Irregular heat cycle

Question
My pug approx 3-4 yrs seems to be coming into heat every few months and bleeding for atleast a month sometimes longer. Could this be a sign something may be wrong? I have only had her about 1 yr and a half to 2 years, she seemed normal for her first couple cycles with me, didn't get til i had had her about 5 months and went about 5-6 months before getting the next. I have no history on her or her previous heat cycles. I will be taking her to a vet i just wanted to see if you knew anything about it in the meantime.

Answer
Hi Meg-

A normal dogs cycle is ever 5-8 months, typically right at the 6 month mark, and they can bleed for up to 5 weeks if they are a heavier bleeder. This is completely normal. However, if your dog is coming in and out of heat every month or every other month, this could indicate a hormonal imbalance and she would need to be spayed ASAP. If you are not showing her or planning to breed her, I would go ahead and spay her anyway to avoid the potential health risks!

Hope this helps!