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My dog's in heat for 2 weeks, why is her vulva still red & swollen?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Pit Bull Terrier | Female | unspayed | 8 months and 9 days old | 40 lbs

My 8 months pitbull is in heat but it's been two weeks or more and her vagina looks really swollen and red. It had not gone down. I was wondering why? Or how long heating process goes through for first time puppies?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on January 23rd, 2018

Hi there, and thank you for posting this question. The average heat cycle lasts about 4 weeks, however there is some variation. Typically dogs do not have bloody discharge for more than a week or so during this process. The vulva does remain swollen during this time, and after their first heat cycle it will remain more "mature" in appearance than it was prior. If you plan to spay her I would recommend waiting about 1 month after to allow the internal blood supply to regress back down to more normal size. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

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    Answered By Lotus Altholtz

    Veterinarian, Board-Certified Lab Animal Medicine Specialist

    Published on March 13th, 2019

    The heat cycle in a female dog generally lasts 3 weeks so the bleeding should stop and her vulva should start to become less swollen in the coming week. Definitely keep her away from un-neutered male dogs to prevent an unwanted pregnancy and also schedule an appointment with your vet to discuss having her spayed as she will be more likely to develop mammary cancer or a life threatening condition called pyometra with each heat cycle. Pyometra usually occurs after a heat cycle and can be characterized by foul smelling, brown vulgar discharge, lethargy and inappetance. The only treatment is having her spayed. If she continues to bleed for more than another week, the safest bet would be to have her examined by your vet. Good luck!

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