Heat cycle???

[i_love_my_rott]

I know this is something everyone has asked but here it is again. My rottie girl turned a year old today and she still hasn't had her first heat. She is not spayed yet because i want her to mature first, there are no other male dogs around here that are not fixed and i live on a farm with the closest house being 1/2 mile away with fix dogs also. I know she should of probably had her first heat by now, could it have been just that "light" that i didn't notice it??? I know for sure she has not had any contact with any intact males so i am not worried about her being pregnant. Any info about this would be great. Thanks

[Sharon Marples]

I would not worry, I have had several bitches not have their first season until they were 13-14 months old.

By the way, you do not have to wait until she has her first season for her to be spayed. Why go through that, why put her through it and why take the chance of a stray dog getting her pregnant when there is no reason to do so???? It is not going to affect her maturity, especially since she is already a year old.

There is nothing wrong with spaying your puppy before she has her first heat cycle. I'd get her in and get it done NOW! :)

Sharon Marples

[spidey]

I second what Sharon says. I'd also point out that allowing a first heat increases the dog's chances of mammary cancer considerably over the chances if you spay before a first heat. It's no longer considered advantageous to the dog to wait until after the first heat, the current recommendations from the AVMA are to spay before the first heat for the dog's health.

[Alaskan]

My female rottie was nearly fourteen months old when she had her first heat and went into season every eight months after that one.

Some dogs just vary in when they start them and the length of time between seasibs,

[i_love_my_rott]

Thanks for the replies, I will give it a couple more months and see what happens, if she doesn't have it then i will take her to the vet.

[alexav]

Originally posted by Sharon Marples
why put her through it and why take the chance of a stray dog getting her pregnant when there is no reason to do so???? It is not going to affect her maturity, especially since she is already a year old.

There is nothing wrong with spaying your puppy before she has her first heat cycle. I'd get her in and get it done NOW! :)

Sharon Marples

I will third what she said!

[alexav]

Originally posted by spidey
... allowing a first heat increases the dog's chances of mammary cancer considerably over the chances if you spay before a first heat. It's no longer considered advantageous to the dog to wait until after the first heat, the current recommendations from the AVMA are to spay before the first heat for the dog's health.

Please seriously consider this if you really... love_your_rott.;)