Re: Heat

In Reply to: Heat
Category:   Medical
Posted by:  Paul Crane
Posted on:  June 27, 2002 at 10:39:07

: Hello! I love this website and I often refer to it to stay informed. Keep up the good work! By the way, this is not my first time to post. Thanks in advance for your advice.

: My JRT's name is Jane and she's a fantastic little dog. We get lots of exercise and she is a very social little dog. She's almost 1 year and 8 months old and I'm concerned about her heat cycle. She had her first heat cycle at 10 months but hasn't gone into heat since then, as far as I know. She's a very "clean" dog and I wonder if I missed it somehow?? I was waiting to have her spayed and the vet told me two months after her heat cycle has finished but it seems as though she hasn't even started her 2nd heat cycle.... (!) Has this ever happened before? The first heat cycle was very obvious but not this time.... I'm confused...

Response:

Hi Paul,
Yes, it is very possible to miss a heat cycle but I can't tell you if this has happened. Some bitches will have a normal first heat, some lighter, and even some can have a lighter second heat or they can do something we call a silent heat where there is very little noticeable bleeding and very little swelling. I have a couple that will do a silent heat cycle, and they have to be watched very carefully when they are turned out each day to make sure that NO NONSENSE goes on from a stud dog.

Most Vets, now will spay before the first heat and have seen virtually no problems doing this. Whether your girl has had a silent heat, I can't tell you. I can tell you that some bitches don't come into heat every six months, some come in just once a year and also some may come in every 7or 8 months or longer, between cycles. The 6 month is just a guideline and each and every bitch is different and only one thing is for sure and that is that these bitches haven't read the Reproduction books that we read, and nothing is ever normal. LOL

I would talk again to your Vet and see what he says about spaying her at this age.
Hope this helps some.
Best regards,
Linda