Why is my dog still swollen weeks after her heat cycle ended?

It is not unusual for the vulva to remain swollen for a period of time after the "heat" cycle is over. In dogs, there are [4 stages of estrus](https://www.petcoach.co/article/anatomy-and-function-of-the-reproductive-system-in-dogs). The combination of proestrus and estrus, which is often referred to as "heat" by breeders, lasts approximately 21 days. "Heat" is followed by diestrus and anestrus. During proestrus, the vulva swells and has a bloody discharge. During estrus, the vulva softens and becomes pliable in preparation for mating. It can take several weeks following estrus for the vulva to shrink back down in size, but it will never go back to the size it was before the first heat cycle. The same is true of the mammary glands, which enlarge slightly in preparation for [pregnancy](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pregnancy/).

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.

tAs long as she didn't get bred or is going through a false pregnancy, most dogs will shrink down within 2-3 weeks or so months from the heat cycle. It should be noted they will never shrink back to the size they were prior to here heat cycle. Since her teats and vulva are still swollen, I recommend to have her examined to find out if something is wrong or if she is pregnant. I do recommend to spay Oakley unless she is planned to be a breeding dog. There are many health and behavioral benefits to the procedure. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

The hormones can stay around for several weeks after a dog in heat is spayed, so you can expect some bleeding for another week or two. The vulvar swelling should decrease some after that, but I will say that for some dogs the vulva stays large after just one heat cycle.

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.

This swelling is probably a hormonal response to being in heat. As long as she still has hormones in her system the swelling will remain. Since your vet did not feel like it was anything significant, it is probably fine. It will eventually go away on its own and if not it will certainly go away when you spay her. If you feel like the swelling is getting larger or starts to feel firm or painful than I would be concerned. Otherwise it is just a side effect of her being in heat.

If Carly is showing any other signs of illness such as vomiting, lethargy or drinking excessive water go to the vet asap as she may be developing a pyometra which is a life threatening uterine infection. If she is otherwise normal I still recomend a vet visit asap but it may be ok to wait until Monday vs an ER clinic. But please have her checked as any signs of infection of reproductive tract in a dog that recently went through a heat cycle could be serious. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.