Do female dogs menstruate one each month, or is it less often than humans?

Answer 1

Dogs usually have 2 'seasons' a year. Some dogs are on a 7-9 month cycle but the average is every 6 months.

Answer 2

Your dog is in heat.

top 10 questions about dogs in heat:
1. What is heat?

Heat is more properly called the estrous cycle. During this cycle, female dogs may get pregnant. It’s equivalent to human menstruation.

2. What are the symptoms?

Females bleed from the vagina sometimes with swelling of the vulva and increased urination. Don’t expect bleeding comparable to a human female.

For small dogs, it’s usually not much and you may need to pay close attention to your puppy to identify her first cycle. Other than the bleeding, the most noticeable symptom may be male dogs hanging around your house.

3. When does a dog come into heat?

The average female dog has her first cycle about six months of age. A few dogs start earlier and few dogs later, even as late as 14-months.

If you have a new female puppy, you should watch her and note when she has her first cycle. If she’s 14-months old and still hasn't’t been in heat, you should take her to a veterinarian.

4. How long does the heat cycle last?

The average is three weeks or 21-days. In some dogs, it lasts only two weeks while others go four weeks.

5. How often will she be in heat?

Most female dogs have regular cycles usually every six to eight months. It’s quite typical to be in heat twice a year.

6. When can she get pregnant?

She can get pregnant only when in heat. Some breeders test for progesterone levels to identify the most fertile days but the rule-of-thumb is that the most fertile days are 11-15 of her cycle.

Note – when she’s in heat, the average dog will permit any male dog to mount her. Few females, however, will accept a male when they’re not in heat.

7. Can she get pregnant her first cycle?

Yes. However, responsible breeders generally would not breed a dog that early. For one thing, you need to do genetic testing and some serious problems such as hip conditions do not show up until a dog is approximately 2-years of age.

8. Can I take her on walks during this cycle?

Yes with care. She has no problem with the exercise but she’s a walking magnet for male dogs.

Even the best trained and behaved female dog will succumb to hormones. You can’t trust her off a leash or out of your control. Never let her outside by herself even in a fenced yard if there is any possibility of male dogs nearby.

For walks, if there are male dogs in your neighborhood, it’s a good idea to take your dog in your car and drive to a remote area. Take her for the walk there and drive back home. Otherwise, the scent of her urine and vaginal discharge will blaze a trail to your home.

9. When I can have her spayed?

The answer to that one has changed continually over the 25-years I’ve been in the dog business. People used to be told to let their dog go through at least one cycle or let them have one litter.

Today, veterinarians are doing it much earlier. Some vets spay as early as 6-weeks of age! Talk to your veterinarian about your dog and the vet’s preferences. The state of veterinary medicine also is much improved over the past 25-years.

10. If I don’t have her spayed, will she go through menopause.

No. Her fertility may decline but she will not go through menopause comparable to a human’s. She won’t lose her ability to become pregnant even as a senior so if you don’t want to her to have any (or more) litters, she must be spayed.

Answer 3

The Heat Cycle in Dogs
by Karen Peak

What is the estrous cycle?

The estrous (commonly called "heat") cycles and spaying (removal of reproductive organs – the uterus and ovaries) in female dogs are topics of many questions and also some serious misconceptions. Let's take a moment and look at some of the most commonly asked questions about "heat" cycles and spaying. Breeding ethics and risks will not be addressed, here. This is just to cover some of the more frequently asked questions regarding a female dog's heat cycle and spaying.

When will my dog come into heat?

First heat can vary greatly dog to dog. The youngest is about six months of age though sometimes a female will come into season younger. First heat can start as late as 12 or even 14 months of age or later in rare cases. Again, it can vary dog to dog. Spaying at six months is recommended before a female begins to enter sexual maturity. Some vets will spay younger and spaying of puppies as young as eight weeks old who are up for adoption in shelters is becoming more popular.

How often will my dog come into heat?

Again, this varies dog-to-dog – average is every six months but it could be more or less often.

How long does heat least?

This again can vary. The average is three weeks (21 days). But it can be shorter (two weeks) or longer (four weeks). Assume the longer period if in doubt.

When is a dog most fertile?

Again, this varies dog to dog and is why some breeders attempt to progesterone test to help pinpoint fertility (though testing is not 100% reliable but can help). The fertile period can last about five days and may begin approximately nine to ten days after the onset of heat. However, onset of fertile period can vary after the start of the heat cycle. Some females will only accept a male during this fertile period though others females may allow a male to mount at any time during her cycle while others are not receptive at all. But remember, fertile periods can vary dog to dog.

Can a dog get pregnant her first cycle?

A puppy can get pregnant her first cycle. Ideally she should not be bred until about 24 months when she is out of adolescence.

Will my dog go through menopause?

No. Females do not go through menopause though sometimes there may be a cessation in heat cycles for a period of time and then they can start back up again. As a female ages, her fertility does drop off but she will not go through menopause as humans do. It is also possible for senior dogs to become pregnant. Dropping off of fertility with age does not mean she cannot become pregnant.

Answer 4

It's been years since I've lived with an intact female dog but I recall that they actually menstruate only a few times a year, not monthly. Still, unless you're planning to breed the dog, it's best to have her spayed. That way, you won't have to deal with the drops of blood she misses when she tries to lick them up and you won't have male dogs hanging around your yard.

Answer 5

Dogs generally go into heat, not periods, every 6 months or so. The heat cycle lasts 21 days from the first sign of bleeding. The bleeding can last anywhere from only the first week or the whole three weeks.

Answer 6

It's not menstruation, primates menstruate to release unfertilized eggs in the uterine walls and start another cycle. You can't get pregnant when this is happening. DOGS come into season, they get pregnant when they're bleeding (the blood helps male dogs find them). It's not the same thing at all.

Answer 7

it's less often than humans, and some dogs don't even go into heat unless they can smell a male dog who has not been fixed. my dog is 16 months old, and has only gone into heat twice.

Answer 8

Once every six to 15 months. It can be quite irregular while young but generally stabilizes after a few years and may become quite predictable. For my med-lg canines, it is (once stabilized) usually every eight months.

Answer 9

It's less, more like twice a year.
Less than humans.

Answer 10

female dogs go ever 6 mos.and it is 2 weeks ever time so get her fixed or put her up!!!!!!!!!!!!!