Is my EM about to go into her first heat?

[Waffles]

Hello,

I know there are a lot of obvious signs like bleeding and an engorged vulva...
but lately my EM who is 8 months (and a week and 2 days to be exact) old, started only eating about half of what she normally eats and doesn't eat the the correct time anymore... because she kinda stopped eating, I just let her graze recently so she wont starve, but she still doesn't eat 50% of her food.
Also, she seems to be sleepy a lot, a little whiny, but not howling or anything unbearable.
I checked her vulva, and it seems little bit bigger than normal... but not yet double the size of normal. Her nipples all look normal, not puffy or anything at all.
I have seen her lick down there a little more than she used to which is what made me notice more closely how she's been acting in the first place.
This is in a span of maybe 4 days now.

Does it sound like she is coming into her first heat?

How long does it all take between the first symptoms like could her vulva just be like that for a while then her nipples come into play way later then the bleeding later like in a week?month? or is it mostly supposed to all happen all at the same time? I understand the whole actual heat length with the estrus ect ect but I am asking about the symptoms right before to when the heat begins.

I have read a lot of helpful things on this forum on what to do while she is in heat, but is there anything I can do for her or for me before, to prepare?

and last thing.. She usually would go to work with me every day, but I know I have to keep her in he house the whole heat. Too many dogs around.
She is "crate trained" but only goes in there while she sleeps usually, or when we feel like getting her out of the way for a while if too much is going on in the house. The house mates have OUTDOOR dogs (1 intact male, 2 fixed females all rotts), who are in a dog run that is fenced (5-6feet tall) in the back of the house they NEVER go in the house.. I would say the dog run is at least 100-150 feet away from the room its a big yard. Is this enough space between them or do I have to bar the windows!!??!

Thanks!!

 

[musicdeb]

Sounds like she's coming into "heat." The male dog is going to go bezerk once she starts, get ready for the barking, howling and the dog trying to get into the house.

Is she drinking water and going potty normally?

Check this out: Dog in Heat (Canine Estrus): Symptoms, and Spaying

 

[danielleconn]

I am really looking forward to some answers to this as well...my 12 month CC has yet to come into season...and I know you all are going to think I am nuts, but at this point, I am just ready for it to start. I guess to just get it over with. She seems to pee more often, however it's hot in NC and she might just be drinking more than normal? She seems to lick "down there" a bit more but again...nothing crazy. I am waiting for swelling of something...and so far, nothing.

 

[danielleconn]

How long does it all take between the first symptoms like could her vulva just be like that for a while then her nipples come into play way later then the bleeding later like in a week?month? or is it mostly supposed to all happen all at the same time? I understand the whole actual heat length with the estrus ect ect but I am asking about the symptoms right before to when the heat begins.

Reading this makes me laugh...like you are reading my mind. Google has been so generic & like you said, you gained good insight here once it actually starts, I did too. I really am chuckling though...

 

[Slinger-girl]

Sounds like she may be coming Into season. I used tighty whiteys flipped so the tail goes through the hole and put a thin kotex pad in the crotch when they in the house. That male rott may make your life a living hell though. If he has high drive watch out, he will do everything he can to get to her and it only takes seconds to commit a tie. My boy is content to be crated next to the girls so he can see them, but he doesn't have a high drive, so this works. However if I take him anywhere he can smell but no see them, holy cow, let the howling, moaning and general wailing begin.

 

[Waffles]

She seems to be going potty just normally and drinking water normally. But I've seen her licking down there even more now. Other than that everything else is the same as my first post nipples are the same. She and the male dog were in the yard together today and he definitely was not interested in her all all. He didn't even want to play with her.. So I guess she's not in her season yet..
About 7 days now and no noticeable signs of it coming right now.. I too would like to get this over with!

 

[kguitarchic18]

Honestly ours was kind of unexpected. Zola was about 10 months, and I kept having that "feeling" like oh no it could happen anywhere from now or the next few months. I think it must have been one day that I swore her area looked larger, but other than that, there weren't too many symptoms. My husband said it was normal, and then about 3-4 days later I said it looked larger, and that night we noticed a small area of what looked like brownish discharge. That night she had a few more spots on her bed. The next day was pretty light, and then it went from there. So it sounds like yours might be going into heat, just watch her closely, and if she is good and can lay on her bed until you say so, a few old "places" work very nice. And if you happen to get drips anywhere, cold ice water and a rag will take blood up no problem.

 

[Waffles]

I just wanted to update.... she still hasn't had any bleeding.. no howling or anything. Back yard dog has no interest in her... but 1 of her nipples is looking puffy! just one!.... wondering how long this all takes...

 

[Bailey's Mom]

Bailey's nipples didn't go all at once. First one, then another. The first four nipples were swollen before she showed any other signs. Then poof...her vulva was like a big donut and her boyfriend dog was whining and crying and trying to get at her. She became a cling-on, a velcro dog beyond anything I'd experienced before. She wanted her mommy. She wanted to be touching me. She had laid off of her food and didn't seem to want to do much other than be with me and sleep. When she finally started bleeding (or when I finally noticed), I think she had already been in heat for a week. I say this because I was counting for standing heat, and I was out by a week. She stood with her tail over a week before I thought she would. Oops!

Keep her safe, give her lots of affection. We don't know if they feel like we do but I think it's reasonable to believe they are very uncomfortable and in need of affection and special treatment.

We are about to go into our second heat (in the heat!!!) and I think it will be tougher this time because the weather carries her message of love on the winds. I really hope we don't have to fight off her suitors on the steps. I also wonder if the six foot fence will keep the boys at bay. She's been doing short little pees every block on her walks, I think it's a big neon sign saying, hey boys, I live down the street, follow the sign/smell posts.

 

[Waffles]

Hello,
I am updating/ I have a few questions.

When I posted, it was def a false alarm. Her nipples started getting swollen at that time one by one, but a heat never came.. so that was like 4 months ago!

Fast forward to now here is sort of a timeline:

3 weeks ago- her vuvla looked HUGE and dark in color, acting normal except she was licking herself a lot more...
She regularly plays with 2 intact males and they didn't have any interest in her like that so I didn't really think anything of it..

2 weeks ago- I took her to the dog park and 4 males all of a sudden had a huge interest in her, but she was NOT happy about that. In fact, she cried and freaked out every time one tried to mount her. We of course separated them right away.

3 days ago- I wiped her and there as a littttttle bit brown spotting, but I still haven't seen any significant blood or anything... I even prepared myself with maxipads and mens undies for her, but no blood..

Did I miss the blood or is it just starting (I heard some females keep themselves clean the whole bleed)? I'm really confused when to start counting when the heat started and when it should end...
When the heat ends will her vulva look normal again, is that how I know its safe to go back to the dog park?

Just some stats if it makes a difference, she is a pretty small girl. She is a full EM but was the runt, she turned 1 year old Oct 3 this year and she is only between 100-110lbs. She is about the size of a labrador retriever.. I call her a mini mastiff in comparison to other mastiffs, but everyone else still think she's really tall and lanky. She hasn't filled out like at all...

Will she fill out soon and will she get much bigger? Is there foods I can give her to make her bigger in a safe way, not anything crazy or unhealthy. Right now she is eating the Costco Kirklands Adult food I think it is lamb, sometimes we switch between that and the Natures Domain bags... and a few times a week I top her food with chicken hearts or eggs or something.


Thanks!