Hi everyone

I'm really not sure if my 17 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback is coming into season.  This morning she has been sniffing round her own back end and has had a creamy discharge coming from her (not all the time).  It doesn't smell (god, the things you do when you have dogs!) - I have a 3yr old neutered male and he's had a couple of sniffs at her but nothing out of the ordinary.  Any advice greatly appreciated at the moment!

A creamy discharge isn't normal and I'd get the vet to check her. A normal season starts with watery blood that soon turns into more obvious blood. You can get silent seasons occasionally without any blood, but a creamy discharge is definitely not normal and needs checking out.

Is this her first season?

When she's been laying down for a while, dab her vulva with a white tissue to check for spotting of watery blood - initial bleeding is not necessarily very obvious.  The vulva itself will swell considerably during the season - if this isn't yet evident it may be that things will change soon over the next few days.

Keep an eye on the discharge for change of colour - what you describe sounds nothing to worry about but what is normal for some dogs/bitches can be a cause for concern in others so remain aware of her behaviour, drinking habits, anything really, and should the discharge become thick, profuse or smelly then have her checked by your vet to rule out potential infection.

One of my girls had her first season at 21 months and was a bit moody and clingy for around a week beforehand plus also had a slight opaque discharge too prior to the first signs of bleeding.

HTH, Teri :)

  

I would be more concerned about a possible infection if there is a discharge. I don't recall any of my bitches having a creamy discharge, but I could have missed it.

The first signs tend to be a change in behaviour. They either become more clingy (very normal) or if it isn't the first season they can become flirty ;-) The vulva will start to swell (my bitches go up and down like a yoyo for about a week before hand :-) ) and you should check her for blood by wiping her with a tissue. Preferrably just as she has got up out of her bed, before she has had a chance to clean herself. Even if your male is castrated he can still mate, and tie, with her, so remember to keep them apart if she is in season.

Thanks both for your replies - yes this will be her first season.  Apart from the discharge there are no visible changes, swelling etc and I did dab her with a tissue this morning when I noticed, but there was no blood.  Apart from this she's completely normal, going to the loo fine, eating and drinking ok.  I have to admit I was going to see how she went today and then get her in at the vets tomorrow for them to have a look and put my mind at rest - but was wondering if I was 'flapping' unnecessarily.

Hi Ridgie

I agree with what the others have said. It does sound like it could be an infection rather than her coming into season. It might be worth trying to catch a urine sample and taking it with her to the vet if you are concerned.

I'm assuming that she hasn't had a season yet?

If it sets your mind at ease and since we have a weekend looming then by all means have her checked out :)  Panic can set in at the mention of discharges - they can be a cause for concern but unless very green, brown or smelly they're not necessarily a problem in every dog.

Changes in behaviour such as depressed or lethargic, excessive drinking and increased temperature are red alerts with or without a discharge.
As for flapping LOL - goes with the territory for all of us too :-p

regards, Teri

I have to say Teri I've NEVER seen a CREAMY discharge in any bitch without there being any problem such as vaginitis -have you seen this in your bitches then? I sat down and counted and I think I've had 11 bitches over the years that have had seasons, of a few different breeds, and I've never seen a creamy discharge before a season. I tend to check very carefully when they are due as well (i.e. tissue on daily basis) so am unlikely to have missed it.

Hi Marianne,

yep, one of them always had this :)  My vet responded to my usual panic by prescribing ABs and later ultra sound by a specialist who confirmed this was absolutely normal for that particular bitch and that as with pretty much every aspect of dogs, they're all different.  Subsequent to the specialist's input later seasons were not treated with ABs when an opaque/whitish discharge was evident and no problems ever ensued.

regards, Teri

Cheers Teri, very worth remembering! :)

It was news to me at the time and needless to say a huge worry the first time I agreed to no treatment but thankfully the experts were right (but I still kept everything crossed, thermometer handy and watched every movement, drink, period of rest like a hawk :-D )

One of mine always starts a season with a creamy discharge which then turns to blood in a couple of days..then she ends same season with the discharge again. I have had her swabbed more than once and all has been fine. Just her peculiarity I suppose. However I would still advise you to have it checked..I did!
Flipping seasons..just had two in and now have one due..then it will be puppy faces turn I suppose!! Am set to have my two older girlies speyed in a few weeks after the usuall false pregnancies :( :( :( I cannot face having four of 'em in together LOL or worse still one after the other :( :( :(
Aileen

My bitches have always had a creamy, non smelling discharge after their seasons. The first time, with our first bitch, we went through the whole pyo-scare-thing. I have since learnt  that for RR bitches this is not unusual.
But, this is after a season, not prior to one. But obviously some bitches do have them before the season starts, as mentioned above by other posters.
17 months is rather late for a RR bitch to have her first season, anyway. Having the bitch looked at by a vet might be a good idea.

Thanks to all for your advice.  I've had her at the vets before (for other reasons) but have mentioned that she hasn't had a season yet - neither of them were unduly worried.  Anyway, today there is a complete absence of discharge (I dabbed her a few times yesterday with a tissue and will do the same today).  I'm obviously keeping a very close eye on her for any changes in either her behaviour or physical state but at the moment she's completely normal (well, as normal as a Ridgeback can be!).  Arrgghh - nobody mentions you have to become a 'mind reader' when you take on dogs!