By Emma Judson
A bitch comes into season every six months or so. A season should last between three and four weeks.
First, you will notice her lady bits, her vulva, swelling up. Some swell a little, some frankly look like a baboon’s backside with a giant foof the world can see, probably from space.
There should be a bloody sort of discharge. This generally lasts until around the mid-point of the season; about 14 days. However, every bitch is different. Some stop earlier, and some bleed all the way through.
The mid-point of the season, usually from 10 to 15 days, is when she’s most likely to want to mate with a dog and most likely to conceive,. This does not mean she’s safe to let loose with an entire dog (or even a neutered one, I’ll come to that in a minute!) during any part of her season, but it’s more likely in that middle week.
You may notice her standing with her back legs stretched back or paddled wide, and her tail flagged to one side. Again, every bitch is different, and I have had bitches you’d never know were in season at all, and bitches that would offer themselves to anything with four legs, including furniture and household appliances.
The season is over when her vulva has gone back down to its normal size and three to four weeks have passed.
Keep a close eye on her though. Any discharge that smells off (and believe me, you’ll know. Normal discharge just smells iron or metallic, or just ‘normal’… infectious matter smells nasty, or looks thick, white, yellow, green, pus like….) that’s a trip to the vets for a suspected Pyometra. So not hesitate!
Bitches are at a higher risk of pyometra, ie an infection in the uterus, during and just after their season. A pyo can be deadly, and very quickly!
If she has no discharge, yet looks lethargic, behaves unusually, has a sore tummy – again, vets, and don’t hesitate about it.
Finally, keep an eye on her nipples and boobs. Basically she should have nipples, and they are likely to be slightly bigger than pre-season.
She should not have boobs, however. If she does, then its likely she’s experiencing a false pregnancy. Speak to your vet straight away, as there are ways of stopping that, and there are risks associated with it.
Finally, well firstly, neutered males can and will do the deed if a bitch is willing. Not all will, but many do. If left unsupervised, they can injure themselves/each other, and they can pass on disease. Do not leave her unsupervised with another dog!
And if your bitch does get caught, do not wait and see. Get her to the vets for the dog equivalent of the ‘morning after pill’, which can actually be given several weeks after the event. There is never, ever a need for a bitch to have an unplanned litter!