Irregular Heat Cycles

[showpug]

Okay all you experienced breeders and intact bitch owners out there. I was wondering if any of you have dealt with irregular heat cycles, silent heats or skipped heats?

Alice first came into season at 9 months and has not had a heat since then. It has been 10 months since her last and only cycle. I took her in for a thyroid test today to make sure that is not the problem. I wanted to make sure she has a normal thyroid before breeding her anyway.

So, I guess I am asking if any of you had a bitch go a long time like this inbetween cycles and then regulate back to every 6-7 months?

 

[joce]

I'd guess it would be the same with a dog but I'm not sure-I had a ovary issue that would make me miss a month here and there. I had it explained that its a dirrent ovary every time that releases so if my ovary that was supposed to repease that month was flaring up it never released. But I know dog heats are a little diffrent Might be something to look into though.

 

[Renee750il]

Shiva and Kharma are in the midst of trying to get in sync with each other, so both of theirs are irregular. And to make it worse, when it is time for their heats, they both manage to wait to start the bleeding phase until my next period cycles around . . . . Charley has, I must admit, demonstrated rare good sense by not commenting on that

 

[bubbatd]

Mine were pretty regular ... 6 to 7 months . Wise to have her checked though . You don't plan to breed her for a while anyway , if I'm correct.

 

[colliewog]

Recently I had a bitch that cycled every 14 mos. That was a pain - we were sure we were missing heats, etc, but just realized she liked to take her time! She was thyroid normal and produced healthy pups when she finally did come into heat!

 

[RedyreRottweilers]

SP, is she around any other cycling bitches? If so, I would be more concerned. If not, I would find some way for her to live with or nearby a normally cycling bitch.

 

[muggsies16]

Hi, my granddaughter and I discussed this the other day! So weard! She told me that most of the dogs or as you guys call them Bitches. Have been coming into split seasons or irregular seasons. She said it had to do with the weather being so out of wack!:yikes:

My granddaughter even told me that it is happening in horses too! that now the horse breeders are starting to put their horses under lights to get them too come into season!

I am not that experianced, but she is! She has works for the local vet, and they seem to be going nuts with all of this! I really hope this helps you out! Fran!

 

[showpug]

SP, is she around any other cycling bitches? If so, I would be more concerned. If not, I would find some way for her to live with or nearby a normally cycling bitch.

I thought about that and my bulldog bitch puppy should have her first season in a month or two. Up until now, Alice has not lived with any other cycling bitches. I know that bitches can pull each other into season, so I'll be eager to see if she comes in once Mona has her first season. I should know her thyroid results in a few days as well.

Grammy, yes, it will be at least 5-6 months before she is bred. She will be at least 2 years old.

 

[showpug]

Hi, my granddaughter and I discussed this the other day! So weard! She told me that most of the dogs or as you guys call them Bitches. Have been coming into split seasons or irregular seasons. She said it had to do with the weather being so out of wack!:yikes:

My granddaughter even told me that it is happening in horses too! that now the horse breeders are starting to put their horses under lights to get them too come into season!

I am not that experianced, but she is! She has works for the local vet, and they seem to be going nuts with all of this! I really hope this helps you out! Fran!

Very interesting!

 

[wolfsoul]

My girl doesn't have regular heat cycles, but they are't so off -- never more than a month. Not so uncommon though, one of my co-breeder's females was supposed to come in in October and still hasn't. Her other female s in a silent heat right now. Pain in the butt when you are trialling or breeding your dog.

 

[SummerRiot]

We have gone through silight heats before once with a previous bitch.

Have you had an ultra sound done on her to make sure both her ovaries are functioning? I would wonder about that as well.

 

[showpug]

We have gone through silight heats before once with a previous bitch.

Have you had an ultra sound done on her to make sure both her ovaries are functioning? I would wonder about that as well.

No, no ultrasound. She will have a full work-up at the reproductive clinic before she is bred though and I believe they do an ultrasound then. I should hear back today on her thyroid results. I am hoping when my bulldog bitch comes into season that Alice will come in as well.

