Why is my 1-year-old dog having brown discharge but no heat?

If your dog isn't [spayed](https://www.petcoach.co/article/spaying-ovariohysterectomy-the-benefits-in-dogs/), this could be a heat cycle. Or it could be a very serious condition known as [pyometra](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pyometra/), which means infected uterus. Especially if she had her heat cycle a couple of months ago, and if she's lethargic or has a fever you need to take her in to a veterinarian to be examined tonight. If she is spayed, this could be several things. She could have a [urinary tract infection](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-signs-of-urinary-tract-disease-in-dogs) and you're seeing her leak blood-tinged urine. I hope not, but depending on her age there could be cancer in the urinary tract that's causing bleeding (blood doesn't always look bright red). Very occasionally spayed dogs will continue to bleed if a piece of an ovary was left behind. Get her checked out by your veterinarian as soon as possible to figure out what's going on.

She may be extremely clean and you might not notice when she is in heat. If you intend to breed her I suggest you have her examined by a theriogenologist or veterinarian specialised in dog breeding . She may not be cycling due to ovarian cysts, or may be missing ovaries, or have hormonal problems.

Large dogs such as Tasha often do not come into heat until 10-15 months old so I'm not concerned yet. I like to have them be at least two years old and have their hips checked with an X-ray for hip dysplasia before breeding. German Shepard Dogs can have bad hips that can be passed on to the puppies so I always want to make sure both parents have good hips before breeding. Generally I recommend the female dog only have one to two litters as having puppies and raising them is a lot of work for her, and you too! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Tasha.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Angel. The color and amount of discharge can vary throughout a dog's heat cycle. It can vary from pink to red to brown. Creamy discharge that appears like pus would be worrisome as it can represent a uterine infection. In this case, she would need to see her veterinarian right away. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Nymeria. The flow can vary throughout a dog's heat cycle and from one cycle to the next. As long as she is eating, drinking and acting like herself, it is most like a normal variation. If the flow does not decrease soon or she starts to act ill, then she will need to see a veterinarian. If the discharge starts to look like pus, this can be a sign of a serious uterine infection. In this case, she would need to seen right away. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Raina. Depending on what the discharge looks like, she may be in heat. The first heat cycle can start anywhere from 9-13 months of age in a dog her size. Then the dog will cycle roughly every 9 months. It will be a red to brown to pink colored discharge. If she finished her last heat cycle 2-3 months ago, she could have discharge from a uterine infection known as a pyometra. In this case, the discharge would be foul smelling and look more like pus. Lastly, she could have a urinary tract infection. Unless she is starting her heat cycle, she will need to see her veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

I recommend to have Izzy examined by her veterinarian today. Dogs who are in heat will have a bloody discharge that is usually very light colored. Infections in the uterus can be severe and even fatal if not treated quickly so it’s best to have her checked for this today. Cancer and vaginitis are also possible. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.