Why is my 15-month-old chihuahua acting weird? Is it her first heat?

Hello, sorry to hear about Snowy. Yes occasionally female dogs may have increased attention demands after their heat cycle. However, some of these similar signs may be seen with a false pregnency. If the signs do not resolve in 3-5 days then she should be seen by her veterinarian so that they may rule out a flase pregnency. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Dog's can definitely act strangely around or after the time of their first heat, so I would definitely consider that a possibility. As you also said, it has only been a couple of days with this brand new stuff being introduced that Mabel has to get used to. Unless these sort of behavior changes persist for a week or more or other clinical signs of illness begin to exist, I wouldn't start to worry just yet. If you really want to be careful you can always have your dog checked by a vet to be sure it's stable.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If she is dripping urine or straining to urinate then I would worry about a urinary tract infection or crystals in the urine. I would try to collect a urine sample and bring it with you for an appointment with your Vet. If she has an infection they can provide her with antibiotics. When dogs are in heat they sometimes act lethargic. She is a bit young to have an infected uterus as they do drink and urinate more. It is best to have her examined. I wish you the best!

Hi there. If Izzy has never had any vaginal discharge during her heat cycles previously, that's very odd. I would be concerned that what you are seeing now may indicated a pyometra (uterine infection), as this is a common cause of vaginal discharge in middle-aged and older intact females. If she does have a pyometra, this is a serious problem that can be life-threatening - so I would recommend taking her to the vet today for an exam to find out for sure what's going on.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Callie. If she is starting her next heat cycle, this can result in behavior changes. Otherwise I have had patients display odd behaviors when they are experiencing a respiratory tract infection. Monitor for any coughing or sneezing as this would be another sign of an infection. Finally, she could be painful somewhere. She will likely need to see her veterinarian for a diagnosis and if any treatment is required. I hope this information helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sometimes female dogs will urine mark when they are in heat (having their period). But if Chica is having small, frequent urinations with straining she may have a urinary tract infection unrelated to being in heat. I recommend collecting a urine sample and taking Chica to your Vet for an exam. They can check her urine for infection. I hope this helps and I wish Chica a speedy recovery!

This is very alarming. Since yourBelle is not spayed, there is a chance that she has a uterine infection, and the discharge from her vagina could be a sign. All the signs you describe do point to a problem with her uterus. Please make an appointment with your vet for an exam befor the weekend.