However, the most obvious recognizable sign of heat in dogs is vaginal bleeding. This may not become apparent until a few days after the female has come into estrus.
Some female dogs experience heavy vaginal bleeding during estrus, while other dogs have minimal bleeding. If you are concerned, consult your veterinarian. On some pups, these will slide right off, so suspenders or a comfy bodysuit will work. The canine estrous reproductive cycle is made up of 4 different stages. These are proestrus, estrus, diestrus, and anestrus. Each stage has differing signs related to behavior, physical or clinical changes, hormonal changes, physiologic changes, and cytologic vaginal smear changes.
Surgical Options. The best way to prevent heat cycles, if you are not planning on breeding your female dog, is to spay her. Another option is to wait until she has weaned the puppies. Spaying while nursing can cause a female bulldog to lose her milk production, which could lead to a lot of extra work hand feeding and potentially losing the puppies.
Regardless of when you spay your bulldog, you should expect 10 to 14 days recovery time where you will need to limit her exercise and monitor the surgery site. Yes, it is safe for your dog to be in heat. However, after a heat, females can be at risk for a uterine infection known as pyometra. If you are not planning on breeding your dog, spaying will help prevent this life-threatening illness. Like people, a pregnancy can occur any time your female ovulates.
This means that, yes, she can get pregnant on her first cycle. However, you should avoid a pregnancy during this time since your dog is not physically or mentally mature enough to raise a litter. Instead, if you plan on breeding, breed your bulldog on her third heat or after she is 2 years of age. If your bulldog happens to become pregnant, keep in mind they may have difficulty delivering her litter naturally.
Read more on that here. While it is not severe pain, bulldogs can experience some cramping and mild pain when they are in heat. They may whine or shift in discomfort, which will give you an indication that they are in pain.
If your dog is in severe pain, you should contact your vet as there may be a serious health concern. Like female bulldogs, every male bulldog will be different when it comes to a female in heat. Some males will act normally while others may become completely driven when your female is in heat. He will break through doors, whine, howl, and even not eat when a female is in heat. The best way for you to keep your male calm during a heat cycle is to keep him away from the female.
Finally, keep your male dog active. Take him for walks, play with him and help him expel that extra energy he will have. Keep the dog separate, even if you plan on breeding. If you do, put the dogs together when the female is ovulating and accepting a male to help keep him calm.
For more, read up on How Long can Bulldogs Reproduce. Can Bulldogs Lock Their Jaw? Plus 6 Symptoms to Watch For. Identifying When Your Bulldog is in Heat So, your bulldog has reached sexual maturity and you are now wondering if she has gone into heat.
So, what are the signs that your bulldog is going into heat? Swollen Vulva: One of the more common signs that your female bulldog is about to go into heat is when her vulva begins to swell. This swelling is often very significant and will usually start a few days before you see any bleeding.
It is important to note that some dogs will have swollen vulvas a week or more before their heat. Licking Vulva: Again, this usually starts before bleeding and continues throughout the entire heat.
You will notice your bulldog licking her vulva more frequently a few days before she goes into heat. If she is a light bleeder, she may hide any evidence of bleeding if she cleans herself frequently, so it is important to watch for all signs of heat in your dog. Urinating More: Like the swollen vulva, a few days before you start seeing bleeding, you will notice that your bulldog is urinating more frequently. In addition, you will notice some marking behavior in your female.
Many females mark around the yard to draw male dogs in the area. When you start to see these early signs, it is time to watch for other heat symptoms, which include: Bleeding: The most common sign that your dog is in heat. In fact, your dog is usually not considered in heat until the bleeding starts. When it does, you will see a bloody discharge from the vulva. Consistency and color varies with every dog and, sometimes, every heat, however, it usually starts heavy and then becomes straw colored around the end of the first week and into the middle of the second before it stops.
Some dogs will bleed throughout their heat cycle, which is usually 21 days, while others will only bleed for a week or less. Many females in heat will become more affectionate and clingier to their owners.
Others will try to hide and be by themselves. You may notice that a usually calm dog is agitated while a confident dog is suddenly very nervous. Temporary changes in behavior are completely normal and your bulldog should go back to her usual temperament after her heat. Mounting: Another behavior you may see, especially if you have other dogs, is your female bulldog mounting other dogs regardless of gender.
The evaluation of 35 breeds found that delaying neutering until after 11 or 23 months of age may reduce the chance of developing joint problems and cancers in standard to giant-sized mixed breeds and several dog breeds. This evidence-backed research found that there was no noticeable increase in joint disorders or cancers with spaying Bulldogs at various ages , whether spaying was done less than 6 months of age, between 6—11 months, 12 to 24 months, or 2—8 years, or even if the dog was left intact.
This meant that those wishing to spay their Bulldog should decide on the appropriate age themselves. In light of this latest evidence, I would always recommend consulting with your vet for an individualized opinion.
Like humans, Bulldogs can experience mood changes, rushes of hormones, discomfort, and other symptoms. The best course of action is to be understanding and gentle with them throughout this process and keep your Bulldog comfortable. Sharon Waddington is the founder of World of Dogz. She has a German Shepherd named Willow — and as a former Police Officer, she worked with dogs for almost 30 years.
When she is not spending time with Willow, she enjoys sharing her knowledge and expertise of all things dogs on this site. See author's posts. Table Of Contents. Final Thoughts. Customized Healthy Dog Food delivered to your door.
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