Physiological aspects of the heat period in dogs

Author: Dr. Buteață Andra – Pet Stuff Hospital

The heat period in dogs refers to the time interval in which the female shows interest in mating, during which fertilization can occur. This period is known as extrudes and appears once every 6-12 months, depending on the race and the individual peculiarities of each dog. It is important that the owners pay attention during this period and avoid an unwanted companion, if they do not intend to multiply.

Read more to understand the behavioral and emotional changes of dogs during this period, how the health risks and health problems can be prevented and how to make an informed decision on the control of reproduction.

Sex cycle (Estral Cycle, Gamethogen)

With the beginning of sexual maturity and up to the physiological termination of sexual function, the genital trait works rhythmically and cyclically. The sexual cycle means the chain of phenomena and processes that follow and repeat with the final result of the release of one or more eggs for fertilization.

The duration of each sexual cycle and its phases depends on species, breed, climate, diet, individual.

From the point of view of the frequency of sexual cycles, the females are divided into:

• Monocyclic (monocyclic) – presents a single heat cycle per year (wild animals);
• Diestric (Diciclic) – presents two sexual cycles per year (dog);
• Polystric (polycyclic) – presents several heat cycles per year (mare, cow, buffalo, oaia, scroafa, cat). In this group, the horse, the sheep and the cat are seasonal polystricians and the cow and the scrofa are continuous polynics.

In the evolution of a sexual cycle, two main functional phases are recognized: the follicular phase and the luteinic phase. The folliculin phase corresponds to an estrogenic activity of the ovary, respectively ovarian follicles, and the lutein stadium is dominated by the action of progesterone secreted by the yellow body. The two main phases are separated from ovulation (ovulation can be spontaneous or caused). Between the follicolinic and the following, the following is interposed by a balance phase, characterized by the involution of the yellow body and sexual rest, which bears the name of the diet in continuous polynic females and anestru to seasonal diestric ones (physiological anestru: before puberty, seasonal, post-partum, after the end of sexual function; uterine).

The following phases are distinguished within each phase:

• The Stadium of Folliculina – includes the pro -staling phase and the Eastern phase;
• The Luthein Stadium – includes the counter phase and the Anestru phase (hormonal rebalancing phase).

Ethological changes (behavioral)

In addition to the changes in the genital trait, behavioral changes occur during the sexual cycle.

Nearby, the female has a greater interest in the male, but does not accept support. Libido (the desire for mating) is manifested during the inspiration, during which the female accepts the mountain.

During the luteal phase (the Metest and Aestut phase), the behavior of the animals is quiet (reassuring phase).

The bitch is a dietary female, a duration of the sexual cycle of about 6 months. The huge and huge females are often monestal, with a duration of the cycle of 10-12 months. In the conditions in which the female is maintained in the apartment, at a relatively constant temperature and brightness throughout the year, the 2 cycles no longer occur in spring and autumn, but at any time during the calendar year.

The Prost lasts 4-10 days (sometimes up to 15 days) and is dominated by the presence of bleeding from the vagina and by the vulvar edema (the vulva is thicker). The female attracts males, but refuses mating.

Estrum lasts 8-14 days and is characterized by the appearance of the desire to mate. The female adopts the position of the field and gives its tail on one side. It has pink-red vaginal secretions, subsequently with pink pot, with a mucous appearance. An important thing to know is that, unlike all the other domestic females, which, according to the term heat, is intended exclusively, in the bitch, this notion covers the entire follicular phase, due to the impossibility of being precisely, with clinical methods, of the limit between Prostru and extracting. Ovulation takes place spontaneously, about halfway.

The meter has a relatively constant duration of about 2 months and is divided into a progressive and regressive meter and actually corresponds to the period of pseudogestate. During it, the female is quiet and sometimes it can behave like a pregnant puppy (subjective/ objective symptoms).

The Aestore is the most variable period of duration, between 2 and 8 months. It is the phase of the summer cycle in which all levels of sex hormones are basal. It is considered the optimal period for all medical or surgical interventions on the genital tract and the breast gland.

How does a boy know that the female is in the heat?

When a female is in heat, vaginal and urinary secretions appear that will contain several pheromones (chemicals produced by the body) which can be quickly detected by the sense of males, by impressive distances. Apart from this period, no pheromones are secreted.

What happens when a dog is warm?

Physical changes occur. The vulva is edematous (increased), is congested (abundantly vascularized), clear mucous secretions appear (heat mucus), the female can arise her body, position the tail on the side.

Behavioral changes appear. The female begins the male tent, who can include the release of pheromone, vocalization, changes in posture, increased physical activity, urination in the presence of the male.

Test. Vaginal cytology is a quick, low -cost procedure, can be performed in the clinic and provides us with information on the appearance of the cells present in the smear according to each phase of the sexual cycle. During the inspiration, keratinized, anucleated cells predominated, arranged in piles. The background of the strip is clear.

What age could a dog enter the fire?

Dogs can have the first heat period at the age of 6 months or until the age of 24 months. It is not recommended For a female of being pregnant at the age of 6 months, because it is not completely developed.

The appearance of the first heat period in the dog varies. Small breeds can have the first heat period before, while dogs for medium or giant dogs can have the first heat period between 18-24 months.

How long does the gestation last for the dog?

In general, gestation lasts about 9 weeks – 63 days.

Is there menopause in the dog?

Dogs do not reach menopause. Their reproductive cycles are different from those of humans. Dogs will continue to enter the heat throughout life, even in old age, but the cycle appears less and could have a longer duration. The older dogs should be frequently examined by a veterinarian, in particular those who have ceased to have cycles, because they could report the presence of a basic condition or metabolic damage.

When the mother is old, the chicks tend to be younger, there can be more dead at birth and the childbirth involves more complications. After 8 years, females are at risk of developing a piometer (uterine infection) that endangers life.

What do you have to do when your dog entered the heat?

It is recommended not to attend dogs for dogs or other populated areas. The sterilizations are not recommended during this periodBecause there are many more complications than a sterilization that is performed during the reassuring period.

The best form of reproduction control, both in the case of dogs and cats, is Sterilization.

It is important that a preoperative consultation by the veterinarian regarding the investigations he will consider before the operation is performed before the most appropriate moment for the sterilization, depending on the patient’s age and clinical conditions.

Should I let my puppy have a heat/chicken cycle before sterilizing it?

There are no good reasons To let a dog have chicken before sterilization. New research has shown that some large races (Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, German shepherd) can benefit from a medical point of view to postpone the sterilization operation until after the first heat cycle. However, consent right now is that sterilization will increase a dog’s life.

A myth says that females will become more sociable and more friends if they have chickens. This is not true and contributes even more to the serious problem of dog overpopulation.

Bibliography

1. Diaconescu, A., Bîrțoiu, A. (2009) – Notions of physiology of reproduction in domestic mammals. Ed.