Dog in First Season

My 9 month old chocolate labrador is having her 1st season. She didn't bleed a lot but we are nearly 3 weeks in now and the swelling of her vulva has went down but she is very restless, cries a lot and she started humping her toys.

Is this normal behavior as this is the first female dog I have had.


Vet Suggestion Regarding Dog in First Season


Hello there,

I can’t tell you that your dog’s behaviors are of no concern without first examining her. It is possible that the normal hormonal changes that occur after a heat cycle are to blame, but it is equally possible that what you are witnessing is simply a sign that she is uncomfortable for some other reason.

If your dog were my patient, I would start with a complete physical exam,including a vaginal exam, and then I’d take a swab of cells from her vaginal wall and look at them under the microscope. This would help determine where she is in her reproductive cycle and diagnose or rule out a condition called pyometra (a potentially life threatening uterine infection) that can cause symptoms like you describe and commonly affects intact female dogs several weeks after a heat cycle.

Pyometra is not commonly diagnosed in very young dogs, but it is a possibility. If her condition worsens, get her to a veterinarian as soon as possible.



Regards,

Jennifer Coates, DVM