Violet in season for the first time

So, Violet has been very swollen for a few days, and now there is blood starting to appear. She was supposed to be getting spayed soon, but I guess that's going to be postponed a little (annoying, as the vets want to microchip her whilst she is under the anaesthetic for that).

So tomorrow, we'll go get her some pants, but we have no idea what else to do for her. She is being extra clingy (she's a wee sook at the best of times) but she just seems to be wanting hugs. She's picking at her food, with bouts of eating, then not really eating at all. Do dogs get sore tummies? Should we be looking out for anything? Or is there anything we need to do differently for her?

Any advice of what we can do for the best would be greatly appreciated! We honestly have no idea about this, so please don't worry that anything might be 'too obvious'!

Moo came into season on the day of her op so I hadn't planned either! It was fine, I swore by the hygienne pads (but only at night because they shafe her a little).

We walked at different times to try to miss people (although we did have a problem with 1 intact male). Never off lead and maybe keep to street walking rather than parks.

At home she was just more cuddley. Going off food is normal also. Just gonna have to ride it out, I don't think there is a magic cure.

3 months after season make another appointment at the vets for a spay assesment Xx

Forgot to say, get her microchipped asap. Honestly they don't bat an eyelid and its really important Xx

We have got a boy so I can't help, but it doesn't seem two seconds ago that violet was a tiny puppy, wow times flies

The first vet we saw at the surgery at 8 weeks said to get her microchipped when she went for her second set of vaccinations at 11 weeks, but the vet we saw at 11 weeks said she wouldn't do it til Violet was under anaesthetic, getting spayed. I've paid in advance for it, so really, I would have liked it done by now, as we're giving her a bit more independence with running about in the garden/off lead in the park (although she's not getting that privilege at the moment!). As a typical staffy, she doesn't seem to feel pain, so I wouldn't have thought it was a big deal to get her chipped

lynne wrote:We have got a boy so I can't help, but it doesn't seem two seconds ago that violet was a tiny puppy, wow times flies

Anno What happened to my tiny little puppydog?

She really is only a pup herself though, so that last thing I would like is for her to have puppies (in fact, even if she was older that's the last thing I'd want!). I saw a little dog in town, blue and white staff that was hardly any older than Violet, and it's tummy was all saggy like it had just had pups. Felt so sorry for it

Call the vets tomorrow and say you want it done now, the vets should encourage that. My first had hers on her second jabs.

She'll be fine.

Very suprised at a vet that won't do it unless under anaesthetic, they should be promoting it!?

We're going to head down tomorrow, and see what we can do about getting her microchipped. I just worry that now, as she's gotten so strong that if she snaps a collar or lead, we would have no real way of getting her back without one

I was surprised too, especially as the first vet said we could have it done at 11 weeks, but the second vet was insistent that the needles was huge, painful, and if we were good dog owners, we wouldn't let her out of our sight for the first 6 months of having her anyways. It's not that we punt her out the door every day to wander the streets, but for me, the microchip is a back-up, back-up option in a worst case scenario - I certainly wouldn't intentionally lose her!

They'll do it! Can't believe they would suggest otherwise! Bit bemused by that one! Hay ho. You'll be fine tomorrow Xx

Don't worry about the season , Tilly has had 2 now and been exactly as you described, just give her what she needs , a bit of extra love and spoil her a bit, and I agree 100% about the microchipping , get it done now, the needle is big but it didn't bother Tilly at all , she had it done when getting her jabs and honestly she is the biggest wuss ever that runs away to mummy when a jack russel growls at her

That's good to know everything is going normally! Sometimes she seems like nothing is bothering her (like just now she is sitting pretty looking for a bit of popcorn), whilst other times she seems really sorry for herself, and then sometimes she is getting really angry at RJ and his feet and hands. She's mainly being a total mummy's girl though.

Hopefully we can get her chipped soon, she doesn't seem to feel pain EVER so that's not much of a concern, but she's our first pup, so we just kind of went with what the vet said. I don't really want to wait another 3 months to get her chipped though, I'm a nervous wreck as it is with leads and collars and the thought of them snapping!

wow!!! a vet the delays microchip's =S not good .. skye was chipped at 14wks and vinnie also .. its majorly important so i have no idea why the would do that :S.
As for season skye was the same lol .. she started not long after we booked her appointment so just rode it out and it went by so fast.

Aw, no, I'm starting to wonder if we've picked a bad vets - this one came highly recommended after RJs mums cat made it into a medical journal after they did such a great job on his leg, and they're really local, but it didn't seem right at the time that she was so against chipping dogs young, and now that all of you have said the same thing...

