Estrus and protection from unwanted pregnancy

Contents

Dog in heat
How to Avoid an Unwanted Dog Pregnancy

Dog in heat

The first heat in a bitch of any breed occurs at 6 – 12 months. It takes place twice a year (there are exceptions) and lasts from 7 to 28 days (on average – two weeks). At this time, the bitch may become pregnant.

The cycle is experienced in 4 stages:

Stage	Duration	Allocations	Evidence
Proestrus	4 – 9 days	bloody	Males in this period are interested in females, but without reciprocity.
estrus	4 – 13 days	yellowish color	The bitch becomes supportive of the “stronger sex”, conception is possible. If you touch the tail of the “lady”, she takes it to the side and raises the pelvis.
Metestrus	60 – 150 days	—	The bitch stops letting the males in. At the beginning of this period, false pregnancy is possible.
Anestrus	From 100 to 160 days	—	Decreased activity of the ovaries. There are no significant external signs.

How to Avoid an Unwanted Dog Pregnancy

There are a number of steps you can take to help your dog avoid unwanted pregnancies. They are pretty simple:

Avoid long walks.
Do not walk in places where other dogs congregate, even in dog parks.
Walk your dog only on a leash.
Even if you are confident in your dog, never lose sight of it, because a male can appear suddenly.
You can use special hygienic or diapers for dogs (you can buy them at a veterinary pharmacy), but you can’t walk your pet in them all the time – do not forget that she needs to relieve herself.
If dogs of different sexes live in the house, you should “dress up” the bitch in shorts or a diaper and keep the dogs in different rooms.

There are also pills to reduce the smell of estrus. They can prevent harassment from males. These drugs can be bought in veterinary pharmacies. Photo: pregnant dogDo not forget about folk methods of protection. You can make your own spray. You will need bay leaf (1 packet) and water (0,5 liters). A decoction is prepared and applied as a spray. You can apply a few drops of eucalyptus, camphor or wintergreen essential oil to the tail and crotch area. But all these methods do not give you a 100% guarantee that your “lady” will not be recognized by the “cavalier”, but only reduce the risk. The most effective way to prevent unwanted pregnancy is sterilization.