 

[EnchantedGypsy]

Well, I've only had males but.... I've learned some interesting heat cycle stuff since I've been researching breeders for my next puppy.... Some bitches are "late bloomers" and don't come into heat until 18-24 months of age; some bitches have regular heat cycles but in staggered patterns, for instance one breeder's bitch has a 9 & 6 month heat cycle like clockwork. And, some breeds normally have just one heat cycle per year (12 month cycles).

The breed I'm getting is a sighthound, so it's quite possible this info may only apply to needlenoses

 

[carlar]

I have a female that had weird heats. Came fairly often and then back out quickly. My vet told me that if I could get her pregnant once that would straighten her out and it did. She now is regular as all of my others usually are. At least until this year. This has been an unusual year for me and most of the other breeders I know. Missed heats, longer in between cycles, breedings that didn't take, early deliveries. Maybe the earlier post is right, maybe it's the weather. We are hoping that things will straighten out next year.

 

[showpug]

I have a female that had weird heats. Came fairly often and then back out quickly. My vet told me that if I could get her pregnant once that would straighten her out and it did. She now is regular as all of my others usually are. At least until this year. This has been an unusual year for me and most of the other breeders I know. Missed heats, longer in between cycles, breedings that didn't take, early deliveries. Maybe the earlier post is right, maybe it's the weather. We are hoping that things will straighten out next year.

Hmmm, interesting info. Thanks.

Got a call from the vet yesterday and her thyroid is totally normal. Good news for now,

 

[uhmanda00]

If your dog is young, that could be a reason why. I know it takes a couple heat cycles to get the heat cycle regular when a puppy is young [first 2 years of age] AND after the dog has had pups. Lucy's comes about every Mid-October and Late-April/Early-May... so her's is pretty regular... Usually a week or so off, which is fine. Her first came when she was 9 months... if you want her entire heat schedule as an example, let me know, and I'll pull it out of her files. My other 3 females, I don't have records on. Personally, if she is still young, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[Muggie'sMum]

You know, SP, in twenty some odd years of female dog ownership, we have NEVER had a female come into season on clockwork.. could never never schedule it. Mom thought at first she was keeping her bitches too fat (okay, so pleasantly plump, but they're not all like that), but after some conversation with vets, we drew the conclusion that, especially since it has been a verrrrry long time since we've had a single bitch here (we now have FOUR!), that they are currently waiting for the alpha bitch to come in heat... were assured by several vets that many bitches NEVER cycle in regular six month increments. Not worried here.

 

[showpug]

You know, SP, in twenty some odd years of female dog ownership, we have NEVER had a female come into season on clockwork.. could never never schedule it. Mom thought at first she was keeping her bitches too fat (okay, so pleasantly plump, but they're not all like that), but after some conversation with vets, we drew the conclusion that, especially since it has been a verrrrry long time since we've had a single bitch here (we now have FOUR!), that they are currently waiting for the alpha bitch to come in heat... were assured by several vets that many bitches NEVER cycle in regular six month increments. Not worried here.

Thanks for the info. I was speaking with Alice's breeder the other day and asked her about Alice's dam and granddam and their cycle history. I guess Alice's granddam went longer between cycles than the average but still managed to have the largest, healthiest litters of all the bitches she has bred over the years.

I am not going to worry about it. It's out of my hands anyway and she's not going to be bred until next spring/summer anyway.

 

[showpug]

Yay! Alice came into heat today, lol! FINALLY...

 

[adojrts]

Hi
Have you spoken to her breeder about the heat cycles of the maternal line, especially her dam?
I have one line, and they come into heat late for the first time, very late 18-24 months, but once they have the first heat, they then tend of go about every 7 months.
I also had one girl (she is spayed now) that you could set a clock to, I could almost predict the day that she would come into heat, she was that regular.
Personally I wouldn't get worried until over 2 yrs had past, and silent heats are a huge pain in the arse, especially if you don't have a male around to tell you what is going on.

Good luck and take care
Lynn