Why is my 10-year-old boxer's heat discharge and swelling prolonged?

Hi. Yes a heat should not last that long or cause her lethargy. I would be concerned she is having an abnormal hormone balance, or uterine infection, which can be life threatening. The best thing would be to have her seen now at ER and to get her spayed ASAP

No, this is not normal. LuLu may have a uterine infection which can be life threatening. You need to have her examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Drinking and urinating more than usual and appearing quieter than usual would also be signs consistent with an infection. The veterinarian will give her a thorough exam, blood tests and possibly take an x-ray to visualize her uterus. Should LuLu get lethargic you need to take her to an emergency clinic.

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

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It can take several weeks for the blood vessels to Decrease in size after a heat cycle. I usually say about 6 weeks after you see bleeding. If you see any discharge, she’s licking the area, or not acting herself, I would recommend taking her to a vet for any exam. Good luck and kisses to Lillie!

Tina may have a uterine infection which could be life threatening. She should not have a discharge, nor knots nor should her vagina still be swollen. Please make an appointment with your veterinarian for an exa. Your vet may want to do xrays to visualise her uterus and blood tests to see whether her kidneys are healthy. A uterine infection can cause kidney failure and sepsis as well as death, if not treated. Usually the treatment is ovariohysterectomy (removal of the uterus and the ovaries).

Hi there, and thank you for posting this question. The average heat cycle lasts about 4 weeks, however there is some variation. Typically dogs do not have bloody discharge for more than a week or so during this process. The vulva does remain swollen during this time, and after their first heat cycle it will remain more "mature" in appearance than it was prior. If you plan to spay her I would recommend waiting about 1 month after to allow the internal blood supply to regress back down to more normal size. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Either one is possible and it’s impossible to know without further information or an exam. The vulva can become swollen with both conditions and discharge is normal in both conditions. Typically an infection will show up with colored discharge and the pet will usually act sick. The heat cycle can start off with clear discharge and will progress to a thin bloody discharge and the pet will act normal. When in doubt, have Leela see her veterinarian who should be able to tell the difference. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.