Chihuahua Heat?

Question
I am babysitting my neices Chi, who is about 1yr old I think. Her vulva is extremely enlarged but I see no bleeding. instead there is a clear thick type liquid on it. She's been attentive to herself, alot calmer and loving the past two days. Wanting more attention then normal for her. She also goes outside and lays in the heat more often and doesn't like to come in out of it. I'm wondering if she's in heat and the bleeding is soon to come... or whats going on. Being she's not my dog I really don't want to take her to the vet unless I have too. Cud this also be a bladder infection/uti? If it is her in heat. I have a bigger dog who is part German Shepard, will he try to breed with her? he's so big I wouldn't want him hurting her.

Thanks,
Jennifer

Answer
Yes, she could be in season; bitches can sometimes have "silent" heats where they do not bleed. You need to contact your niece and find out when this bitch was last in season and when she is next due. Most bitches come in every six months or so. A false pregnancy will also mimic the real thing, so if she was last in season about two months ago, you could be seeing that... discharge and all... and the bitch is thinking that she is about to whelp.

Try rubbing your finger around her vulva and see if she moves her tail off to the side... this is called "flagging"; this becomes more obvious as the bitch approaches ovulation time. This is a good indication that she is in season.

She could also have a uterine infection which is draining, so it is imperative for you to determine which one it is as pyometa can be deadly.

This is unlikely to be a bladder infection unless she is urinating more than usual around the house; I certainly wouldn't expect to see an enlarged vulva with that.

Any of these conditions can attract an intact male and cause him to show interest in the bitch.

By the way, if this bitch IS in season, she MUST be kept confined and only taken outside to potty on leash so that some male doesn't get to her.