my dog is in heat!!!

Question
QUESTION:  i have a mixed breed dog and it's her third time she got heat and every time i breed her in my male dog she will not got pregnant but i am quite sure they got mate,and now she is in heat again and iam confused if its not the proper timing to introduce her in the male and today is her second day of her heat cycle there's already blood coming out from her vagina and i don't know when is the proper time that i will introduce her to the male dog and how many time do have to mate her in my male dog?please help me because i want to breed my dogs because she is beautiful dogs...and i am exciting to have new puppies..please help me with my problem..God bless to you bro..

ANSWER: Hi Ephraim,

The first week to ten days of a dog's heat cycle is called "Proestrus". During this time, there is a bloody vaginal discharge although you may not notice if your dog cleans herself well. When the discharge becomes clear, the fertile period is imminent, usually from day 10-14. Your dog will not accept a male until the days when she is fertile; until then she may fight the male if he tries to breed.

During the period your dog is ovulating, is the only time your dog will allow a male to mount her. At this point her discharge changes color. It may begome pink to almost clear in color.
You can mate her for as long as she'll allow it. The ovulation, (called Estrus) part of the cycle can last 7-9 days.

Signs of pregnancy include an increase in appetite, weight and nipple size. However, a bitch with false pregnancy may also show these signs. A veterinarian can usually confirm a pregnancy through abdominal palpitation at 28 days, or by using ultrasound or X-rays. A dog's pregnancy lasts approximately 63 days.
Once pregnancy is confirmed, you should talk to your vet about special feeding requirements and about what to expect during pregnancy, labor, and after birth. You should also be briefed on how to recognize and respond to an emergency.

The number one cause of failed breeding is improper timing of the mating. Your female dog may be in heat for variable lengths of time; but without actually measuring hormonal changes in her, you can only guess when she is fertile. Since you have tried unsuccessfully to breed your dog, your veterinarian can help and identify the best time to breed, based on two methods:

1.Vaginal Cytology: Swabs are taken of the lining of the vagina. The cells from these swabs are then examined under a microscope. The appearance of these cells changes from proestrus to estrus.

2.Progesterone Assays: Blood samples are taken daily or every day. The level of progesterone (one of the reproductive hormones) in the blood is an indicator of when the bitch should be bred.

Best of luck,
Patti


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks a lot sir i just have a follow-up question after my dog mate after few days there's a light yellow discharge i am just confused if it is normal after they  mate and i reduce her food and water intake is it okey?

Answer
Hi Ephraim,

A straw colored discharge might mean that your dog is still receptive to mating. However the length of time that's passed since your original question makes me think your dog is past her heat cycle by now. A yellow discharge can mean a vaginal infection, which would require treatment by your  veterinarian.

There is no reason whatsoever to reduce either the food or water, quite the opposite,  a pregnant bitch requires additional food to support the growth of pups. Having your dog examined by your veterinarian would be a very wise decision at this point, if your dog is indeed pregnant and has a vaginal infection it could affect the health of the unborn puppies.

The actual breeding of the dogs is the easy part of this process, you should really start to prepare for this pregnancy and eventual birth of puppies by reading about the whelping process, and talk to your veterinarian if you have any questions. There is an awful lot that can go wrong, and you need to know.


Best of luck,
Patti