# Talk to me about Heat cycles



## itzmeigh (Apr 28, 2014)

Hazel is 19 months old and FINALLY in her first heat cycle and I'd really like for it to be over. Will it ever end?

I saw the first visible signs on the 6th. But there wasn't any swelling until yesterday (15th). 

When can I expect that she will be finished and then when can I schedule her spay? 


She's mopey and clingy and unsettled. So she will pase pase pase and then stand and pant in my face and then settle next to me and then pase pase pase... She thinks I should do nothing but rub her. Laying next to me and getting lots of pets and rest and pets is apparently not at all acceptable, it's either constant petting or she will poke and push you with her nose. 

She's demanding on a good day but in heat?!? No thanks! Too moody!


----------



## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

As I recall, Timi had about 12 days of bleeding. Then after that it took another few weeks for all the swelling to go down and everything to return to normal. I would wait until maybe two months after the heat began to spay. Mid cycle would be ideal, but at least in the Toys it seems that some of them come in more frequently than every six months, so I wouldn't wait longer than 2 months.


----------



## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

Usually lasts a full three weeks. Most vets do not want to spay for at least 6 weeks after it is completely over. Very risky otherwise, with everything engorged, etc.


----------



## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

ArreauStandardPoodle said:


> Usually lasts a full three weeks. Most vets do not want to spay for at least 6 weeks after it is completely over. Very risky otherwise, with everything engorged, etc.



My girls were spayed before they had a chance to come into heat, but I do remember in the 1980's, Trixie came into heat just about every 7 months, and yes, the heat usually lasted the full 3 weeks. With Trixie, when I was counting about the 19th to 20th day, she was pretty much out of it by then.


----------



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Typically expect 18 - 24 days from first signs of bleeding, and then possible mood changes from preganancy hormones for 8 - 9 weeks after that (dogs' bodies think they are pregnant whether they have mated or not). If you possibly can I would get her out in the fresh air for long walks - be prepared for her to be grouchy with any dogs you meet, though. I find it best to be a bit jolly-hockeysticks, and stick to normal routine as much as possible - a vigorous game of chase and tug may help to take her mind off her woes!


----------



## Arya's Toys (Feb 24, 2016)

itzmeigh said:


> Hazel is 19 months old and FINALLY in her first heat cycle !


Wow! is 19 months average for a first heat with a tpoo?


----------



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I think Hazel is a standard, rather than a toy. A toy is likely to come into her first season around 8 - 12 months, although it can be earlier or later.


----------



## itzmeigh (Apr 28, 2014)

Yes, Hazel is a standard. She's on the small side (21.5 inches and about 32 pounds). Her breeder said her bitches just come in "late" so 19 months was about normal for her lines. Apparently heat (in general) can start as early as 9 months or as late as 2 years. 

I have wondered if Hazel maybe had a silent heat (no blood or very little blood) earlier but now I really doubt she did. She is very... Bitchy! Haha!

Interesting suggestion about extra exercise. She seems to have less stamina right now. Like she'll play really hard for about 5 minutes but then completely crashes out! And she doesn't seem to want to play for very long right now. 

I've been trying to not walk her around the neighborhood because we have issues with loose dogs and I'd hate to... leave a trail. We did take her to the beach.

She's of course picked "the worse time" for this! We are going to Robert's mom's on the 25th and I was planning to take her. But I wanted to have her groomed before we go. Since she's in heat I can't use the groomer we used last time because to go there I need to leave her all day and they don't crate. (She just hangs out in the day care or in the grooming room.) So I'm going to give PetSmart a try because they are local and I can pick her up as soon as she's done. (They are aware she is in heat.) But to go there she has to have her rabies shot up to date. Our city requires every year but I only do every 3 years but since the "law" says every year the vet can't show her up to date outside of the one year. (Even though he supports every 3 years.). So Saturday I have to get her rabies "up to date" and then Wednesday she'll get groomed and we will leave late Thursday. I'm just hoping she'll be ok by then!

I was hoping to do her spay in May/June time frame so that looks like it is going to work out. 

I'm just ready to have her spayed. I'm starting to question my decision to let her have her first heat. I'm SO over it all! Haha!


----------

