Bitch in Season

Hi,

Some of you will remember me in Decemberr when I posted about my Staffie, Lady, who had bone cancer and we had to let her go to doggy heaven as she got very poorly. Well 2 weeks ago we were approached by a lady who was going to live in Guernsey to take on her Staffie. She is gorgeous and half the size of my previous staffie, got a little bear like face but she hadn't been chipped, had any jabs or been spayed and she is 4. I rang round our local vets for prices and as she travels in the car ok, which lady didn't, we chose to use the same vet as we did for Lady whe she was spayed. The day before we went for our appointment my bar man thought she was in season and sure enough she is. I know when we got lady she had a season before we had her spayed but I can 't remember if they bleed the whole 3 weeks or is it just the 1st week and then the next 2 weeks we have to be careful as she is very fertile. We are going abroad for a week in 2 weeks time but she should be ok here as she will have finished her season and she loves meeting all our pub customers. Here's hoping.

Fiona x

Yes, you're right, the bleeding is only for a short while & is followed by a straw coloured discharge. The critical period is around 10 - 18 days (it varies) & you should be very careful around that time. However, males will be interested from day one!

You should be able to get her spayed mid season, so around 3 months time.

Thank you. She doesn't seem to be bleeding anymore and I feel mean making her wear those pants!

Fi x

Hi Fiona,

A bitch takes 2 weeks coming into season then another 2 weeks in season where they're bleeding and another 2 weeks going off where the bleeding stops.

Thanks. She is coping very well with it and doesn't seem to be bleeding much now. Booked her in in april to be spayed.

Fiona x

Fiona, i am pleased she's coping ok and where bitches are concerned we always had them done just before their first season....i'm the only one in the family who's gone to having males.

Bruno_3 wrote:Hi Fiona,

A bitch takes 2 weeks coming into season then another 2 weeks in season where they're bleeding and another 2 weeks going off where the bleeding stops.

A bitch's season lasts, on average, 3 weeks (give or take a week). I don't know where you've got 6 weeks from!

Hi Caryll, it came from the vet who we had the bitches done with but i'm with a different vet since moving area's but he said that when a bitch is done they're only sterilized or is it a full hysterectomy

It used to be a full hysterectomy, but I only ever had one bitch spayed & that was 40 years ago! I think it still is.

Just found this in the web, though...

Surgical sterilization

Since birth control pills are not a viable option as a practical permanent form of sterilization, the only option is surgical sterilization. In the female, this would be either spaying (medically referred to as ovariohysterectomy); a hysterectomy, in which only the uterus is removed; or a tubal ligation. These are different surgeries, but each one will prevent future pregnancies if done correctly. Only an ovariohysterectomy should be considered for the long-term health of your dog.

Ovariohysterectomy: An ovariohysterectomy (OHE) or spay is the complete removal of the female reproductive tract. The ovaries, oviducts, uterine horns, and the uterus are removed. Not only does this procedure prevent the animal from becoming pregnant, it also eliminates the twice-yearly heat cycles. The surgery removes the source of production of such hormones as estrogen and progesterone. These hormones are responsible for stimulating and controlling heat cycles and play a major role during pregnancy. But they also have other effects on the body and some of them are potentially harmful.

Thanks for that info because the vet said it was just sterilization and that a bitch still came into season but did'nt loose the blood because my mom asked a few questions before it was done on the first bitch we had.

I was chatting to a woman who as 3 spaniels and we was on about this, as she's had all hers done also and she said it was a full hysterectomy, so when your hearing different versions and especially from a vet doing the operation.... it makes you wonder