Oestrus, which is also known as the estrus period, is the reproductive stage experienced by female dogs that are not spayed. During this stage, the egg has matured, so it becomes fertile and is able to produce children. Dogs will have different behavior and physical changes at this time, due to hormonal changes in their bodies. This change will allow you to know if he is in heat or not.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Understanding Estrus in Dogs
Step 1. Understand the basic reproductive cycle in dogs
If you want to know whether your female dog is in heat or not, the first thing that helps is to understand her normal hormonal cycles. When a female dog reaches maturity, and is physically ready to reproduce, her level of the hormone estrogen increases, initiating the release of eggs from her ovaries. If mating occurs during this period, then an egg can be fertilized and an embryo can be produced.
Female dogs will usually go into heat during puberty, at around 6-24 months of age depending on the breed. Smaller breeds usually go into heat earlier than larger breeds
Step 2. Know when to check for signs of heat
In a year, a female dog will usually go into heat twice with an average distance of six months between each heat period, depending on the breed.
- This can help you determine if your dog is in heat or not. For example, if he was in heat a month ago, then he probably won't be in heat again soon and something is wrong with him.
- While most dogs go into heat twice a year, ie once every six months, as with other hormonal events, some dogs go into heat more regularly than others. Some dogs go into heat as regularly as a clockwork i.e. every six months, while other dogs are uncertain when. The interval of 4-8 months is considered normal.
- Dogs are usually in heat for three to four weeks.
Step 3. Understand the signs of heat
Oest follows a pattern, with an enlarged vulva or external genitalia and the appearance of bloody discharge in the first week. However, nature has a way of hiding it, because around day 7-14, the fluid stops coming out or becomes clearer. This can confuse an uninformed owner and think that the breeding season is over and the female dog is no longer at risk of pregnancy. However, nothing can exceed the truth. This mid week is actually the time when female dogs release eggs and are at peak risk of conceiving.
- It also means a week in which the dog is very interested in finding a mate and away from your vigilance. If you don't want your female dog to have children, you'll need to tighten security.
- Around day 14-21 in heat, the bloody fluid comes out again, but gradually becomes clear and completely dries up. However, her vulva remained larger than normal for the next two weeks (even though she was unable to conceive, now that her period of heat was over).
Method 2 of 4: Looking for Physical and Behavioral Signs in a Female Dog in Heat
Step 1. Look for an enlarged vulva
The dog's vulva is just below the anus. Before the dog goes into heat, the vulva will start to enlarge slightly. If he is in full heat, the vulva will be three times its normal size and reddish in color.
Step 2. Watch for vaginal bleeding
Vaginal bleeding is a sign that your dog is about to enter heat. If the dog goes into heat, then the amount of blood will decrease slightly and the color will become brown.
- If the female dog is very clean and is licking the fluid, it can be difficult to tell if the fluid is still there or not. The way that can be used is to cover the bed with a white blanket or pillowcase. That way, when he sleeps, you will see bloodstains on his white blanket.
- If you are planning to breed a dog, write down the day the bleeding started. Breeding is best done on the tenth or eleventh day after the first day of bleeding, then every other day thereafter for three days.
Step 3. Pay attention to whether the dog is constantly licking her vagina
Another sign that your dog is in heat, or is in the early stages, is if he is constantly licking his vagina. While some female dogs won't do this, others will do it just in time for them to go into heat.
Step 4. Notice if the dog starts acting strangely
Female dogs that are in the early stages of heat tend to form behaviors that are not usually shown. In particular, female dogs who are about to go into heat usually become anxious, restless, or irritable.
Some female dogs will also bark frequently or become more aggressive with people and dogs around them
Step 5. Watch for increased mating behavior
If a female dog begins to ride a male or other female dog, then it is likely that she is more than just in heat. Riding is a common sign that a dog is in full heat. He may even try to ride on your feet.
However, dogs may ride on legs or on one another, for behavioral reasons, such as masturbation, dominance, or strange submissive behavior, so this does not automatically mean the female dog is in heat
Step 6. Notice the change in the position of the dog's tail
If a female dog is in heat, she will curl her tail to one side, to make it easier for a mate to emerge. This is called "tagging" and is a common behavior of female dogs in heat.
- You can also trigger this behavior by giving a strong stroke on the buttocks. If his hind legs are stiff and his tail is pointing to one side, he is signaling.
- Never put anything into a dog's vulva or vagina to check if it's ready. You can accidentally injure the soft tissue, causing it to become inflamed and cause pain.
Method 3 of 4: Watching Male Dog Behavior
Step 1. Recognize that some female dogs are “quiet lustful.”
This female dog shows no signs of being in heat. They produce reproductive hormones but do not show the usual external signs such as an enlarged vulva.
- The only way that you can really prove whether the quiet ogressor is in heat is by observing the interactions between the male and female dogs. The male dog will detect the lowest level of the female dog's reproductive hormones, which will elicit intense interest and attention.
