Female may be in heat. Only 4 months after last heat?

[SheLovesCountry]

We took in an intact 4 yr old Border Collie Oct 2013. Approx. 6 months later .... end of March 2014 was her fist heat cycle while being with us. She came into heat again Aug/Sept 2014 which was 6 months. She did NOT drip blood the last heat in Aug/Sept. Watched her very close because we have white tile & new cream color rugs. We were going to put a pad on her if she began dripping. Did not have to use a pad. Know she was in heat because her vulva swelled and our neutered male was trying to mount her. Asked vet about her not bleeding. He did not seem concerned. So question one, is this common for them not to drip? Then after the Sept heat cycle .... all during fall, I noted off and on she appeared to be "cleaning" her vulva a little more than normal. ( Maybe ? I have had males in past years, so female habits is learning experience now for me). I kept close eye on her. I am home full time & watch my dogs close. She had no other problems. Healthy happy girl so we did not see vet until Dec 2014 for a new ear issue. Vet said yeast in ear. I had her urine checked as well & told vet she was licking vulva some. He noted irrated spot next to vulva & said yeast. He prescribed topical oinment for the vulva. Vulva got well in a few days. Stopped oinment & I did keep check & I noted dark stain around vulva again so I am cleaning her daily. Today, noted blood in vulva when I was cleaning her. It has not been 6 months since last heat ? Now reading about Pyrometra. Wondering now if she may not have had yeast problem, but maybe "Open" Pyrometra ? Vet did culture on her ear, but not on her vuvla. He did not turn her on back and look at her vulva well. He looked briefly while she was standing. I did trim her some after vet appt. thinking it was yeast & I wanted her to get "better air flow". Let me add, I have learned about the "closed Pyrometra" in my readings and I see no symptoms at all regarding "closed pyrometra". She is doing well.

[Hooper]

Some bitches do have very irregular heat cycles, so it is not outside the realm of possibility that she is in season again. But, pyometra is not something to be messed around with. It can become life threatening without showing any obvious outward symptoms. I would take her to the vet if she were my dog, and I'm not one to rush off to the vet for every little ouchie.

 

Also, is there a reason she hasn't been spayed? I'm no where near as militant as some on insisting on spaying/neutering every pet. I especially lean more and more toward keeping males intact, provided the dog is kept confined or is directly supervised at all times. But, as you are discovering, intact bitches are inconvenient. They can come into season without you being aware of it, they drive even neutered males crazy when they are in season, they are messy. And pyometra is not at all rare, and did I mention it is life threatening? I nearly lost a bitch to it, and I know two people who were less fortunate than I was.

[SheLovesCountry]

Thx Hooper for your information. We do supervise her greatly when she is in heat. She never goes outside without us. We even add leash on our property during heat cycle. We were keeping her intact as I feel they stay in better health staying intact during their younger years. And, the fact we are responsible pet owners & no unwanted litters will happen. But, after reading more about Pyrometra, we are going to go ahead and have her spayed. And, yes, we have found it upsets our neutered male when she is in heat. Many reasons now to spay her. We will get her to the vet to see what is going on.

[SheLovesCountry]

What about her not dripping blood the last heat cycle ? Do you call that irregular as well ?

[Liz P]

Sounds like maybe a split heat cycle.