I have a bitch that has just turned 9. She had 3 litters the last being about 3 years ago.
Two of the litters were large. About 3 months ago she had some mammary lumps removed but following discussion with my vet I did not have her spayed. After the op, she went into what appeared to be a full blown phantom which neither I nor my vet could explain. She had never suffered with phantoms before.
She came into season but I did not record the date. All seemed normal  at first but now the season seems have gone on for a particularly long time and for the last week has been very, very  heavy. Normally I struggle to see blood spotting but this time she has shed heavily and it also a darker red than I am used to seeing. I am kicking myself for not writing down the start of her season as now I am guessing the duration.
She  seems quieter than normal but maybe I am adding things into the mix that are not there.
Has anyone experienced heavier darker red blood from their older bitch?

As always, I'd be very careful to make sure it isn't pyometra. I had it in a bitch who LOOKED like she was in season as she was bleeding quite heavily and otherwise acted entirely normal -but I knew it couldn't be a season as the previous one had been just a couple of months earlier. I'd get her checked out, with a scan of the uterus, to play safe.

I have an appointment to-day at 10.40. Earliest I could get. I had wondered the same so not taking a chance.
I always assumed a bitch that had puppies would not get pyo but I know it can happen in rare cases.
My first dog that was never bred from was 8  and the vet nearly missed it because she had just finished her season so he assumed that was not possible.
It was only because I pushed about how ill she seemed ( and I knew nothing about pyo then) that they operated and she did indeed have a massive pyometra which she recovered from.
I am having serious regrets now about not having her spayed. I always do normally once they are past the time I might have a litter.
I'll post how we get on but she has just got up and is definitely not herself. I have a number of adults and they are running around as usual but not her although she isn't really a dog that does play time so much, never has been, so it is harder to tell..

An entire bitch can have a pyometra at any time, maiden or not.   Which is why once mine were retired, they were always spayed.   This and one of the female cancers (mammary, ovarian or uterine) was one of the main reasons I saw no reason to let them keep having a season - plus the ongoing need to confine them twice a year.

If this is pyometra, you'll have no option but to go ahead with a spay.   But I'd be getting this done, regardless.

She is in now having the op. I always have mine spayed but as she tends to put on weight AND has never had any issues before I had a long discussion with my vet earlier this year and taking everything into account
the decision was not to spay when she had her lumps removed. After that none of us including my vet could explain why she had entered into a massive phantom except to say her daughter has a 10 week old litter.
My vet thought it was bizarre and inexplicable as just kept saying we have not removed anything to make this happen.
Obviously now I am bitterly regretting that decision  but trust my vet so hoping all will be OK.
Have to phone about 1pm .

Please don't beat yourself up , you made the best decision at the time with the available information. A uncaring owner would not of spotted something was wrong so soon and now doing a emergency spay. Weight gain in itself is a problem as one of my speyed bitches has been a permanent butter ball since being dome which has made her a little creaky a bit earlier than you would expect. I she makes a speedy recovery.

Did the vet think it was pyo then? I'm sure all will be well, I've had two in recent years and both are fighting fit now.

Yes he scanned her and said it was Pyo. I am waiting for the call now.

She is out and home. Was fairly major in size apparently but all went well.
She is just lying quietly now. What  a relief  when the call came.

That's good news -here's to a good recovery now.

She didn't eat last night but was waiting by me while i was preparing and ate the lot. So back to her normal self then although she still isn't joining in with the others yet but that is to be expected.

> It was only because I pushed about how ill she seemed ( and I knew nothing about pyo then) that they operated and she did indeed have a massive pyometra which she recovered from.

But that's the secret of owners who really know their dogs.  Which you obviously do.  And that is why you moved quickly on this girl too.  I'm glad that your girl is back home with you.  Once she has had a couple of weeks to recover, she will never look back.

Glad all is well,wishing your girl a speedy recovery.

I too send good thoughts for a speedy recovery.   What has been said about vets listening, or NOT LISTENING to the owners is so relevant.   And good vets know that so often a huge part of getting an accurate diagnosis relies on the input of an owner who knows their animals, in the absence of them being able to speak for themselves.   Sadly this isn't always the case.   And I've been there, done that with far too many vets.    Yesterday for eg. I had my Whippet back to the vet practice I use in town.  Saw a vet I'd not had before (multiple vet practices, arrrrh) who told me it was difficult to diagnose corns, that her pad was 'rough' and to use some hand-cream to soften it.   To his credit, she wasn't reacting quite as strongly as she had been when the area was touched.   He told me, when I asked him about getting her nails back, that 'they are as far back as we can get them'.   I came out wondering why I'd bothered, but at least wasn't charged.

Sorry to hi-jack your OP.   But again, glad you have what was going on, sorted out.

MamaBas did you see that episode of the Supervet with the toothpaste?? That's how he diagnosed corns in a Greyhound! http://www.thesupervet.com/lola/

> And good vets know that so often a huge part of getting an accurate diagnosis relies on the input of an owner who knows their animals, in the absence of them being able to speak for themselves.   Sadly this isn't always the case.

I am with you on that one.  I had a bitch a few years ago who wasn't "right" and I couldn't put my finger on it.  I totally understand that the vet couldn't see anything but I asked him to check her over.  He found nothing and I asked for tests.  He started with a urine test.  Followed by blood tests.  When nothing usual was found I asked if we could test for some more obscure health problems.

She tested positive for Cushings.  He can't get over the fact that I knew something wasn't right.  But what did I see?  Very subtle changes in her demeanour.  Nothing else.  I didn't know what was wrong.  But he's the senior partner.  All vets have been advised that I know my dogs, and that pleases me.  I feel that I'm paying for them to listen to me.  But you do have to be pretty assertive.

I did see that episode - which is what set me on thinking whether what was going on, was maybe a corn.