"SPLIT" Heat in my 8 mos. old??

[kathyg]

Hi everyone - this is my first post (and first Rottie - having had Berners & still owning a four year old Bernese along with my Rot pup who's wonderful)
My Rottie girl (now eight mos. & 81 pounds & about 23" at withers - everybody seems to enjoy sharing height/weight) began bleeding off and on at about 6 and a half mos. old. She would spot bright red blood for a couple of hours and then nothing for days, and then start up again for a few hours & again nothing for a few days. This lasted about 4 weeks. After speaking with her breeder & seeing my vet a # of times - the breeder concluded it was a "wacky" first heat. The vet seemed clueless, (did a swabbing of her vulva on two occasions & it showed she didn't actually appear to be in heat; although she did have a UTI initially that was treated & then resolved) yet stated it could be cystic ovaries. About 4 or so weeks later, (at 8 mos.) she began bleeding again -- this time (now in her second week) it is a steady spotting of the typical kind of watery blood (pinkish discharge on her "panty" liners) with the occasional deeper red spots too. When I took her to the vet this time & they performed the swab, she was in heat - officially.
My question? Does this sound like the "split" heat or "pre" heats I've been reading of on this great site? My breeder is largely unconcerned & believes it is. The vet says spay ASAP as she may have cysts.
I have no intention of breeding her, but did wish to delay spaying until approximately 11 or 12 mos. (the breeder is fine with this) to give her time to fill out w/o spaying early.
I'm a VERY responsible & experienced owner & this pup will ABSOLUTELY not be bred, so please don't anyone freak about that. No concerns there. I'm simply wondering do I need to spay ASAP or can I wait until early winter?

[Sharon Marples]

I think you can wait if it is only for another 3-4 months. I think it is very well just a screwy first cycle, some of my girls have done that as well.

What I would suggest is that when she is finished with this heat cycle, that you wait at least 1 month and then do a vaginal swab on her just to check the white cell count. You want to make sure there is no infection that starts up. Then you can spay her at the age you want to.

[kathyg]

THANKS, I'll do just that. The vet really had me frantic about this; but I realize they cannot differentiate between owners who can responsibly keep an intact pet and those who cannot - as evidenced by the million or so poor dogs put to sleep across the country every year. I believe they figure they're doing the right thing by pushing to spay/nueter at every opporunity.

My breeder & I would prefer to wait a bit - and I've read here it is something a number of owners are doing as well. But I will have her checked. Thanks again, Kathy