Puppy question

[ElectricBarbarella]

Oh dear.. I was hoping I had a month or two... I don't... It appears ms. andromeda has gone into heat. We got her August 8th of this year, they told me she was 2.5 months old the day I picked her up. Today is October 4th. That should make her only 4.5/5 months old. I could be off on the math, but that's what they told me.

Just today, in like the last few hours, she has started: crouching as though she needs to pee, but no pee comes out except a few drops of liquid tainted pinkish (not blood red, just light pink). My daughter just walked her and wiped her after she was finished and there was nothing on the paper towel except a drop tainted pink. She's been doing this just about every 5 minutes in the house. She pees regular--watched her myself. Good solid flow. She does not yelp in pain when she does this odd dance. No yelp, no acting funny, just squats and that's that.

It's either what?

1--she's started heat
2--she ate something and has a urinary infection (for which I am getting her cranberry juice now)
3--what???????

Googling says it's normal between 4mos-1 year for 1st heat.

**I AM NOT BREEDING HER AND SHE IS GOING TO THE VET as soon as they open tomorrow**

Until then, cranberry juice and just watch her or what?

(both boys are fixed so I am not worried about that)

[Horse Chestnut]

Originally Posted by ElectricBarbarella

Until then, cranberry juice and just watch her or what?

Midol and a heating pad? Seriously though, it is a little riskier - and more expensive - to fix a dog when they are in heat, so you may have to let her ride this one out and then go in for the spay operation.

[ElectricBarbarella]

that's what I told DH, that they may make us wait until she's done then bring her in. How long does a heat cycle last (I haven't had females since I was 10)...

[Morrigan]

If she's in heat, her girly parts will swollen, and she'll be bleeding.

A heat can last over a month if the dog isn't bred, but the bleeding part (which is when the vets don't like to fix) can last about 2 weeks, sometimes more, sometimes less.

She is old enough to be in heat.

She could be in heat, but it could also be a UTI/URI.

[ElectricBarbarella]

and cranberry juice is okay to give her until I can get her to the vet?

I should have seen this coming.. for about a month now she's been backing her butt up to the boys' faces when she plays. She'll climb on Daddy and mimic the hump (on his back no less it's comical) until he throws her off.

I sure hope the vet will help us tomorrow.

[Ryda Wong, EBfCo.]

Originally Posted by ElectricBarbarella

I sure hope the vet will help us tomorrow.

The vet will let you know. If you can, wait on the spay until she's out of heat. But GUARD her, every second. Do not let her out unattended. Intact males can go to great lengths to get at a bitch in heat. If it is heat, I recommend some doggy diapers until she's out. Less mess for you, and a barrier should a male get close to her.

I doubt cranberry juice will make much of a difference if you're going in tomorrow (assuming you can even get her to drink it).

I'm sure she'll be just fine. Just be vigilent.

[ElectricBarbarella]

we got her to drink about 4oz of Oceanspray unsweetened cranberry. Lapped it right up.

She's NEVER out without a leash and never alone. Our boys are fixed, so I am not in the least worried about that. AFAIK, there are no intact males in this area (thankfully!) as there are only 3 homes that have dogs and they are all fixed (that I know of).

[DawnStorm]

Originally Posted by ElectricBarbarella

we got her to drink about 4oz of Oceanspray unsweetened cranberry. Lapped it right up.

She's NEVER out without a leash and never alone. Our boys are fixed, so I am not in the least worried about that. AFAIK, there are no intact males in this area (thankfully!) as there are only 3 homes that have dogs and they are all fixed (that I know of).

From what I've heard about heat periods, intact male dogs will come from far and wide to try to get some lovin'. How does one know when the heat period is over? I know when my period is over and I can be a bee-yotch at times, but the two don't necessarily correlate.
I've also heard that smaller breeds come into heat earlier than larger breeds--true or false?

[AnglRdr]

Originally Posted by DawnStorm

From what I've heard about heat periods, intact male dogs will come from far and wide to try to get some lovin'.

