Last of heat cycle or trouble?

[kaylaw]

Is it normal for a dog to have a dark red, almost brownish discharge (looks like old blood) 22 days after the start of her heat, and 1-2 weeks after being bred? discharge is not alot, but enough to be noticable for the past couple days, is this just the end of the heat cycle or infection? Also, it doesn't have a smell at all, it is slightly sticky but i dont know if this is because there is only a tiny bit of liquid making it not enough to be slippery. She doesnt have much of an appetite at all unless i give her wet food (she'll eat a little), but she isn't drinking a ton of water (like the symptoms of pyometra), she is also laying around alot more than normal but does get up and run around when pervoked. Does this discharge/behavior have any indication of pregnancy or not pregnant or do you think she's in trouble?

[Herschel]

Is this your first litter? You should contact the breeder of your bitch to see if she will be your mentor through this process. (Reputable breeders often do this, especially when their well-titled, proven progeny are producing healthy litters)

I don't have experience so I can't help you directly, sorry.

[jess2416]

People responded to your other thread about this... :)

[kaylaw]

i know people responded in the other thread i started, however, i wanted to add some details and thought maybe this section was more appropriate so i started a new one.

[showpug]

What heat is this for her (1st, 2nd, 3rd?...) What have her past cycles been like and how heavy is the discharge? It sounds normal to me, but I would recommend you consult with a reproductive vet if you are concerned.

[kaylaw]

its her 2nd heat, i dont think she had this her first heat but im not sure, i could just have payed more attention to it this time, and both heats the bleeding/discharge was not heavy or she cleans it too much for me to notice that its heavy, but no drippings on the floor ect. i just dont know, i thought that after they are bred all colored discharge stops....during breeding it was a lighter red like pinkish, then i didnt see anyting for about a week and then she started with this brownish discharge, like one day there, and the next day nothing, but the past couple days its been there everyday but not alot of it, i have to spread her vulva a bit & dab it w/ kleenex to see it. to me..it looks like old blood (hate to be gross, but like a woman gets at the end of her period), but is it normal for them to have left over bleeding after estrus and breeding? does this indicate and infection, or that shes pregnant or not pregnant?

[showpug]

its her 2nd heat, i dont think she had this her first heat but im not sure, i could just have payed more attention to it this time, and both heats the bleeding/discharge was not heavy or she cleans it too much for me to notice that its heavy, but no drippings on the floor ect. i just dont know, i thought that after they are bred all colored discharge stops....during breeding it was a lighter red like pinkish, then i didnt see anyting for about a week and then she started with this brownish discharge, like one day there, and the next day nothing, but the past couple days its been there everyday but not alot of it, i have to spread her vulva a bit & dab it w/ kleenex to see it. to me..it looks like old blood (hate to be gross, but like a woman gets at the end of her period), but is it normal for them to have left over bleeding after estrus and breeding? does this indicate and infection, or that shes pregnant or not pregnant?

Since this is a second heat cycle, I am praying your dog wasn't bred younger than two years of age?

Discharge does not stop immediately after breeding and I have known some bitches to have bloody discharge early in pregnancy. What is her temperature?

Anything can happen, but it's very rare for pyometra to happen just following or during estrus. It usually occurs in mid anestrus. Pyometra will cause a white/yellow or tomato soup discharge that will be foul smelling. I recommend you take her temp and see if it's normal or not. Also, what breed of dog is this?

[kaylaw]

No, she is not 2 yet..shes 1 1/2 BUT, my vet did check her and ok her to breed now, she is a 8lb Havanese and he said after 1 yr, these small breeds are fully mature, not like the big breeds that aren't full grown till 2yrs or more. so thats why i let her be bred this heat, only because he told me she is mature enough and it is ok for little dogs. anyhow..shes eating better today and isnt acting sick at all, other than sleeping alot, but i think that may be because she might be pregnant. the discharge is not at all how you described w/ pyometra, no smell at all, and is far from white/yellow and tomato soup. Everything i've read about pyometra made me think that is not what i'm dealing with also, i just havent been able to find anything mentioned anywhere about the brownish discharge after or at the end of heat, which made me think it wasnt normal. Does this ever happen w/ any of your dogs? I told my vet about it and he didnt seem worried, he told me that if it starts to smell, become sticky, increase or lasts more than this week to bring her in. Sound right to you? Would you be worried or wait and see what happens?

[showpug]

No, she is not 2 yet..shes 1 1/2 BUT, my vet did check her and ok her to breed now, she is a 8lb Havanese and he said after 1 yr, these small breeds are fully mature, not like the big breeds that aren't full grown till 2yrs or more. so thats why i let her be bred this heat, only because he told me she is mature enough and it is ok for little dogs. anyhow..shes eating better today and isnt acting sick at all, other than sleeping alot, but i think that may be because she might be pregnant. the discharge is not at all how you described w/ pyometra, no smell at all, and is far from white/yellow and tomato soup. Everything i've read about pyometra made me think that is not what i'm dealing with also, i just havent been able to find anything mentioned anywhere about the brownish discharge after or at the end of heat, which made me think it wasnt normal. Does this ever happen w/ any of your dogs? I told my vet about it and he didnt seem worried, he told me that if it starts to smell, become sticky, increase or lasts more than this week to bring her in. Sound right to you? Would you be worried or wait and see what happens?

I am assuming it was a regular vet that told you it was ok to breed toys under two years? Probably would have been better to consult a reproductive specialist with that question. I have a toy breed and my reproductive vet said never breed ANY breed younger than two years because their pelvis isn't done growing and it increases the risks for complication with delivery.

But, what is done is done. Now all you can focus on is the best supportive pregnancy care for your bitch. Being tired is a sign of pregnancy. My bitch was very tired and slept a lot in the first weeks following being bred. My bitch had discharge for up to a week after breeding, but she was bred by surgical implant and frozen semen so it was secondary to the bleeding in her uterus following the procedure. I have known other bitches to bleed after being bred and even in early pregnancy. Just because a bitch is bred does not mean all discharge from her heat will suddenly go away.

If this is your first litter, I suggest you buy some books on whelping and rearing puppies and read as MUCH as you can. You also can't live without the book "How To Raise a Puppy You Can Live With"...pay specific attention to the section on the breeder's responsibility.

Lastly, find a reproductive vet and go to them with any concerns about a pregnant bitch. Your dog could very well require a c-section and you should have an established relationship with a vet who is an expert in that department.

[kaylaw]

wow, that sucks, i hope she'll be ok with all of this then. I knew about the 2 yr mark, but when he told me that it applied to bigger dogs i believed him, i would have waited if he didnt tell me that. I guess there's nothing i can do about it now, except take all the precautions i can. Now, i'm going to start looking for a reproductive vet today. I did buy 2 books months ago on breeding one written by a vet and 1 by a breeder I have read them both at least 3 times, and read everything i can find on the internet, so i feel comfortable that i know a good amount of info. I'm far from knowing everything there is to know, but I do know alot now and think I know what to do and what to look for if theres a problem. I think she's ok with this discharge thing, so far today there is nothing. I think that if something was wrong it would be getting worse, not better. But, i'll continue to monitor it and call a repro. vet if i find one and get their opinion on what to do now. Thank you for your advice & experiences, its put me at ease a little knowing that other dogs have it too. I really cant' thank you enough, this was making me insane worrying about it so much.