Silent heat???

Dreammom · Jul 16, 2012

Cally turned a year old on the 4th...I have been waiting until after her first heat to set up a spay appt. So far she has not gone in yet...all of my dogs usually did by one year, Layla was young at about 9 months. I spoke to the breeder today, she said some have a silent heat for the first time, but that Callys mother never swelled or gives any indications of a cycle ever...her stud dogs always tell her LOL.

I thought she was starting a couple of months ago - looked a bit fluffy butted but it stopped, never any discharge. She peed in her crate this morning, which she has never done - did not ask to go out, she is quite insistent if she needs to go. Which makes me wonder if she may be going into season, or is in season. Wolfie who was never spayed, got Uti's when in season, my Vet said it was quite normal.

I am just not sure if I should continue to wait...or go ahead and set up her spay appt. With my luck she will go into season the day before our appt.

Nyahsmommy · Jul 18, 2012

Is there any reason you wanted to wait until the first heat to spay her? I was always told if you spay them before the first heat it cuts chances of cancer in half

Vhuynh2 · Jul 18, 2012

I am spaying after the first heat. The risk for mammary cancer is about 4% after the first heat, and if you can handle a girl in heat, after having done the research, I personally believe the benefits of spaying after the first heat outweigh the 4% risk.

http://www.weebly.com/uploads/2/0/2...oads/2/0/2/9/2029053/deciding_whether_and_when_to_neuter_a_golden_retreiver.pdf

This article by Rhonda Hovan explains that evidently the best time to spay is after sexual maturity after the age of one, which is after the first heat but before the second heat.

If you think about it, the risk of mammary cancer is almost nil even after the first heat especially when compared to an average golden's risk for other cancers..

Claire's Friend · Jul 18, 2012

I think I would go ahead and make the appointment. Silent heats are how alot of "whoops' litters happen. I had a litter of 5 month olds, 3 girls and 1 boy, that I had recently rescued and when I took them in for their vet checks, they were all in heat. I was horrified that babies so young could be in heat. We had to go ahead a spay all the girls just in case they had been bred.

Dreammom · Jul 18, 2012

Thanks all, I spoke to our breeder, our Vet and a well respected breeder here on GRF...all say the same thing. She could be a late bloomer and there is no harm in waiting a few more months before we spay. That is what we will do!

aerolor · Jul 18, 2012

Dreammom said:
Thanks all, I spoke to our breeder, our Vet and a well respected breeder here on GRF...all say the same thing. She could be a late bloomer and there is no harm in waiting a few more months before we spay. That is what we will do!

I think the vet and the breeder are correct. My vet advises to spay after a first season - and midway between seasons when hormonal activity is at its lowest. Doing this allows time for bitches to mature sexually and can avoid problems sometimes occurring by spaying an immature bitch. My female, Bonnie, is also a bit of a late developer. She is 15 months old and is just having her first season. I have been watching carefully since she was about 8 months old and am sure this is her first season and I am positive she has not had a silent heat.
PS - there is no mistaking she is in season now.

Silent heat???

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