Hi Everyone,

My lab bitch is in season (don't worry had all tests etc done, suitable stud and she's over two) and this will be her fourth season.  She was marking about 2-3 weeks before any swelling appeared and I noticed a pink dicharge on 1st June.  She has been at the stud dog's home since 10th June but her bleeding has not lessened or paled as on previous occassions and therefore no mating has yet taken place.  I had counted the 1st as day 1, and going by her body appears to have been with him in plenty of time,  but now she appears to be going over what I thought would be the correct time to do a mating.  I have read that some bitches do go over but what has people's real experiences been of this and how common is it? 

The stud dog owner has spoken to their own vet and they have advised that they can do a blood test.  Is this a reliable test?  Any other advice would be greatly welcome. 

Kayc, are you computer friendly again??

Andrea

I would go more by the experienced stud dog and your bitches reaction to him as to when she's ready ;)  How are they reacting to each other?

Hi Andrea, I have been in the same boat as you. A bitch whose colour never tails off at all, it's very frustrating. I had 5 premate tests done last time as I was travelling 300+ miles to the stud dog and they told me she wasn't ready until day 20, and I've read even later on here, so if the dog isn't interested (taken he's proven) then I would trust him. My bitch didn't take last time and I felt a bit disillusioned by the test but have also read quite a few people doing it on here with success. You could also ask the vet to do a cell test (take a swab) and see whats happening.
This time my bitch was mated on day 10, then day 12. Then on day 15 I thought she was seriously flagging her tail so took her back and got another mating, then again on day 17!! that was yesterday and she's still bleeding! has done all the way through.
One thing, I suppose she has been with the dog??? ie to see if he's interested?? As I wouldn't go by the colour, I went by my bitches behaviour and the stud dogs.
It might be worth getting one or the other done as you might not have missed her.

Good luck!!!

Gilly

Hi,

Yes she has been with the stud dog and he hasn't been very interested (he is proven too).  If you stroke her tail she is flagging but I she will do that at any point!  Her vulva does go very soft and almost spongy and widens out when her bleeding has paled and this does not appear to have happened yet. She is not a smelly dog at all and when we are out with our other lab she attracks more attention than the one in season!  

I spoke to the stud owner tonight and she says that although nothing happened today her dog is much more interested in my bitch and she will try them together tomorrow to see how they react.  I think that would be one of the best indicators but can't help but worry that things aren't going to plan.  I would be totally disappointed if she doesn't fall pregnant, let alone the people that have waited patiently for a pup from her. Fingers and toes are crossed that she is just running late and will still ovulate!

The plan is if there is no interest and no mating by the weekend, a trip to the vets will have to take place just to get her checked out.

I'll let you know how things go.

Cheers
Andrea

My bitches seem to bleed throughout - it came as a real shock to me after having had several litters to come on here and learn that the discharge is meant to go pale!

If it's any help, my last litter was born after matings on days 18 and 20 - that's when the bitch was standing. Go by the bitch's and dog's behaviour.
:)

Jeangenie,

That has reassured me a bit, thanks for that.  If this doesn't take I will certainly do more testing next time and maybe even stay nearby to the stud so that the bitch is still with us - the stud lives over 200 miles away - so she doesn't get so stressed out. 

It's worse than worrying over your kids..lol

Andrea

Jeangenie, can I ask if your bitches bleed after mating wether in wehlp or not??? I've heard people saying bitches dry up after mating and some that say they carry on their season as normal to the end. I am probably being paranoid but as she missed last time and she's still bleeding I'm wondering if it's worked :-( but with the amount of matings she's had I am trying to stay hopefull.

Gilly

I never noticed that they stopped bleeding any sooner if they'd taken as to whether they'd missed ...

Hi Andrea, yes I'm back up and running again, and thanks for phoning during the week, really enjoyed the chat.

