My spayed female dog is acting like she's in heat. What's happening?

That is unusual behavior for a dog but I do not suspect it is related to her mentally thinking she is in heat. That being said, dogs can have a heat cycle if they were not spayed properly or if they have too many ovaries. Your veterinarian can preform a simple blood test to determine if ovarian tissue is present. Next time she exhibits these symptoms, have her seen while she is showing signs as a blood test is more likely to find evidence of ovaries if they are present. That will at least rule that out. Other potential causes could include Addison’s disease or anxiety. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Trixie. I agree, this does not sound right. It sounds like she is showing heat behaviors, and this can be a sign of an ovarian remnant left behind. I'd have her seen by a vet today or tomorrow for a hormone stimulation test. This will diagnose if she does have an ovarian remnant or not. If she does, she will need surgery to remove it. Best of luck.

If a dog is spayed correctly they not long have heat cycles and should not be spotting or bleeding. If there is a discharge noted, it is best to start with a urine sample and an ultrasound to look at the bladder and kidneys and look at the cervix to see if there is an infection or a growth.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If there are no other signs of heat (swollen vulva, swollen teats), then I am concerned for a urinary tract infection. Take Molly and a sample of her urine in to the vet. If there ARE signs that she is in heat, talk to your vet about testing for an ovarian remnant (a few ovary cells left in the body can be enough to trigger a heat sometimes). Best wishes to you and Molly!

If Bella is spayed (as you indicated on your pet profile) and she is having her period, she needs to be examined by the veterinarian today. A spayed dog does not have a period. If she is not spayed, you can feed her and exercise her as normal. Make sure to NEVER leave her outside unattended (she will be more prone to escaping and males will try to come in the yard). She can wear doggie diapers to help with the mess. Have her spayed in 2 months so that you don't have to worry about this again: https://www.petcoach.co/article/spaying-ovariohysterectomy-the-benefits-in-dogs/ I hope this helps.

That is unusual. This may be from spaying her when in heat, and the discharge is just coming out. The hormones also can take up to six weeks to go down so she may be having a false pregnancy even though she’s been spayed. I would watch her closely. These symptoms should resolve over the next few weeks. If the bleeding continues that is not normal and could indicate a problem with the internal incision. If she stops eating, or becomes lethargic then please bring her right in for a recheck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Cleo.

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.