Content
- Bitch in heat: symptoms
- How often does the bitch come into heat?
- The different phases of the bitch's heat
- 1. Proestrus
- 2. Estrus
- 3. Diestrus
- 4. Anestrus
- How long does heat last for a bitch
- Dog heat: hygiene products
- Female dog spaying: prevention
- How to know if the bitch is in heat
You the bitch's sexual and reproductive cycles they are not related to the hormonal cycles that govern sexuality and reproduction of the human species. It is important to understand this before proceeding.
If you want to know how a bitch's heat works, in this article we explain what the dog's heat cycle consists of, how long it lasts and when your best friend is fertile. We'll also show you some hormonal changes that can cause aggression, crying, or general malaise. Continue reading this PeritoAnimal article to learn all about heat in bitches - Dog in heat: symptoms, duration and phrases.
Bitch in heat: symptoms
It is very common for people to have doubts about how long does a bitch's heat bleed for, many times, this period goes unnoticed. The dog's first heat occurs between the first 6 months and 1 year of life, although this always depends on the type of breed, in some large breed bitches the first heat may take up to 2 years to appear. In general, the first heat usually appears:
- Small bitches: between 6 and 12 months;
- Medium and large bitches: between 7 and 13 months old;
- Giant bitches: between 16 and 24 months.
How often does the bitch come into heat?
Usually this bleeding period appears twice a year, every 6 months. Bear in mind that this period varies for each bitch and can be affected by age or feeding.
In bitches that sanitize themselves a lot, it can be difficult to notice, but if you look closely you will see that their vulva is inflamed and that a bloody secretion comes out. This bleeding phase is known as proestrus, which is one of the phases of a bitch in heat, and lasts from 6 to 11 days. It is important for you to know that the your bitch is not fertile right now. Next, we will better explain the behavior of a female dog in heat and also detail the duration of a female dog's heat.
The different phases of the bitch's heat
As with reproduction in humans, the bitch's heat has some phases. Are they:
1. Proestrus
This step can be a little tricky to identify, especially in bitches that bleed very little. It usually lasts between 3 and 17 days and during this phase the bitch is not fertile. You may see the vulva inflamed, with a bloody discharge.
2. Estrus
This is the fertile stage. Occurs after proestrus and is the moment when the bitch is receptive to copulation. It has a duration similar to the previous stage, between 3 and 17 days.
At this point in the cycle, it is normal that there are some changes in your dog's behavior. She can be especially affectionate, restless and eager to go out. On the street she will try to stay longer than usual, urinate more than usual, in order to leave as many pheromones as possible to attract the males. The first stage of estrus corresponds to the most fertile days of the bitch. Therefore, you must be very careful during this period because any carelessness can lead to an unwanted pregnancy.
3. Diestrus
The duration of diestrus can vary between 60 and 100 days. This time depends on whether there was fertilization or not, that is, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. At this stage, the bitch refuses copulation, eats abundantly and her character stabilizes.
Due to the genital stimulation that the bitch itself can do in the vagina or breasts, if the bitch has not become pregnant she can develop psychological pregnancy. This is directly related to the high production of hormones, characteristic of this phase.
4. Anestrus
In cases where the bitches became pregnant, the diestrus ends with childbirth, starting anestrus, a period of sexual inactivity. On the other hand, if the dog has not been fertilized, she will not show any obvious signs of passing from the other phase to this one.
The anestrus phase usually lasts about 130 days and helps the bitch to have a rest stage after giving birth so that her body can recover properly. At the end of this time, the dog will again produce the non-fertile bleeding mentioned above, during the proestrus period.
How long does heat last for a bitch
How long does the dog's heat last? The duration of heat in a bitch may vary depending on their size, age and health status. It usually lasts between 15 and 21 days, but in some cases it can be practically non-existent as well as in other cases very long lasting.
You cannot forget that during estrus, that is, after half of the dog's heat, she can get pregnant. If you don't want that to happen, read this PeritoAnimal article with some advice on how to get a dog away from a bitch in heat.
Dog heat: hygiene products
For what the bitch's heat be as hygienic as possible inside the house, you can find it for sale diapers or panties fit for bitches. Find out at the pet shop you usually go to about this type of product, it is very useful and recommended to avoid mess at home.
Female dog spaying: prevention
Sometimes the fertile and heat process of a bitch causes all kinds of inconvenience, both for her and for the tutors. While this is not an immediate decision, you should consider sterilize your pet for an improvement in health, behavior and prevention of unwanted reproduction that can end in animal abandonment.
Remember that neutering your dog before her first heat will considerably reduce the appearance of different types of cancer. In addition, it is a responsible and solidary option with the amount of stray dogs that exist in the world, considerably reducing the chances of your dog becoming pregnant. Discover in PeritoAnimal all the benefits of canine castration.
How to know if the bitch is in heat
Finally, to answer the very common question among tutors "How do you know if the bitch is in heat?" It is necessary to be aware of your dog's behaviors. It is usual that during the season of heat the bitch may appear behavior problems, therefore, the most common symptoms of a bitch in heat are:
- Stress;
- Aggressiveness;
- Sadness.
However, there is something much more worrying, because once the cycle is over, your dog can suffer the known psychological pregnancy, a very complicated moment in which she may come to believe that she is really pregnant.
In addition lack of fertilization in a fertile animal it can enhance the development of a number of related diseases such as milk accumulation (and a possible infection), irritability and behavioral changes. Neutering your dog can eliminate these problems, as well as the bleeding characteristic of heat.
If you want to read more articles similar to Dog in heat: symptoms and duration, we recommend that you enter our Cio section.