let her outdoors unattended AT ANY TIME FOR ANY REASON. This includes letting her out your back door into a fenced in backyard and watching her from the doorway. Take her out to potty on a leash!!!!! Intact males can smell a female in heat from miles away and I have heard stories of them jumping fences and breaking glass storm doors to get to a female in heat. Some can even be aggressive, and that is NOT something you want to get in the middle of.

Oops, forgot to add, average time for females to go into heat is around 7-9 months. It is true that smaller breeds mature faster than larger breeds and therefore will go into heat sooner. So she isn't "early".

[Jessika]

How is she doing?