You have probably been meaning to get your female dogs spayed before she was quite old enough to go into heat.However, with the unknowingness of life, now that she is in heat, the last thing you would obviously want is to not let her get pregnant. So now you are concerned about whether or not you should get her spayed even though she is in heat.Humans usually get their tubes tied during menstruation which can also terminate a pregnancy by eliminating any chances of a fertilized egg reaching the uterus. Furthermore, the reproductive system in dogs is quite different from that of humans. When a dog is in heat, can it be sterilized? The answer is yes! Many people often assume that when female dogs are in heat, one has to wait till their cycle is over before she can be spayed. But, one must be aware that the risks are higher than usual to get a dog spayed at this time. It has been observed that many vets would recommend against this due to the serious complications that could come with it whereas other vets recommend getting your dog spayed while it is in heat. If you are a beginner dog owner, here’s how you could check to see if your dog is in heat. The first sign is a bloody discharge. Her vulva may also be enlarged and she may be excessively licking. You may also notice that she is more aggressive, her appetite has changed, and that she has a fever. Let’s keep reading the rest of this article to know about this in a little more detail!After checking about the risk and procedure of normal spaying, do read how often can you give a dog Benadryl and how many eyelids do dogs have?How long do you have to wait to spay a dog after heat?It is said that one should spay their female dog when they are in the season.However, this can bring various complications. These complications arise due to the increase in the levels of estrogen hormone. This can cause the uterus of the female dog to swell and could make finding the ovaries difficult. There is also an increased blood supply in the reproductive tract during this period. During this surgery, excessive bleeding can happen which can further cause shock and ultimately, death. So such complications should make a dog owner consider not going for the spay procedure during their female dog’s heat.If you are thinking to spay your dog to prevent unwanted pregnancies, you can take some measures in delaying the surgery till it is safe and at the same time, keeping your female dog from having puppies. A dog in heat shouldn’t be let out without any supervision. During the heat cycle, leaving your dog out can be a good chance for her to get pregnant. The reason for this is that a male dog is quite motivated to find a female dog to mate with. Make dogs can smell them from miles away. Even though you don’t have an intact dog as such in your neighborhood area, chances of one of them showing up to see your female dog is definitely there. Having fences doesn’t help much either. Intact male dogs are highly motivated and a fence doesn’t stop them. So it is best to keep her safely inside during her heat cycle. You may also be worried about not walking your dog and how agitated she may feel. Yes, it is important for your dog to get her exercise, but she can go for a few days without walks or any other outings. There are a lot of stray dogs out there waiting to flirt with her!Can dogs get spayed while in heat?Have you ever been in a situation where you planned on getting your dog spayed and her heat cycle starts at that time? It can mess with your plans and appointment dates. So you may be wondering if you should proceed with the surgery while your dogs are in heat or wait till it’s over to do the spay surgery. Usually, veterinary doctors avoid doing spay surgery when a dog is experiencing its first heat cycle or is in between a heat cycle. This is because a variety of complications arise during a stray surgery when a dog is in heat.Due to this reason, vets typically aren’t comfortable doing the surgery during this period. Before making this decision, a veterinarian overlooks a few factors like the dog’s age, whether it’s overweight, any current illnesses, their own surgical skill along with their assistants. A dog owner must be prepared to hear the words ’no’ from a veterinarian. In this situation, you can either look for another vet to perform the surgery or wait for a few weeks where you keep your dog locked up at home to avoid an unwanted pregnancy that may occur as there are plenty of male dogs lurking nearby, trying to get to your girl. Waiting for a few weeks till their heat cycle is over is highly recommended. Ovariohysterectomy is the name of this spay surgery where the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the uterus are all removed. It is the equivalent of a hysterectomy surgery done on a woman. Spaying a dog may be routine surgery, but it isn’t easy. When a dog is having an active cycle, the tissues tend to be swollen and the ooze blood surgery’s time is seen to be prolonged. Bleeding occurs more frequently and blood vessels are engorged. This surgery is quite stressful for a dog in heat and is worse for large breed dogs, overweight dogs, and dogs who have a deep chest. Due to the increased difficulty and time in this surgery, vets tend to charge more for spaying a dog in heat.How long does a dog in heat bleed?If your sweet dog is yet to be spayed, don’t be surprised if she gets her period. A dog owner must be aware of the female dog’s first heat