My 5-year-old female dog's heat cycle is delayed. Is this normal?

This is unusual in dogs. Typically smaller breeds have 2 to 3 heat cycles a year. I am assuming this is a new change in the frequency for her and that you are seeing vaginal discharge or bleeding. If so, it is possible these are not normal heats and that she has disease in her reproductive tract. I would recommend a visit to your family vet for an exam. Additional testing to evaluate her reproductive tract may be recommended such as vaginal cytology and abdominal ultrasound. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Typically dogs do have a heat every six months, but it could be Cleo had a heat and it was a silent heat. Silent heats are when the dog shows no outward signs of being in heat. You can have her checked out by a vet to be safe. Best of luck.

Yes, it can be normal. Often times though, they have gone into heat, you just didn't notice. Some dogs keep their vulva clean so you don't notice any bleeding. If you are worried then I suggest you take her to your vet for a breeding soundness examination.

I would not be overly concerned about the single episode of vomiting/hard stool and would advise a bland diet of chicken and rice for 2-3days to see if the bowel issue resolves. I would howver be concerned about a heat cycle that has persisted for 7weeks+ and would recommend a check up with your vet tomorrow to rule out infection or other medical complications. I would recommend neutering her unless you have a need to breed from her in at the next heat cycle as excessive blood loss could become a significant issue with each cycle

Most dogs typically go into heat twice a year. The questions to ask yourself are: 1. Has she ever done this before? 2. Does the blood look different? 3. Is she behaving differently? Occasionally, bitches do slow their bleeding and then start up again briefly towards the end, but it is not worth the risk to assume this is the case here. If this is not how her heat cycles normally progress, it is possible that she has [pyometra](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pyometra/), or an infection of the uterus. Pyometra is common in older, intact female dogs that have recently had a heat cycle. It is a very serious condition that typically requires surgical intervention. Please bring her to your veterinarian or the nearest veterinary ER to be on the safe side. She needs to be seen ASAP, especially if she is lethargic, [feverish](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-common-signs-your-pet-has-a-fever) or has a tender abdomen.

It sounds like Beauty may be dealing with a pregnancy, false pregnancy, or a mammary infection, as it is unlikely she would still be producing milk after this long otherwise. Please visit the following link for more information: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952188 I also recommend talking to your vet about having Beauty spayed. Spaying stops the heat cycle, eliminates the risk and cost of unwanted breeding, and early spaying can reduce the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer, as well as reduce the risk of potentially fatal uterine infections and mammary cancer. If this is a false pregnancy, your vet will discuss the right time to have Beauty spayed to help prevent it from continuing/ happening again.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Lottie. She will never stop her heat cycle, dogs do not go into menopause like humans do. She will be fertile for the rest of her life, and will be at risk of developing a pyometra. A pyometra is an infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment. I'm not sure who told you she is too old to be spayed, but that's not true. There are many dogs who are spayed at nine years of age and older. Her anesthetic risk will have to be assessed by a vet, but surgery is not off the table due to her age. Plus if you leave her unspayed, she is at risk of a pyometra, which requires an emergency surgery that costs thousands. It's better to get her spayed now. I hope this helps.