# How long do dogs bleed while in heat?



## jesterjigger (Dec 12, 2008)

Our Papillon Jilly is nearly 10 months old now. She went into heat July 2nd and is still bleeding. It's not heavy, just a few drops here and there. Her vulva is much smaller now than it was two weeks ago. Is it possible that she'll seem to bleed during the entire heat or is she bleeding longer than "normal" because it's her first heat?

Fortunately she's doing well with staying on the couch (where we have towels for her) or wearing a diaper but we're ready for her to stop bleeding so that she can go back to running around the house! 

Finally, how long after she stops bleeding should we wait to have her spayed? She was diagnosed with puppy vaginitis when she was young, so we had to wait for her first heat to spay her (upon the vet's advice), we have no intentions of breeding her but I know that spaying while in heat is harder on the dog and I want to make the surgery as easy as possible for her. Thanks!


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

There is no set pattern for females in season. It is a good idea to keep her away from other dogs for about a month after they come in season. I think the Vet usually likes you to wait a couple of months before getting them spayed but the best thing is to check with your Vet to find out when he would like to spay her.


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

Typicaly dogs will have a clear discharge for a week, followed by a week of bleeding, and then another week of clear discharge. The average heat cycle is 21-28 days, but it varies with every dog and depends on thier breeding and environment. As long as there's no foul smell or unsual discharge I would just keep a close eye on her and if she goes past 4 weeks take her into the vet for a quick check. You may also want to contact her breeder and find out what is a typical heat cycle for her lines.

As far as spaying her goes most vets recomend waiting 1-3 months after their heat cycle. But the guideline varies between vets so you should contact your own vet to find out their preference.


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