Phases of the Dog’s Heat Cycle
The cycle is divided into four distinct phases explained below.
What is Bleeding From the Vagina?
Your unspayed female dog will go through two to three heat cycles on average per year. Being in heat is the most common reason for vaginal bleeding, but there are other medical conditions that may cause your dog to bleed from her vagina. You should try to determine if the bleeding originates from the vagina or is in your dog’s urine. Additionally, your dog may eliminate bloody diarrhea, which may appear to come from her vagina.
Possible causes of a bloody discharge include:
Can Dogs Miss Their Heat Cycle?
Yes, it is possible. Normal female dogs begin having heat cycles by around 24 months old. Younger than that, the animal is sexually immature. Once her cycles start, they should continue at relatively regular intervals. Some larger breeds cycle only once a year, while smaller ones may go into heat as much as four times. When this isn’t happening (i.e. the heat is delayed or absent) it’s called abnormal cycling, and there are a variety of potential causes.
In this instance your dog’s ovaries do not reach sexual maturity, remaining under-developed. Chromosome abnormalities may be the culprit. Your vet can do a scan to see the actual issue more clearly.
In layman’s terms, your dog has not started her heat by the age of two. This happens when the dog is getting too much physical activity. It may also occur due to malnutrition or medications your dog has to take. In some cases, there are genetic ties or autoimmune disorders.
Your pooch has a cycle but doesn’t go into heat again in over 18 months. Older females often experience this irregularity as do dogs with metabolic or systemic diseases. Females with hormonal problems can experience this too.
Silent heat isn’t the absence of a cycle, but rather one human miss altogether. The typical swelling and bleeding may be minimal. And she may not show interest in males for the most part. In other words, nature fooled you! Don’t feel bad. It’s easy to misjudge your dog’s situation.
Dog Periods: When your dog is in heat and bleeding
When a dog is in heat (receptive to mating), her vulva becomes swollen, and a bloody discharge will be evident. This heat period usually lasts for a week or two but can vary widely between dogs. After being in heat, the bleeding should stop, and the vulva returns to its normal appearance.