Whether you are a first-time dog-owner or have recently had your female dog spayed, you may have wondered if your dog will still have her period after the procedure. Not a nice question but an important one nonetheless. After researching the topic extensively, here is what you need to know.
So, do spayed dogs have periods? Spayed dogs do not have periods but may bleed post-operation as blood from the procedure works its way out. This should stop after a few weeks. However, prolonged bleeding may result due to surgical complications, or conditions left untreated such as vaginitis or infection.
However, excessive blood or that continues long after the surgery typically means something wrong, and veterinary intervention will be required.
And while a period is completely normal for a non-neutered dog, it’s important to be aware of different reasons why your dog may still bleed despite being spayed.
Some of which can be completely normal while others are much more of a cause for concern.
This article will cover why your spayed dog may be bleeding and when you should contact your local veterinarian.
Does a spayed dog still want to mate?
This is considered very, very rare. A spayed dog should have no interest at all in mating because her hormones are gone. If she still has an interest and a noticeable amount of it, this is another indicator that she may have some remnants of her ovarian tissue!.
Do Female Dogs Still Smell After Spaying?
When a female has not been spayed and is in season, she can attract unneutered (and occasionally even neutered) males from miles away.
The scent released is not one that you or I can pick up on, but is obvious to any dog in the vicinity.
This is an evolutionary mechanism that was important so that a female could attract the local males to mate with her and ensure she got pregnant and passed on her genes.
Nowadays, it is a nuisance to the owners of an unspayed female.
This is especially true for those who live rurally or send their dog to places such as doggy daycare.
When a female is attractive to a male due to her scent, owners need to be very cautious.
The female must be walked on a lead at all times, ideally away from other dogs.
If she encounters an unneutered male, he may become aggressive if not allowed to mate with her.
Indeed, this is a common cause for owners getting bitten; as they try to prise the boisterous male away.
Thankfully, once a female has been surgically spayed, she will no longer produce any smells which attract males.
Importantly, there are certain medical conditions that can mimic the smell of oestrus.
For example, a dog with anal gland disease may smell similar to one in oestrus.
This will confuse a male, who might try to mount the female, even if she has been spayed.
If your female is neutered but males are showing interest, have your vet check her anal glands.
Can female dogs still bleed after being spayed?
Yes, bleeding is physically possible after she has been spayed. It depends on when she is bleeding and how much, of course. Three main reasons include:
There is a set recovery time for her spay surgery which may or may not involve some blood. The most obvious sign of this would be blood around her incision. It could be from popping a stitch or just part of the healing itself.
FAQ
Why does my dog still have a period after being spayed?
What would cause a spayed female dog to bleed?