My older German Shepherd is in heat. How long & what to watch for?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Alsa. Yes, this is still normal. Most heat cycles will last approximately 18-21 days in a dog. If she does not stop bleeding after this amount of time, begins bleeding elsewhere (nose bleeds, bloody vomit, etc) or is acting ill, then she will need to see her veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Nala. Internal bleeding is very serious and would not be present for several weeks after the incident. Furthermore, the bleeding would pool in her abdomen or chest and would not come out her vulva. She could be still spotting from her recent heat cycle, but I agree that it has gone on for longer than expected. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. She can be assessed for any injuries related to her fall. You can discuss her heat cycle and make sure there isn't a problem such as a urinary tract infection causing the bleeding now. I hope this information helps!

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.

On average, a heat cycle in a female dog will last 2-3 weeks (from the start of the vulva appearing swollen, to vaginal bleeding/discharge to the female no longer being attractive to male dogs at the end of the heat cycle) and generally occur every 6 months although it is not uncommon for large breed dogs to come into heat/estrus only once a year. Some female dogs can bleed for 2-3 weeks (much longer than human menstrual periods!). Hope this helps!

A dog's heat cycle lasts for around three weeks, so if she started on February 26, it should be ending soon. It's normal that she is spotting occasionally, and you know when she's out of heat when the discharge stops. Now if the bleeding continues for longer than three weeks or Sophie develops other signs such as anorexia, thick pus filled discharge, vomiting, increased bleeding, and/or lethargy, this is not normal and she will need to see a vet immediately. Good luck, I hope this helps!

When she bleeds, she is in pre-estrus. This is the time where she prepares for estrus (heat). This means she will be bleeding for about 2-3 weeks, continuously. Then the bleeding gets less and her discharge will be more of a clear red-tinged discharge. This is when she actually will go into heat for another 3 weeks, approximately, and this is where is can conceive. You should wait until about two months after her heat cycle is over before having her spayed. Here is some good information: https://www.petcoach.co/article/anatomy-and-function-of-the-reproductive-system-in-dogs/