mini sheltie in heat

Question
QUESTION: I have a 12 year old mini sheltie. She sees fine in every way but she has never been in heat more then a week. She now has clear sacretion and has for about 1 1/2 weeks. She is good health wise, I'm just concerned because she's old. Do they have doggie metapause?
ANSWER: Hello Miranda and thank you for your question.

A 12 year old intact bitch with a discharge after finishing a heat cycle needs vet attention.

Unaltered female dogs can become very sick, very quick just after a heat cycle. This is called a Pyometra and is a uterine infection. There are two types of Pyometra, a closed (which is the worst) and an open (still bad). I have seen several senior dogs in the last couple of years with this condition and it's not good. Treatment for this condition is basically a spay surgery with mega antibiotics. Immediate medical attention is required to prevent the uterus from rupturing and causing septicemia.

Signs of this illness are:
Inappetence (not hungry), increase in water consumption, lethargy, vaginal discharge (in an open pyometra), abdominal distention and tenderness. Fever is also present as well as blanched gums (white to grayish color), slow CRT (capillary refill time), and dehydration can also present with this condition.

I say, get thee to a vet pronto! Untreated, Pyometra is usually fatal.

Please keep me posted.

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

QUESTION: I have her a apt. for 5/18/07 with the vet. I will keep you informed. Thank you.

Answer
I neglected to answer part of your question, so I would like to address that now.
No, dogs don't go through menopause. They have their heat cycle throughout their life or unless they are "fixed".

I am glad you are taking her in.

My boss just lost one to a pyometra about 3 weeks ago. She was old and not physically able to go through a surgery, so my boss decided to have her euthanized. It really was the most humane way to handle this particular case.

Please let me know how she is doing.