I have a similar problem with a couple of my bitches. One, on her last mating bled right up until 28th day, mated on day 11 and 13, but because she is a complete and utter tart, she stands from day 5 onwards, so I have to premate. Well last time premate said she had already ovulated so jumped in car and flew to stud, thankfully just under 100 miles away, they tied, again 2days later they tied. So thought all was done and dusted, exactly a week later, I thought something was just not quite right, and the little tart was flagging at stationary objects, so phoned the stud owner and went hareing back up again. And again a tie.  Pups were born 72 days from 1st mating, so I can only assume that it was on the 3rd tie that she took, which would make the mating at day 20!!!!  So dont give up hope. It still may happen for you.  I am just about to go throught the whole thing again too, due in season on 1st July, my lot are usually pretty spot on and all come in within a couple of days of each other.  I have had bitches stop bleeding immediately after mating and others carry on for another week and still have produced pups.  Even with the same bitch, ovulation periods may be different each time.  I also have a friend whose lab mated on day 2 and produced 10pups,

This time I really need to get it spot on, its her last litter and the stud is a 10hour round trip away, please take pity on me :D
Kay

I looked after a freinds bitch while she was in season.  they picked her up on day 21, and I warned them that to me she still looked very much in season. 

They got her home and crated her but found her nephew was taking no notice.  On day 23 she had just brought the bitch  back from a wlak and was going to then take the male, but didn't put the bitch in a crate but popped her in the kitchen behind a baby gate, and went quickly to the loo. 

When she came out she found the male had jumped the baby gate and was tied with his aunt.  My freind went for the morning after jab, so no idea if this would ahve been fertile.

Another freind had her dobe bitch mismated by a male pup at about day 23 or 25 and had the mismate jab and the bitch produced one live and one dead pup.

My dogs dam was mated on day 25 (which is when she was standing) and went on to have 10 pups.

Do you tend to find that bitches that stand later ie day 23 generally have longer seasons??? My bitches previous seasons have all been bang on 21 days long. Last time she got mated on day 20 and her season ended the next day on day 21. You lot are all making me worry I might have missed her again on days 10/12/15 & 17 (LOL). I can't take her back now as I'm going on holiday but the season does look like its starting to tail off as the blood is darker now.

Urgh, if were only that easy to plan around.  No is my answer to that.  Strangely on the season where I have not done matings they seem to have been relatively normal. ie'; bleed for 14days and then tail off until nothing around day 21/22 and by day 28 back to normal again.  However, the seasons on which they have been mated have been the ones which have gone completely skew-wiff. The last time one of mine was mated I had left 3 seasons in between and all were 21 days, the season I decided to mate her she ran for 28days including 2weeks after 1st mating and produced pups.   Her last season in January was just under 21 days and she was nudging my other b*tches between days 10 and 15, things got pretty hairy actually as I had 4 b*tches all in at the same time with not a stud in sight. :D

My girl bleeds right the way through, and showed no difference after successful matings.

I have never used colour to even attempt to time mating, as I ahve had those who hardly showed colour at all to those that bleed right through.

Thanks you've set my mind at rest ;-) I'll lwet you all know the outcome and see if there is any change in 2 weeks :-)

Phew, I thought having kids was hard enough but looking back they were easy!

All the replies are giving me hope that we haven't missed it and that she has decided to be a late stander.  I was very accurate at pinpointing day one on this season but not so on the last (I was in hospital at the time) and therefore could not say exactly when day one was give or take a few days, so this could be causing confusion as to when she runs pale. I will find out tonight if the stud dog is more interested in her and if she is ready to stand.

Kay, I know exactly how you feel, its about a 10 hour round trip at the moment and I'm still nowhere near you! 

Andrea

PS.  How do you get smileys to appear?

Success at last - My bitch has finally run clear and had a 25 minute tie with the stud today which makes it the 18th day of her season.  The stud was dancing all over the place today and knew it was time.  Unfortunately as she is a maiden bitch she wasn't happy and didn't want to stand and needed a little help.  A repeat mating in 48 hours will hopefully go a little smoother for them both.  Thanks for all your advice and comments and I'll let you all know if she's pregnant in several weeks time.

Cheers

Andrea

hi,i mated a bitch on day 8 and on day 9 shes completly dried up and gone smaller,ive mated another bitch and she bled right through,both had pups.
louzola