My new puppy just arrived. Did she already have her first heat?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
How can I tell if my puppy has had her first heat? She's not with me so I can't keep track of all that. I was kinda hoping that there was a way that I could tell.
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on February 1st, 2017
Unfortunately there isn't a way to tell if your puppy for sure had her 1st heat cycle or not. You can definitely ask the people she was with to see if they noticed her bleeding and having a swollen vagina. You also may get lucky and get her on the tail end of her heat, and her vagina will still be swollen somewhat. Most pets have their first heat cycle around 6-10 months of age.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on May 22nd, 2018
She will develop an enlarged vulva as one of the 1st signs. She may become restless and she will have some blood come from her vulva and she may even developed some mildly enlarged mammary glands. If you are unsure, have your vet take a look and they should be able to tell you. Some dogs don't go into heat until 10-12 months old. Every dog is different. I hope this helps !
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
Hello can you tell me how to deal with my dog when she starts her menstrual cycle and what are somethings I should expect?l and or do!!
Thank you for submitting your question! Most puppies will start their first heat cycle anywhere from about 6-10 months of age. It can last upwards of 18-21 days. You will notice swelling of her vulva and mammary chain. She will spot and bleed as well. Some dogs keep themselves very clean and you only see small amounts of discharge, others will require diapers. You may observe some behavioral changes as well. These can include a decreased appetite, attraction to male dogs or being more clingy to you. Most dogs will cycle every 6-9 months with small dogs cycling more frequently and giant breeds less. I hope this information helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Could she be in heat or is her vulva normal? There is no discharge.
Her vulva is a bit enlarged, which we typically see either at the beginning or at the end of a heat cycle. Female dogs go into their first heat cycle from 6-10 months of age in most cases, so she is of age. I would recommend having her spayed however if you are not planning on breeding her to reduce her risk of mammary cancer and pyometra (spontaneous infected uterus) once she is done with her heat cycle. If you have any further questions, concerns feel free to ask follow up questions on the forum and we will be more than happy to assist you furhter.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Is there anyway to know if how many times my pet in heat? I mean i dont know if my pet is on heat for a second time or just first .. because i dont focus on her for the past month. So I dont know if this is just first or 2nd is there any way to fin i
Given that Kisses is eight months old, this would be her first heat. Female dogs can go into heat for the first time anytime after six months of age, and they go into heat once every six months. With her age, there would not be time for her to have had one heat already and then gone into a second. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog lanzo is just 9 months and had her first period. And now it seems that she might be pregnant as there are signs of it like swollen vulva and hormonal change, nipples are visible too. Is it too early ? Is it bad for her health ? It was accident
It could be that Lanzo is still in heat, as it would be too early for signs of pregnancy if she just had her first heat. Vulva and nipple swelling are also signs of heat, and it does take time for them to go down after a dog ends her heat. I would have her seen by a vet in three weeks for a blood test called relaxin. This is a hormone produced when a dog is pregnant. While it isn't advisable for a dog to get pregnant on her first heat, it does happen and as long as you work with your vet during her pregnancy, she can be ok.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
She's 7 mos. old by now but still not having her first heat. What are the signs that California would experience before heving her first heat?
She will develop an enlarged vulva as one of the 1st signs. She may become restless and she will have some blood come from her vulva and she may even developed some mildly enlarged mammary glands. If you are unsure, have your vet take a look and they should be able to tell you. Some dogs don't go into heat until 10-12 months old. Every dog is different. I hope this helps !
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My labrador is about 6 months now. When will she probably get her first heat and what are the signs that I should be looking for?
Hi and thanks for posting! Signs of heat in dogs include swollen vulva, red tinged discharge from the vulva, licking near her vulva, and sometimes mounting other dogs or inanimate objects. Standing to be mounted by another dog is also another sign to watch out for. Typically, a female dog's first heat will be around 6 months-1 year of age and can occur at a later age in large breed females. Dogs come into heat twice a year- once in the spring/summer and once in the fall/winter. I hope this helps and thanks for using Boop by Petco!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My doggie is going to have her 1st periods.. O don't know when.. But soon.. I want to know about what precautions i should take to keep her healthy at that time.. What she can eat.. Can i make her wear clothes... Underwear etc.... Please guide me..
In regards to your question about Olie having her first heat cycle - on average a dog will have their first heat cycle between 6-12 months of age. It is hard to determine right now at her 2 month age exactly when her first heat cycle will be but it will be several months from now. If you want to take extra precaution during her heat cycle you can have her wear a cloth or disposable diaper to help with the "mess". She does not need to wear cloths and you do not have to change her normal healthy diet. You should take extra precaution when she goes into heat that there will be intact male dogs seeking her out to try and breed with her. If your intention is not for her to have puppies than it is very important to keep her away from intact male dogs during this time of her heat cycle or she will be bred. If you do not wish for her to have puppies it would be best to have her spayed prior to her first heat cycle by your veterinarian. Best of luck with your sweet puppy Olie.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I just got a new dog. When the lady gave her to me I realized she was in heat. She is six months old. Could she be pregnant? I have kept her secluded but could she have gotten pregnant before I got her?
This is a possibility, there is no way to know at the moment, if you start seeing some pregnancy sign in about a month from now (enlarged nipples, weight gain, increase appetite),- take her to the vet in order to do an ultrasound, this will confirm or rule out pregnancy.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
why is my dog showing signs of heat but has no signs of swelling and she is 8 months?
Eight months is a normal time for a dog to go into their first heat, and she could be in heat without having any swelling. While a swollen vulva is a common sign of heat, it may not always occur with each heat cycle. You can take your dog into the vet to confirm she is in heat, however.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Why hasn't my dog had her first heat yet and how will I know when she has it
Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! A dogs first heat is some what genetic and breed related. Toy and small breeds may have their first heat at 6-8 months while larger breed dogs like Great Danes may not have their first heart until 18-24 months. I have a client who's lab still didn't have their first heat by 1 year of age. I would expect that Bella at 9 months should have her heat very soon or with in the next 3-6 months. Dogs act slightly off when they are in heat. The vulva becomes prominent and swollen. Then you will see bloody fluid from the vulva. Dogs tend to lick a lot. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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