So this is my first female that has heats and this is her 3rd heat and every heat I have panic attack about her getting pyometra. She’s at the end of her cycle and this AM her pad had a bit of brown ish bloody discharge idk it didn’t smell awful but it did have an odor am I’m panicking for nothing or should I take her in to the vet today?
@sally_wheeler If you are in doubt, go to the vet. Is there a reason she isn't spayed if you aren't breeding her? Honestly I would let this heat pass and schedule a spay for her so you don't have to keep putting yourself and your dog through the stress and anxiety of heat cycles.
@mango I compete in IGP, this dog is 2 1/2 years old prelims were great so depending on her OFA results and how this competition season goes I’ve had some breeders in the sport that like her and her drive and have asked me about plans to breed. So I’m letting her mature out if a good breeder wants to use her after she’s titled to the 3 and the male would compliment I wouldn’t say no.
@sally_wheeler Super fair, and I'm glad you're being responsible about it! It may be worth a call to the vet still to get their opinion on if the smelliness is normal vs infection
@sally_wheeler There's a "anti baby vaccine". The female dog from my friend gets them, she doesn't go in heat. It last for 3-6 months cost 120 bucks or so
@sally_wheeler Dogs do not get pyometra while they're still in their heat cycle. My old repro vet had never seen that in her entire career; she did see a case of mucometra once, but you wouldn't be seeing bloody discharge (this is still one time over thousands of dogs over a 40+ year career) It is something to watch typically 6+ weeks post cycle. You might be too nervous to keep an intact bitch.
@sally_wheeler I would start with a call to the vet, I assume they have seen her before. They will have the best idea of how much to worry at this point.
@home4good Yea I’ll call the vet today for sure, she’s acting her normal self worked beautifully in training this AM and is now running laps in the grass So I’m hoping I just freaked myself out when the gunky end of her cycle stuff came I feel like this this is exactly what happened during her last heat lol
@sally_wheeler It’s good on you to be vigilant and worried about her, but if she is not showing any signs of being sick it’s almost definitely just some variation in her bleeding based on where she is in her cycle. Pyometra usually occurs 2 to 3 months after a heat, at which point any sign of blood or discharge would have me worried. If you would feel better having her checked out and you can afford to do so there’s nothing wrong with getting a vets opinion though.
@sqs1 Yea I called a club member who’s a vet tech she asked me when her cycle ended and when I told her it was last night she laughed a bit lol.. I just go to worst case scenario anytime there’s any change in her but she’s completely fine.. had a great day and was her active crazy self lol
@sally_wheeler Not a breeder either, but before one of my girls was spayed she did have an episode of pyo - 5 years old, retired breeding dog I hadn't fixed yet. It actually did not involve any discharge at all, just urinary frequency and straining and discomfort, and it occurred between heats. So I would say as long as she's behaving normally and her functions are going as usual, it isn't a big worry.
Congrats on your IGP work, your girl is beautiful (clicked onto your post history in hopes of pics and was not disappointed). I have a coated sheppie boy who's got relatives in IGP although we didn't go that direction ourselves.
@johnklok Thank you! She’s quite the little showline! We will be competing for the IGP1 title this May and I’m super excited!!! She’s acting completely fine I just go to worst case scenario every time there’s any change
@sally_wheeler Pyo looks like cream of tomato soup and smells, normally a month or so after the completion of a season. It is more pink not brown.Take her temperature, pyo will normally cause a fever and you will notice your dog is not feeling up to par, she will get really listless.
@kaleandcoffee There’s actually a lot of reasons as she’s just 2 years old and started competing in IGP and is doing very well so I’ve been waiting until she’s titled to do the spay
@kaleandcoffee “There’s zero reason to keep her intact.” There is reasons other than breeding to leave a bitch intact. People don’t have to spell out why their bitch is intact for people to know that there are reasons to keep a bitch intact.
am I’m panicking for nothing or should I take her in to the vet today?
helicopter parent x 10000