Maggie went into heat about the same age EB's dog is. It was probably 36 hours between the time it started and when she got spayed (we had the appointment made before it had started).

One night, our dogs were freaking the hell out around the front door and I couldn't figure out why, so I turned on the front porch light and looked out, and there were at least 10 dogs on our front lawn. Hilarious!

[Kitsune27]

Originally Posted by AnglRdr

Maggie went into heat about the same age EB's dog is. It was probably 36 hours between the time it started and when she got spayed (we had the appointment made before it had started).

One night, our dogs were freaking the hell out around the front door and I couldn't figure out why, so I turned on the front porch light and looked out, and there were at least 10 dogs on our front lawn. Hilarious!

Did they at least bring flowers ?

[AnglRdr]

Originally Posted by Kitsune27

Did they at least bring flowers ?

These were clearly the scrubs of the canine world, looking for a booty call.

[ElectricBarbarella]

She has an appointment this afternoon. Nurse said it sounded like UTI not first heat, since I cannot see her girly parts swollen.

She'll be treated and we'll get her started on puppy fixing stuff

And you guys are funny. I'm hoping that if it isn't a UTI they will spay her ASAP. I don't like sick puppies.

[ElectricBarbarella]

She has a UTI and hookworms. She's had her first round of shots, has had her heartworm pill, her first dose for the hookworm and antibiotics for the UTI.

And is full of piss and vinegar right now.

[Ryda Wong, EBfCo.]

Originally Posted by ElectricBarbarella

She has a UTI and hookworms. She's had her first round of shots, has had her heartworm pill, her first dose for the hookworm and antibiotics for the UTI.

Awww. Poor, poor puppyness! I hope she gets extra goodies tonight.

[ElectricBarbarella]

Originally Posted by Ryda Wong, EBfCo.

Awww. Poor, poor puppyness! I hope she gets extra goodies tonight.

She will. She's getting the lovin' right now. They don't think she got the hooks from our yard, but we are playing it safe and will be taking fecal samples in of the boys just to be sure. They are not acting anything like her, but I'm doing it anyway.

I'm hoping once the antibiotics kick in she'll stop squatting. Good news is she is no where near ready for her 1st heat, so in 3 weeks, as long as she's clear, she's fixed.

[DawnStorm]

Get well vibes from MD.
When I adopted my second Doberman, Jasper, it was obvious that he had worms. The question was what type. I still wonder why the shelter didn't start treatment. Turns out he had hook, round, and whip worms which some meds soon got rid of. He was snipped soon after being wormed and quickly put on some much needed weight. Jasper always was lean though--he made Calista Flockhart look fat!

[ElectricBarbarella]

I love my vet and all, but I wish the scare tactics would stop. He tried to frighten me with images of what worms do to a dog (which I know), and all that.

But I suppose that's better than a passive vet, who does nothing to help the doggies. I'm just glad she did not have heartworm (that was the other "scare"==92% of ALL puppies have it and while that may be true....)... She is being started on all the good stuff though just to be safe. I've fallen in love with this puppy and I am not about to let her go.

And she fits in so well the boys. Even scrooge mcpersius has taken a liking to her now.

[DawnStorm]

Originally Posted by ElectricBarbarella

I'm just glad she did not have heartworm (that was the other "scare"==92% of ALL puppies have it and while that may be true....)...

That's news to me. I do know that most puppies have intestinal parasites, but I've never heard of any pup being born with heartworms.

[ElectricBarbarella]

Originally Posted by DawnStorm

That's news to me. I do know that most puppies have intestinal parasites, but I've never heard of any pup being born with heartworms.

I know I know.. that's why I just did not buy into it. I got the first month's pill, and will probably continue it just because of the bugs here....

[Beejtronic]

My kitty had tapeworms when we got him. We knew for sure by the time we got to the vet, because a little worm came crawling out of his bum! But he had two halves of a tiny pill and has been perfectly fine ever since.