- Beware, some female dogs "skip" heat. If they are unhealthy or unwell, or if they have recently lost weight, then their body is storing energy and it won't go into heat when it's expected. This is nature's way of showing that her body needs all the reserves for care as the most important thing, rather than being in good health and wellness where she can take care of her children.
Step 2. Pay attention to the aggressiveness of the male dog
If you have a pair of male dogs, as well as a female dog that you suspect is in heat, pay attention to how aggressive the males are with each other. When more than one male dog is around a female dog who is in heat, they will start to be very aggressive with each other to prove who is dominant and should mate with the male dog.
Step 3. Notice improvements in verbal communication and anxiety
If you have a male dog and a female dog that you suspect are in heat, pay attention to how the male dog reacts when separated from the female dog. If he seems more anxious than usual and is whining a lot, then he may be voicing his anger at not being allowed to be around a female dog. This is a good indicator that the female dog is in heat.
Although this is not something easy, and you need to interpret it in the context of the female dog's physical changes and the male dog's usual behavior when separated from his female dog partner. Some dogs experience anxiety when separated from their close friends and this can be difficult to distinguish from sexual frustration
Step 4. Observe the interaction between the male and female dogs
If you let the dogs run around together all the time, then observe what happens when the male dog is near the female dog. If the female dog has left her vagina licked and sniffed for a long time, then she is probably in heat. More specifically, if he allows himself to be ridden, then this is a sign that he is in heat.
- However, allowing another dog to ride on him can also be a sign of submissive behavior, so again, you need to interpret what's important and ask yourself questions like when he's in heat and how he usually behaves around other dogs. Remember, butt sniffing is something dogs love, and at best, it's just to show who's in charge!
- If the male and female dogs are not interacting normally, keep the male dog attached when you bring him near the female dog. One or both dogs can become aggressive if they don't know each other.
Method 4 of 4: Checking for Oesty at the Veterinarian
Step 1. Get a blood test by a veterinarian to see if your dog is in heat or not
A test can be used to measure the level of the hormone progesterone in the blood, which increases when the dog is in heat. This is easily done with a sample taken from the dog's blood and sent to a laboratory. A low level indicates she is not in her cycle, a medium level indicates she is in heat, and a high level indicates she is pregnant.
Another alternative is the tests used in research laboratories. This test measures the level of the hormone luteinizing hormone (LH) in the bloodstream, which is elevated before ovulation. However, this test is not available in commercial test kit packages
Step 2. Have a vaginal cytology test by a veterinarian
This test is quick and easy to perform. The vet will roll a clean cotton tip over the moist layer of the vulva and then roll the cotton tip over the microscope slide. If the liquid dries, it will stain and be tested under a microscope.
Female dogs in heat have the pattern of large cornified cells and red blood cells that is common in oestrus. This appears along with physical signs so that it is sufficient to conclude that the female dog is in heat
Step 3. Ask yourself if the symptoms you are seeing could be in heat or if they hint at a health problem
This means it's important to use your common sense if you want to know whether a female dog is in heat or not. If in doubt, take your dog to the vet.
- Are female dogs in heat? If so, then heat issues are likely more than just a health issue.
- Did he just go into heat? If yes, then another heat period is likely not showing up and this may be a health problem.
- Is he excited, eating, drinking, and moving normally? If so, chances are it is lust.
- Is he restless, is he eating less, is he thirstier than usual, or is he vomiting constantly? If so, it may be a health issue and require immediate veterinary assistance.
Step 4. Have your vet observe your dog who is not supposed to be in heat but is showing the same symptoms as being in heat
There is a health condition called pyometra, which affects adult female dogs, which to the untrained sight, can resemble a condition of heat. Overlapping symptoms include an enlarged vulva with or without vaginal discharge. Pyometra refers to infection of the uterus. In severe cases, the uterus contains pus and the dog becomes poisoned when the toxins from the bacteria are absorbed into the bloodstream.
- If you have an adult female dog, who has recently been in heat (4-8 weeks previously) and has no discharge, seek veterinary assistance as this is the period of peak risk of developing pyometra.
- In the early stages, the dog may feel more thirsty or have less appetite. When the condition becomes more serious, the toxins cause the kidneys to become damaged, and if left untreated, can be fatal.
- Each time a female dog is in heat, it will weaken the uterine lining and possibly cause pyometra. This condition mainly affects older female dogs (the more cycles she goes through, the more likely this is to happen) and there are no exceptions for breeds that are not at risk.
Tips
- If you find your dog is in heat and you'd rather he have no children, take your dog to the vet after the heat is over for a spay.
- You can tell when a dog's heat period ends by the same way of observing. If she doesn't allow herself to be ridden, her vagina is dry, and her vulva returns to its original size, then she is no longer in heat.
