Is there a canine 'pill'  to delay the onset of a bitch's heat?
Please advise  as my son is getting married in Sept and I REALLY need to go - he lives away from home.  I have an entire bitch whose seasons are so odd I can't get her spayed this year. 

Yes there is but can't remember what it is called, ask the vet.

Nova - I will ask my vet - at a cost - but wanted members information first as most seem to have experience and knowledgeable points of view to help me questioning the vet on pros and cons of such.

Sorry thought you were asking if available. I would not use it on a bitch that I was wanting to breed from in the next 12 months but I have no really reason for saying this just a gut feeling.

Hi both our bitches have had a injection called Delvosteron,as they are both shown and have both come into season just before a champ show,you can use it just as they start their season,as a preventative before kenneling if you are going away and it also works when they start to bleed it takes a couple of days to kick in.Ask your vet for their advice their are side affects like all contraceptions but as you will only be using it the once I am sure she will be fine.Debby

Delvosteron shouldn't be given if you plan to breed from a bitch inthe future, because it's associated with many problems in this situation.

> Delvosteron shouldn't be given if you plan to breed from a bitch inthe future, because it's associated with many problems in this situation.

Vets do advise against it as it can cause problems but I have a bitch ho had the injection as I really eeded to stop herseason. She then went on to have a healthy litter of 9 with no problems

I have also used it with no ill effects and the bitches went on to have normal litters. All are different though and what suits one may not another so it's a case of you pays your money and takes your chance...
Aileen

Thanks very much for all your information. 
I do not ever want to breed from her - just either had financial or other difficulties when trying to get her spayed. 
She's been really strange with her seasons the last 2-3 years, seeming to have one in August and another in November, her last season started [from my first sight of bleed] 27/10/10.  I was unable to afford to have her done 3 months after this and had hoped she would have had her season by now and be able to have her spayed well before needing to kennel her.
Am I understanding it right - the only side effects are related to breeding and no other health problems?
Thanks again for your responses.

PS Any ideas why her seasons are so messed up?  she's an Elkhound btw.

Am I understanding it right - the only side effects are related to breeding and no other health problems?

When you use the injection you will have no idea at all when her next season will be, so it makes it harder to spay her as you will have to just guess at the right time. I delayed a season twice in a bitch and never will again. She went much longer than usual between seasons the first time, the next time she had a silent season (no blood, no signs whatsoever -and of course I had NO idea when she was due in) and therefore ended up getting mated accidentally! which obviously then had to be sorted out. I have also read that using Delvosteron to delay a season can make mammary tumours more likely to appear and sure enough we got that as well, so I will never risk it again.

Thanks Goldmali
I've now been looking up Delvosteron and seen that there are both single injections [used to temporarily postpone heat] and repeat injections [semi/permanently] postpone heat.  Do you think having more than one injection made the difference and what advice and information did your vet give you before you made your decision?  I'm afraid that with vets, just like with doctors, I don't have great faith in the information I'm given - I think I give out a 'I'm thick and gullible' vibe!
Re the effects on seasons, Heidi's seasons are already messed - I've no idea why.  Saying that maybe she's had a silent season and I haven't been able to tell.  How do you know if your dog has a 'silent' season, sorry for my ignorance but I'm really not used to bitches in season - the only bitches I've had previously were already spayed, as they were rescues.

Just an update - Heidi has now come in season so shouldn't have to make any decision about medication- unless of course she decides to come in again in 2 months.  I think I am beginning to 'get it' about silent seasons. At least this time she is hardly bleeding at all but I noticed a change in her behaviour a week ago and was convinced she was coming in.  I have noticed a little spot of blood now to confirm.

At least she will be done and dusted before the wedding and you can plan the spay 3 months from now.