Hi
My 7 month old Akita is in season - I didn't realise the mess it causes around the house(mind you i have covered the carpet for the remaining week) and for my poor Akita to suffer all that, she looks swollen and surely she feels unwell??? I feel that it may be best to have her spayed as i have heard she could get womb infections and mamory tumours in later life, I don't think i would be able to breed her as it be too much to cope with and i am not experienced - even though when i first had her i wanted to breed her and keep a puppy, but when i read about it in detail i chaged my mind.  Can anyone help with the best time to have her spayed, are there any disadvantages i should be aware of. I just want what will be best for my bitch,I love her like she's my own daughter (sad!)

Spaying is safest done midway between seasons, so about 3-4 months time would be best. To avoid her developing a phantom pregnancy, and the surgery having to be postponed, you could start giving her raspberry leaf tablets (made by Denes) and making sure that when her season's finished she gets plenty of exercise - take her about with you as much as you can.

Hope this helps.

I have found that the first season is a little worse than the ones after.
It is a bit of a shock for the bitch, She will learn to clean herself.
I have found that even when the first season was very noticable.
The only way I noticed the second season was the swelling, there was hardly
any blood.The bitch is on heat as long as she is swollen. And like women
her day to concieve can be the first few days of the heat, or the middle of
the three weeks. I think Dogs and bitches need to mature before having them
spayed. As having them done to young can course problems. Keeping the bitch up for three weeks isn't a problem especially if they are your companion.
Speak to Akita Breeders, do your homework. Remember, her hormones may go wild with the season. But, they will also be problems after spraying. That is
the problems with having a bitch. If there is an accident take her to the vets straight away, he can give her an injection.
 

Are you aware of how the bitches cycle works? Do you know that her prime time for mating can be when the bleeding tends to slow down or stop? Many novice bitch owners do not realise this and start walking their bitches again right at the wrong moment! :)

Hi Guest. Would your bitch's breeder not advise you about spaying? So glad you're sensible about not breeding her, good homes for a big litter of Akitas are not easy to find! As your girl is so young (for a big breed) having her 1st season, if she was mine I'd leave it until after her 2nd season. That way, you'll have some idea of her cycle (could be anything from 4 months to nearly a year before she comes in again) and, as has been said, the best time is in the middle. You'll probably find she's a lot cleaner next time, poor little girl just doesn't know what it's all about this time round. Don't worry, she's not suffering, but if you fuss her, she will think something's wrong & start feeling sorry for herself :D . Just treat her as you normally do, but don't let her mix with other dogs for about 4 weeks from when she started bleeding.
Anwen (who has a big Akita "son") :D