Never heard of a vet delaying a microchip until under anaesthetic. My last dog had his at 8 weeks and Tinker had hers when we took her for jabs shortly after getting her in August. Neither of them batted an eyelid at it, really agree that you should make them do it for you.
I don't think you have picked a bad vet but they do all have different opinions on things so I wouldn't worry about it. Just ring them and ask them to do it now and not when she is under for a spay.

As for the season, Tinkerbell was in season when we got her a few months ago. It didn't bother her in the slightest. Not really sure if she was quieter or clingier than normal as we hadn't even had her a few hours when we noticed she was in season. I agree with Janey though to keep on lead, walks away from other dogs at times when there are less people out. Watch her if you let her out in the garden off lead, as we found that strays gathered at the gate trying to get in to her.

I didn't use any knicker things or anything, just kept her out the living room as much as possible as it is carpeted and the kids continuously mopped the kitchen floor for me every time they saw the slightest spot of blood But there wasn't much anyway, just a few spots now and again.

I'm worried about the same thing as happened with Tinkerbell - stray dogs! I've never seen a stray dog around here before, but sure as anything, if we let her out unsupervised, 100 strays will show up at the gate! Miniature Lassie next door is going mad barking through the fence at her, so it's only a matter of the doggy-grape-vine spreading!

Our entire house, minus kitchen and bathroom, is decked out in cream carpets so I think pants might be a must, although she sleeps in her crate, so she can have a rest from them then, and we'll just swap her bedding over daily

Sophie was microchiped when she had her second jabs.
She came into season the week before we went on holiday but was no trouble, she became very cuddley especially with OH.
Ended up buying some pants for a 3 year old and cut a hole for her tail, she didn't mind wearing them.

Okay, as a girl i would just like to say why do WE not get this attention and affection when we are feeling poorly? Double standards!!

janey wrote:Very suprised at a vet that won't do it unless under anaesthetic, they should be promoting it!?

Some don't like the idea that a dog might spin round & bite them! My vets will do it without anaesthetic, but they charge £5 more!

The only reason my vet wouldn't microchip Dempsey when he was very young was that he had too much loose skin around his neck. Apparently that can make the chip migrate a lot easier than good tight skin.

Caryll wrote:
Some don't like the idea that a dog might spin round & bite them! My vets will do it without anaesthetic, but they charge £5 more!
.

I'd rather a 12 week pup than a 6 month pup bite me (not that either flinched)!! And I would quite happily pay more to have it done! Xx

janey wrote: I'd rather a 12 week pup than a 6 month pup bite me

Same here!!

When Tinkerbell was in season we got followed home by a fair few dogs. Nto stray's but once that were off lead and had strayed from their owners. And there are a few dogs up here that are thrown out on the streets for the day and these congregate at our back gate. We made sure we were always in the garden with her when she was in season!

We even had a really old labrador follow us home, obviously not too old for a bit of nookie with a young staffie

linzy wrote:Aw, no, I'm starting to wonder if we've picked a bad vets - this one came highly recommended after RJs mums cat made it into a medical journal after they did such a great job on his leg, and they're really local, but it didn't seem right at the time that she was so against chipping dogs young, and now that all of you have said the same thing...

If you are worried about the Vet , go somewhere else and get a second opinion. We have had 1 or 2 concerns with our Vet but I think it's more me being a tight a***e and questioning motives / cash generation, also when they ask the question "have you got insurance ??" it always makes me sceptical. BUT we have used the same Vets with different partners over the last 10 years since we moved to Leek and taking away any costs, all the Vets apart from the odd locum have always been brilliant with the 3 cats , a Border Collie Cross we lost nearly 3 years ago and now Tilly , Tilly never shakes or looks frightened when we go in (unless we took her in for shaking) and the Vet I'm sure is the best in the area, the money at the end of the day is insignificant, but we were lucky and had something to base our thoughts on , you only have recommendations. As other people have said you will always at some point come to a difference of opinion over something with your Vet as generally they all have different practice methods and beliefs and thats something you have to live with but the microchipping one in my eyes is very questionable and I think irresponsible.

Wow your vets of so full of it in the UK. Micro chip insertion here is a routine proceedure done in the surgery and is as quick as getting a shot. No extra charge for doing it either.

We all get a little PMS so why cant Violet? And I agree that there are double standards afoot.

I reckon I'll stick with these vets for the time being, as they really were good with the cats, plus it's the closest vet to us by a few miles, so if there was ever an emergency we could get her there quickly. The first vet seemed completely into the idea of getting her chipped as a puppy, but it was just the second vet who didn't want to do it :s Will see what they say to doing her microchip soon.

Violet didn't want to move off the couch today, so will try again at taking her to the vets tomorrow as she needs to be weighed for her worm&flea tablet anyways.