Hi,

My bitch has been in season for 16 days now and it is different to any season she has had before. She came into season 5 months earlier than normal (only 5 months after her last).

Normally when she has a season she will bleed for about 11-12 days, then she will begin flirting with the boys and flagging her tail and the bleeding stops. The boys usually become interested in her and will be a bit restless but by about day 17 it is all over and done with and life generally returns to normal a few days later! (She has never been mated or had a litter)

When she first came into season this time she had quite a dark red blood for the first 4/5 days. It then lightened up but has been much heavier than normal and it is still like that now on day 16. There has been no flagging or any encouraging behaviour and the boys haven't even noticed she is in season.

I am not wanting to mate her or anything like that but really I am just a bit worried these could be possible signs of an infection developing? Any advice would be appreciated especially if you think i have nothing to worry about! Her general behaviour is totally normal, she is not off her food, still wants to play and train.

Thanks

Kate

As its not normal for her, i would be worried about pyo. It might be worth taking her temperature, is she ok in herself?

She is ok in herself but she is very moody, she does seem to be growling at the boys and my other bitch quite a lot, not over anything specific, usually if they are sniffing her (at either end) or something like that

Does it smell foul as that a first sign of infection, one of our bitches had pyro and the blood went brown and smelled, it only took 48 hours for our bitch to go down hill so id keep a close eye on her. Wipe her with a white kitchen towel and look at the discharges true colour and give it a sniff check frequently it could be nothing but worth looking.

On the other hand it could be quite normal, I have had varying amounts of flow from one season to another and had bitches bleed for up to 30 days with nothing untoward being found, and same bitches go on to have puppies on that or a different season..

Get a vet check if you're worried, but bitches can vary from season to season. My bitch bleeds right through her season, starting with dark brown/red, going to brighter / lighter red, and then at the end of the season to very dark blackish old blood. I wish she'd read the book!!

I have just checked her with a tissue and there appears to be no smell and the colour is a pale red pinky colour. Think ill keep an eye on her over the weekend and if i'm still worried i'll call the vet on monday.

Thanks for your help and advice

Kate

Even very regular bitches do differ in the length of the bleed sometimes even stopping and then starting again. But as I always say if you are worried then see the vet, but be warned that vets are not very good a seasons but they can give her a check over.