9 month old lab pup in heat for 1st time

[AlyJ 10]

Hi, I'm looking for some help/advice please.

 

My lab, Tess is now in heat for the first time, and as our other dog is male, I haven't dealt with this before. She's been bleeding a little for around a week and is generally ok, if a little more tired than usual. Our male dog has been done and although I was prepared to keep them apart, he's shown no interest at all and they get on so well, I've not separated them.

 

My question is that Tess is occasionally whimpering and crying for no reason. It seems like she's in a bit of discomfort but isn't licking too much and doesn't seem too distressed. Is this normal when they're in heat? Do they get 'period pain'?

 

Any advice greatly received from those who have experience. I'm also wondering when is the best time to have her done?

 

Thanks

[geared 315]

Probably abit unsure of whats going on, hormones will be all over the place as well.

 

Might also want to go outside and find 'a man' too, so keep all the doors secure.

 

---------- Post added 15-11-2016 at 12:14 ----------

 

Any advice greatly received from those who have experience. I'm also wondering when is the best time to have her done?

 

It needs to be done in the intervening period between heat cycles, which obviously is very hard to judge as it's just the first.

 

There's significantly greater blood flow around the area when on, or near heat so you need to wait a while since heat has passed and the blood flow has reduced before getting her done.

[rubydo1 10]

My lab did the same she also got Ratty with our male dog. So it maybe she has tummy cramps. She was the same on her second season then we had her done she's been fine and is much more settled now.

Best time is three months after her season has ended. This allows for hormone levels to drop back down . We missed this time window so we waited for her second season and had her done three months after that .

Edited November 15, 2016 by rubydo1

[berlingo 10]

Speak to your vet but usually spey 10-12 weeks after their season.

[ccit 10]

As a long time breeder of labs (40 years experience) I always waited for 3 months after a season of any bitches not tobe bred from. This normally prevents incontinence in later life and the hormones should have well and truly settled.

[medusa 16]

As a long time breeder of labs (40 years experience) I always waited for 3 months after a season of any bitches not tobe bred from. This normally prevents incontinence in later life and the hormones should have well and truly settled.

 

Sadly it doesn't always prevent the incontinence. My dog (GSD) developed spayed bitch incontinence despite having 2 seasons before spaying and being spayed at the right time.

 

This is one of those things for which veterinary science has no answer. When I queried it with my dog I was told that it was just 'one of those things' that happens to some bitches and although there's been some work done to try to ascertain if there's a statistical link between cases and age of spay and other factors, nothing has shown up which is statistically significant so all they can say right now is that it could be genetic, it could be anything really.

[AlyJ 10]

Sadly it doesn't always prevent the incontinence. My dog (GSD) developed spayed bitch incontinence despite having 2 seasons before spaying and being spayed at the right time.

 

This is one of those things for which veterinary science has no answer. When I queried it with my dog I was told that it was just 'one of those things' that happens to some bitches and although there's been some work done to try to ascertain if there's a statistical link between cases and age of spay and other factors, nothing has shown up which is statistically significant so all they can say right now is that it could be genetic, it could be anything really.

 

Thanks for all the advice. Is it best not to spay then?? I'm so unsure as I've read lots of conflicting views.

[rubydo1 10]

We have both spayed and not spayed in the past . The dog we did not spay lived to nearly 18 years old and had very few health problems but she did have fake pregnancies. But having spayed my current dog I would probably advise to spay. We take our dogs away with us so not having to worry about the dog coming in season is a bonus. Plus I noticed a big difference in hormones with this bread (lab) she definitely got PMT leading up and during her season. She is much more settled since being done . We have no waterworks problems with her at all .

[geared 315]

Many boarding kennels and doggie daycare centres are very wary about taking un-spayed dogs as well.

 

If you do go on holiday and put your dog in the kennels it's best to get them done, the last thing you want is her coming into season just before you leave and not being able to find anywhere that will take them.

[medusa 16]

Thanks for all the advice. Is it best not to spay then?? I'm so unsure as I've read lots of conflicting views.

 

There are risks associated with both spaying and not spaying. Any owner who has lost a bitch to a pyometra (womb infection in an entire bitch) will tell you that they wished that they had spayed their dog before the pyo happened, and any owner who has lost a bitch to a hormone dependent mammary cell tumour will probably say the same.

 

Compared to both pyometra and hormone related cancers, spayed bitch incontinence is very trivial, but it is a life long issue which will need medication every 8 hours to avoid wee patches. The medication is not expensive, but it is an ongoing cost.

 

Personally, I'm happy to have spayed Molly in spite of the incontinence in order to remove the other risks. Each person has to take their own choice for their own dog.