Having a dog is a blessing. Sharing a beautiful bond with the pets is a different feeling. Being a pup parent means tons of responsibility too. If you have female dogs, then you will have an additional responsibility too. Before jumping into the main issue, there’s a question for dog owners. Do you know that dogs also get periods like hoomans? They also have a menstrual cycle.
If you are unaware of this, you need to know about this. Before you are signing in to pet a female dog, you should be liable for the responsibility of taking care of your female dog while menstruating. In doggo terms, this cycle is referred to as the “Heat” or “Estrous Cycle”. And yes, dogs get periods.
Periods/Menstruation in Dogs
The estrous cycle in dogs may depend on the breed of the dog too. The time period may vary. But normally, when the female dogs become the age of 6 months old, they start reaching sexual maturity and this is the exact time when they can have their first heat or estrous cycle. The estrous cycle may last for 3 weeks or it can elongate or shorten for 2-4 months as well. These lasting cycles can differ in dogs due to their breed, health, and many more.
During the heat stage, there is an increment in estrogen level and then there will be a declining condition and the ovaries begin to release eggs.
Point to note down: Dogs go into the Heat stage (Menstruation in hooman terms) on average every 6 months but may differ as mentioned above.
Some dogs may also go into this stage on a regular basis around 18-24 months to develop the regular cycle. Small dogs may have this 3-4 times a year whereas large dogs only once a year. Female dogs continue to have these estrous cycles but as they get older, the length of time between estrous cycles starts to increase.
If you are thinking about dog breeding, you should at least wait until her third heat as it’s considered the best practice.
How to know your pooches are going to have their HEAT?
- Female dogs begin to show both physical and behavioral changes or signs and you must address those changes.
- Frequent urination than usual
- Female dogs can have blood-tinged discharge and swollen vulva
- Nervousness, distractions
- Receptive to male dogs
- Flagging (female dogs initiate sexual contact, for example, raising their rear and deflecting their tail to one side)
- Courting the male dogs until the cycle is over
At the first, there is the discharge of blood and when the cycle is going to be over, it gets lightened to pink in color. The heat cycle generally lasts for 3 weeks in dogs but it may vary in dogs. In general, dogs can get pregnant around the end of 1st week of the cycle or it may take a long time too.
You need to take extra care of your dog during her cycles. You can use disposable/reusable diapers for avoiding the discharge of blood here and there. There is certain surgery to sterilize your female dogs too. But take this decision only after consulting the vet and analyzing the future consequences.
So, take care and keep your dogs healthy too!