My female dog has red discharge and stomach cramps. Is it heat?

If Luna has a blood tinged discharge and your male dog is showing an increased interest in her, it is likely she is in heat and possible just very early stages and this is why her vulva isn't swollen. You can read more about the heat cycle in this article: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952188 (it is about false pregnancy but gives a good idea of the stages of the cycle). If, however, you think it is possible the blood could be in her urine/she is having urinary accidents/asking to pee more frequently then a vet visit is recommended.

Yes she should be starting her period soon. You know that a pet is having their period because you will see a very swollen vagina and sometimes a decrease in appetite. So this could explain what you are seeing. Look at Hina's genital area to see if it is indeed swollen. A pets period lasts anywhere from 2-4 weeks on average. And the decrease in appetite is normal during the first week of a pets menstrual cycle, but should improve gradually. If the blood is not coming from her genital area and is instead coming from her rectum, then its best to have her seen by your vet for further treatment. I hope everything works out well for your pet Hina. Take care.

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 and thanks for posting this morning. It sounds like Penelope is having her first estrus or 'heat' cycle. Dogs come into heat twice a year- once in the spring and once in the fall. Dogs do not have menstrual cycles like humans do- they are quite different. Small drops may be all you will notice-that is normal. Each estrus cycle lasts for about 4 weeks or so, the vaginal discharge she is experiencing may last for two weeks. No need to take her into your veterinarian unless you are still concerned, but it sounds like her estrus cycle has begun which is normal to start for smaller dog around 9 months-1 year of age. I hope this helps and best of luck to you and Penelope!

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

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.

Vaginal swelling is itself a sign of estrus/heat even without discharge. If it is the first season it may be that you won't notice any discharge at all. It is actually possible that the estrus is over already and vaginal swelling will go down in the next week time. 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.