My dog is in heavy heat. Can she still go to her vet appointment?

I would have Hennessey seen by a vet immediately. I would be very concerned that this heavy bleeding, lethargy, and bloating is caused by a pyometra. A pyometra is a serous infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment. Using a physical exam, blood tests, urinalysis, and x-rays, the vet can diagnose if she does have a pyometra and can treat her for it. Should she have one, spaying her is part of the recommended treatment. Please take Hennessey into an ER vet or find a vet on call to see her now.

With any new reproductive symptom out of the norm for your pet, it is best to have a vet take a look, especially if the symptoms persist, Tinkerbell continues bleeding, or if she seems otherwise ill or in distress. A vet check in person can help rule out any issues such as infections, hormonal problems, or other related issues that may be causing the change. If you're having trouble affording care, this site may help give you some options to make it more affordable if you need to bring Tinkerbell into your vet: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/having-trouble-affording-veterinary-care

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.

These signs are quite concerning as they could be compatible with a infection of the uterus called pyometra. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics and possibly further investigations (like abdominal imaging as ultrasound or radiographs) may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

Yes, absolutely take Diamond into a vet immediately. I would be concerned that she may have a pyometra, which is a serious infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment. She needs veterinary treatment now, please take her into a vet asap.

All of this can be normally seen with a dog in heat, except for the blood coming from the anus. If you are certain that blood is oozing from her anus, then I would be much more concerned and would recommend a visit to the vet in the next 24 hours. Bleeding from the colon/rectum can indicate a severe infection and it's best to get these treated as soon as possible to avoid life-threatening complications such as amemia. I would first make sure that the blood is in-fact coming from her anus. One way to tell is if there is blood in her stool. If she's having normal stool with no blood, then it's not likely that the blood is truly coming from her anus. A decrease in activity and in appetite can happen when they are in heat, so if she is otherwise normal, then I wouldn't be too worried. However, the best option is to have a vet examine her to be safe. Below is a link with more information about a dog's heat cycle. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/estrus-cycles-in-dogs I hope that helps and all is well with Shadow.

If she actually got preegnant, the she will be having puppies 8-9 weeks, so the spay date is not a good one. You need to schedule an appointment now to check the source of bleeding and to possibly give her a hormone shot so the pregnancy can be terminated. Please make an appointment with your veterinarian ASAP so she does not develop an infection.