pms

Question
Hello Mrs Allen,
I have a question  about my 2 years old toy poodle (she is a 9 lbs) Luna gave birth on july 19th ....when is she going to have her menstrual period again?    I understand that dogs get their period every 6 month  ,but Luna has not get it yet.
thank you
Marcel

Answer
Hi Marcel:

Yes, you're correct that dogs heat cycles occur, on average, every 6 months. If Luna whelped in July she should have had a cycle mid November. However, she may just be taking a little extra time - some dogs may cycle every 6 months, then every four months, then an 8 month wait until the next cycle. All dogs are individuals & don't always stick to the average.

Another possibility is Luna may have had or be having a "silent heat" which is when no obvious signs of the cycle are present. I would recommend having her examined by your vet if much more time passes to rule out a physical issue, such as a cyst or similar problem. Hope this helps!