I just adopted a 3 1/2 year old female dachshund named Honey. I have only had her for a few days and when I adopted her she had not yet been spayed. I plan on having her spayed, but before I could get her in she started showing signs that she was in heat or is getting ready to go into heat. Can anyone tell me what the signs are that she is in heat and how long it lasts? Do I have to wait to get her spayed until after she has finished? Thanks!

Hey Christina! Here are the signs and symptoms of the heat cycle: from start to finish, it lasts about 3 weeks. First, the vuvla swells. After about a week, a bloody discharge may or may not be present. WHEN SHE STOPS BLEEDING on about day 10, she is ready and will be bred unless she is totally confined inside your house. Do not let her out of your sight even when eliminating. If you don't have a fence, keep her on a leash to lessen the chance of her running off to find "a date". She will stand for a male roughly for 3 days and then the swelling goes away and she is fertile no more. Due to her age, vulva size may not be a good indicator as she has come into heat before. I recommend taking her to vet where they can do a swab and tell if she is in her estrus cycle. If not, set up your spay appointment. If she is, set it up for a month from now-not really safe to do when in heat-vessels are enlarged and more risk of bleeding. Hope this helps!

I disagree with a few details of the above post, but agree with the essentials, good post. You can do your own test using a Kleenex. Any blood at all, and red alert. If not, call the vet and hope to get it done in time. Otherwise the big thing is to watch her very carefully even before the 10'th day. You may have no idea what she may do to get loose and get to a male. And once loose, an accidental breeding is not the worst thing that can happen. Count on creative, strenuous efforts on the part of any males hanging around too.

Don't let her swim or bathe her until she is all done and the swelling goes down. I am at the lunatic fringe on not bathing dogs, but I do bathe females well after their season.

I have had a bad day. Let me say how happy I was when I read your question to see it was a responsible, new dog owner that gave enough details to reassure me. Recently I have seen too many questions that read like a poorly informed person planning a breeding we don't need.

I hope you get by this crisis without too much trouble and have a chance to enjoy your dog. Count on my help. The sticky at the top of the forum is mostly meant for puppies, but may help.

You have to wait for your female dog to not be in heat before getting it spayed? Are you sure? That doesn't apply to cats, I volunteer at a cat shelter and we spay lot's of female cats even if they are in heat.

Some vets may do it but it was a policy where I worked-like I said, too many risks involved. Sometimes we would open one up and discover she was just coming into heat and all the vessels, uterus and uterine horns were about twice their normal size and very engorged with blood. It's just not a good idea.

And oh yeah-cats you can do any time!

Yes, Jessyfay, Mrscoltweaver is right on the money. Mrsc, any good vet won't do it, as yours wouldn't. JF, with all the swelling that goes on it is very easy for a dog to bleed out and die during surgery. I would be very suspicious of a vet who agreed to do it unless the female's life was endangered in any way and there was no other choice.