False Heat???

DollyWog · Jun 4, 2008

I have a beautiful Basset named Dolly whom we were hopeing to breed this heat. She is 1 & 1/2 yo & this should be her 3rd heat. What I am questioning is whether or not she possibly has fertility issues. Her last heat in late Nov of '07 she came into heat but barely bled at all & I never even needed the use of puppy pads or diapers because she barely showed any discharge. She should be in heat now but there is absolutely no discharge of any kind. Her vulva is swollen & we have checked for discharge daily to no avail. This is ending the 2nd week of being swollen & we did bring in a male about 5 days ago & there was absolutely no intrest on his part & he has bred prior to us. My question is this, is it possible for her to show swelling but never become fertile??? OH! And her last heat she also experienced a false pregnancy with lactation & all. (we were not attempting to breed her at that time)

Thanks for any advice in advance!!

Angel Chicken · Jun 4, 2008

opcorn:

HoundedByHounds · Jun 4, 2008

You should be consulting with a repro specialist...Basset's are NOT easy breeders or whelpers...the males often lack libido and the bitches often have issues, too. Your repro specialist can also advise you about why it's not smart to breed puppies...only mature bitches...and what health testing is the norm for your breed.

Renee750il · Jun 5, 2008

Just to answer your question: there can be heats that are "silent" with very few indicators. That can make it very difficult to tell when the fertile period takes place. I'd have her checked by a vet to make sure that the swelling you're seeing isn't from an infection or some other condition.

Now . . . you're probably going to get the third degree about how you've ascertained that this is a bitch who SHOULD be bred . . . I'd suggest you check out some of the threads on breeding here and prepare yourself . . .

HoundedByHounds · Jun 5, 2008

http://www.basset-bhca.org/Health/healthpolicy.htm
http://www.basset-bhca.org/WebPDFs/thrombopathia.pdf

noludoru · Jun 5, 2008

At her age, it is not safe to breed her.. she is still a puppy.

Here are some good links for you on reading..

http://www.dogstuff.info/to_breed_or_not.html

http://www.chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?t=787

This thread, too:

http://www.chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8916

bubbatd · Jun 5, 2008

Don't dogs have to be over 2 years old for genetic testing ??

borzoimom · Jun 5, 2008

DollyWog said:

A silent heat or " false heat" is totally possible. Not all females bleed alot, and it could be that by the time the male was presented to her, it had actually started days before it was noticed. Another option is that just because she was swelling does not mean its a heat. It could be a hormonal imbalence. Some females go through whats called a "split heat". That means some of the signs are there for a heat, but actually its not the real heat, then come right back in like a month to two later.
What vitamins are you giving her?
As far as possibly trying this again, that is up to you. However- many times if there is a fertility problem its passed as a sex link gene mother to daughter. In othere words, the daughters of her could have the same problem. In my personal opinion this is a genetic problem ( if this is the case) and should not be passed on anymore than breeding a dog with hip problems or a heart problem.

puppydog · Jun 5, 2008

You should definately hold off making any decisions until your bitch is two years old.
Please refer to some of the links posted. There is a wealth of information there.

Get into contact with your local breed club and ask around for a mentor, they will guide and coach you in the decision to breed.

HoundedByHounds · Jun 5, 2008

I would not trust a male Basset's disinterest, either on this...the breed in general can have issues with male libido. Some do not breed naturally often due to the much heavier males and the possibility of injury to the bitches long back during breeding.

puppydog · Jun 5, 2008

Mmmmmm, kinda makes me feel sorry for the girl bassets! LOL!
Sorry, couldn't resist.

HoundedByHounds · Jun 5, 2008

yes size disparities can be hard on them. In Beagles you often get males much shorter than the gals and you have to accomodate that...makes for amusing breedings at times I am sure!

But in all seriousness...backs are an issue in Basset's and I hope the OP is aware of how to minimize the risk to her girl by doing an AI herself or having a Repro vet do it if the male is markedly larger. Basset's get upwards of 50lbs on a good sized male so...caution OP.

HoundedByHounds · Jun 5, 2008

another good link on bleeding disorders in the Basset...
http://www.basset.net/bleed.html

DollyWog · Jun 5, 2008

Hmmmm, wow! Lots of great advice! Thank you so much & I think you are all right, I will hold off on my decision to breed her at all.

Thank you everyone!!

drmom777 · Jun 5, 2008

By the way, if she is the dog in your avatar, she looks like a real cutie, and personality-plus.

noludoru · Jun 5, 2008

No problem.. glad we could help.

I hope you take Gina's advice about getting a mentor from your breed club.. even going to a few shows/working kennels to seek out advice would probably be to your benefit (besides, who wouldn't want to meet other basset hounds and smoosh those cute little faces? LOL).

Maxy24 · Jun 5, 2008

first, I think you are making a GREAT decision to hold off on or to not breed at all, I think she would very much enjoy being "just" a pet

if you want to raise some puppies though, check out some rescues/shelters near you, lots of times especially in summer, they will get pregnant dogs surrendered to them and they need people who can foster mom until she gives birth and the pups are old enough to be adopted. It's a great way to experience the whole birthing and raising without adding to the pet over population, hey and you may just be saving their lives. here is a list of rescues/shelters in MN that you can look at if you are interested in fostering. http://www.petfinder.com/awo/index.cgi?location=MN&keyword=

Secondly I wanted to applaud all of the Chaz members who kept their cools and did not act aggressively towards this member, I know how hard it can be not to get angry when someone wants to breed their pet improperly but you all did a wonderful job and the OP even changed her mind

skittledoo · Jun 5, 2008

Maxy24 said:

first, I think you are making a GREAT decision to hold off on or to not breed at all, I think she would very much enjoy being "just" a pet

if you want to raise some puppies though, check out some rescues/shelters near you, lots of times especially in summer, they will get pregnant dogs surrendered to them and they need people who can foster mom until she gives birth and the pups are old enough to be adopted. It's a great way to experience the whole birthing and raising without adding to the pet over population, hey and yo may just be saving their lives. here is a list of rescues/shelters in MN that you can look at if you are interested in fostering. http://www.petfinder.com/awo/index.cgi?location=MN&keyword=

Secondly I wanted to applaud all of the Chaz members who kept their cools and did not act aggressively towards this member, I know how hard it can be not to get angry when someone wants to breed their pet improperly but you all did a wonderful job and the OP even changed her mind

:hail:
Maxy you always seem to know just the right words to say. I definitely 2nd the idea of fostering a pregnant mom if you want to experience what it's like to raise pups. That would be a wonderful opportunity if you're able to do so.

PWCorgi · Jun 5, 2008

Off topic, but a legit question...

HBH, are bassetts like corgis in that they are continually bred for longer and longer backs in the show ring?

borzoimom · Jun 5, 2008

PWCorgi said:

No actually. Its still to be to standard as far as how long the back is compared to leg height. The most extreme breed in length of back is the Skye Terrier- literally twice as long as they are high..

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