cycle, how long does she stay in heat, and signs of their dog in heat. At a surprisingly young age, breeding and fertility can be a fact of life for your dog. It is said that the timing of a dog in heat varies in size of a dog. They typically cycle for 2-3 weeks twice a year or roughly every six months.Having a non-neutered male dog in the same house as a female can bring the heat in her faster. In fact, it can be as young and early as four months of age. The first signs you may notice are a bright red color discharge and a swelling in her vulva. You will also see lots of licking. A dog in heat is known to bleed around 7-10 days. It is also important to note that during a dog’s first stage in the reproductive system, a female won’t accept a male dog. Once the bleeding in a dog stops, the second stage of the heat cycle occurs. This is the stage where your dog can actually get pregnant. After all the bleeding is done, she will accept a male. During this stage, the vulva is noticed to become enlarged and soft and this period lasts an additional 7-10 days. Furthermore, the final 7-10 days of the dog’s heat cycle have signs of pink discharge and reswelling of the vulva. As this final stage ends, at last, the vulva returns to normal. The discharge also tapers off. So a dog in heat lasts almost an entire month! In these 30 days, a female cannot go outside of the house.What are the risks of spaying your dog in heat?A spay procedure typically prevents a female dog from getting pregnant by removing both her uterus and ovaries. People get this procedure done on their pets so they don’t breed. However, this surgery isn’t as simple as the neuter surgery male dogs get.Neuter surgeries are quite simple to perform whereas a spay surgery is a major one. But you need not worry, your little princess will only need a couple of days or weeks for the recovery process to complete. After the recovery, she will enjoy the many health benefits that come with spay surgery, one of the major benefits being no pregnancy. It will give both you and your puppy a lot more freedom.Many dog parents think that they can protect their dogs from unwanted pregnancies by having secure yards and being on the lookout for lurking males. But this doesn’t really stop males who want to mate. They can jump on top of gates or sneak their way in to be with your pup. It is said that when dogs with raging hormones get together, many consequences occur, such as unwanted pregnancies. There are numerous myths out there revolving around neutering and spaying and one should do their research or talk to a vet to differentiate between what the facts and myths are. Getting your dog spayed is quite important in today’s times as the overpopulations of pups often lead to many of them staying in shelters, waiting for someone to take them to a nice warm home. So if you haven’t gotten your female or male dog spayed/neutered yet, get it done to its earliest. Did you know getting your dog spayed is also good for their health and puts it out of danger from certain illnesses? These illnesses range from mammary gland cancer to pyometra, a life-threatening infection of the uterus that is said to be common in dogs.When to spay your dog?Dog’s should get spayed no later than six months of age in small dogs and 1.5 years in big dogs. Getting a big dog spayed before six months can expose them to certain cancers and a higher risk for orthopedic problems. Consulting a vet before choosing when to get your dog spayed would be a good idea. Sexual maturity in female dogs is quite similar to that of a male. However, a female dog’s maturity comes with its first heat cycle.This is the start of the first two weeks of moodiness, unwanted male attention, and obviously, dripping blood. The heat in dogs usually first occurs around 9-10 months or older in age. Smaller size breed dogs however show signs of heat around six months of age. Getting a dog spayed while they are in heat has some significantly higher risks. Chances of them bleeding internally or fragility in their blood vessel could occur. Unless it’s an emergency situation, getting your dog spayed where it is in heat is absolutely unnecessary.Benefits Of Spaying Your Female DogFertile animals add up to the risk of overpopulation in animals. They are often cramped up in shelters or dumped on the streets as well. Even if a dog owner has the best of intentions, a female dog in heat and an aggressive male dog wanting to mate are very hard to stop.Apart from reducing overpopulation within animals, there are numerous medical benefits that come with the spay procedure. It provides the dog with a longer, happier, and healthier life expectancy. It also reduces the chances of females suffering from breast tumors, uterine infections, and even certain types of cancers. The best benefit is that your female dog will not go into heat. So the hassle of getting her pads or diapers and the mess she’ll cause will not be there. No males will stray in your neighborhood lurking for a female sexual companion in heat. Pets are also seen to be less aggressive when grown up in a loving home and spayed. In the long run, getting your pet spayed is quite cost-effective.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for can a dog be spayed while in heat then why not take a look at how often do dogs need shots or Central Asian Shepherd dog facts.
You have probably been meaning to get your female dogs spayed before she was quite old enough to go into heat.
