Estrus in Chihuahua dogs

Signs of the onset of estrus

At what age does estrus begin?

The estrous cycle in Chihuahuas begins between six months and two years of age. The norm is 6-7 months, but there are often cases when the process is delayed in a dog. If your girl is not yet one and a half to two years old, don’t panic! If in doubt, take your dog to the vet.

Signs of the first heat

Have you noticed any strange behavior in your pet? It is likely that she is beginning to have “critical” days. First signs of estrus:

1. A sharp change in character. During a difficult period for her, a Chihuahua girl can become either lethargic or overly irritable and aggressive. Especially towards other people and animals.
2. The dog begins to mark its territory. On walks, he breaks off the leash in attempts to escape.
3. Pale pink discharge from the loop. They may not exist, since Chihuahuas tend to lick themselves frequently.
4. Swelling of the vulva. In the very first days, the loop increases slightly in size. Around the middle of estrus, it becomes approximately 2-3 times larger.

A certain smell is released to which male dogs react. If your dog has become popular with the opposite sex, you should know that estrus is close.

The first signs of heat

So, we congratulate you on this event, your child has grown up. During this period, the young lady will try to leave to flirt with men in a circle, even with those whom he loved. Oh, how many nerves you will lose walking during this period. Woke up to protect my dog, not the other way around. Sometimes, bad bitches feel warmth at the moment, which will affect their mood and behavior. The loop begins to swell, the nipples increase in size, and soon you will find a dark discharge. There are smells that men actively react to.

Hidden heat

Hidden estrus is an estrus that occurs without discharge, but during it the process in the ovaries still occurs. Hidden estrus is rare, but generally does not threaten the animal in any way. Bitches in latent estrus successfully mate and give birth to healthy offspring.

How to detect hidden heat

Bitches tend to curl their tails and move them to the side during heat. This makes it easier for animals to mate. This action is called “flagging”. Lightly scratch your dog's lower back. If she flags, she is likely to have started her estrous cycle.

Alternatively, you can take your dog to the vet. He will take blood for a progesterone test. If a bitch has a low level of the hormone, there is no cycle; medium indicates estrus; high indicates the dog is pregnant.

How it goes

Estrus is conventionally divided into several periods.

Proestrus (precursor)

Lasts 6-9 days. At this time, the dog becomes nervous and shows aggression not only towards people, but also towards males. After 7-10 days from the beginning, the loop (vulva) becomes soft and increases in volume, the discharge is pale and scanty. It’s too early to do the mating.

Estrus (rutting)

Ovulation period. The bitch is ready to let the dog approach her. The discharge changes color and becomes more intense. The best time to breed is when they are pale pink and the vulva is as swollen as possible. The dog will begin to characteristically raise its pelvis, exposing the noose, fall on its front paws, move its tail to the side and freeze. This period lasts until the thirteenth day from the start of estrus.

How does your pet go into heat?

Veterinarians distinguish 4 stages of estrus:

1. Proestrus is the preparatory phase. Duration – 7-10 days. The dog's loop swells, the female actively marks her territory. On the 4th day, bleeding appears. At this time, the Chihuahua is aggressive towards males, because it is not yet ready to mate.
2. Estrus is the most important phase during which ovulation occurs. Lasts from a week to 9-14 days. Lubricant is released abundantly, the dog is ready to become a mother. She stops reacting aggressively to males and allows them to approach her.
3. Metestrus is the final phase. Lasts a couple of days. The discharge disappears, the Chihuahua loses interest in male dogs. Progesterone levels gradually decrease.
4. Anestrus is the period between cycles. If fertilization does not occur, the dog gradually returns to normal life until the next cycle.

What are the stages of estrus?

When do cats go into their first heat: signs

It is difficult to give a definite answer to the question of how long a Chihuahua's heat lasts. On average, the entire process takes 3-4 weeks. Depending on the characteristic features, it is usually divided into several stages:

1. The first period is proestrus. Its duration is 7-9 days. Characteristic signs include swelling of the loop and the appearance of vaginal discharge. There is also an increase in the smell of the dog, which invariably attracts males to it. However, during this period the bitch is not yet ready for mating and responds to all advances with a decisive refusal.
2. The second period is estrus. Its duration is about 7-8 days. At this time, the dog is the first to begin to show attention to potential partners. As soon as the male pays attention to her, the female responds by freezing and moving her tail to the side - this is a characteristic sign of her readiness for the mating process. Physiologically, the changes occurring in the dog are caused by the process of ovulation, during which eggs ready for fertilization are released from the ovaries. It is during this period that a dog can become pregnant.
3. The third period is metestrus. On average, it can last from 2 to 3.5 months. Its beginning is considered to be the moment when the bitch for the first time rejects the advances of suitors. During this period, all processes in the body are restored and changes occur in the behavior of the animal. The dog finally loses interest in potential suitors and gives them a decisive rebuff.

It is not recommended to bring a Chihuahua with her partner during her first heat.

Anaestrus is a period of sexual rest that lasts about 100-150 days. During anaestrus, the animal regains its lost strength.

Note! Over the years, the duration of the period of sexual rest increases.

Care during heat

During the cycle, the Chihuahua needs increased attention and care. The matter concerns not only her health: bloody discharge can stain the furniture in the house if it is not noticed in time. Knowing how to properly care for a girl during her estrous cycle will help you avoid many problems.

Hygienic panties

Special panties are a useful acquisition that will protect your belongings from unwanted marks. These panties are sold in every veterinary store. As a rule, separate hygiene panties for Chihuahuas are not produced. Please inquire about product availability for miniature breeds.

There are no problems with accessibility. Another thing is that the dog tries to pull off an incomprehensible accessory. It is important to ensure that this does not happen.

Also, for security, attach a feminine sanitary pad to the inside of your panties. This will reduce the risk of infection and leakage.

Chihuahua hygiene during heat

How to keep your dog clean during her cycle:

1. Allow the animal to run around without sanitary underpants for several hours a day. There is no need to wear them outside either.
2. When walking, it is especially important to keep an eye on your Chihuahua. Choose places where there are fewer dogs. If you see suspicious male dogs, take the girl in your arms. Do not let her off the leash under any circumstances.
3. Do not allow the animal to remain on cold surfaces for a long time. During heat, the dog is most vulnerable to disease.
4. If possible, avoid walking during cold weather. Do not allow your dog to lie in puddles or sit in the snow.
5. Keep your genitals clean. But don't put foreign objects in there. If your Chihuahua has long hair, carefully trim the hair in the genital area.

Keeping your dog clean during this time is very important; the animal is especially prone to infections during this period.

Problems during estrus

What possible problems should you pay attention to:

• absence of the estrous cycle in Chihuahuas older than 2 years;
• unnatural color of discharge (the norm is from pink to dark red);
• copious discharge;
• foul odor from the genitals;
• complete absence of cycles, including in older dogs;
• the cycle lasts longer than a month, and the frequency is more than 2 times a year.

Gynecological problems can arise from both improper care and other diseases.

All of the above may indicate the presence of serious health problems with the animal. If you notice some symptoms, do not self-diagnose. Show your pet to a specialist as soon as possible.

Diseases associated with the reproductive system of the Chihuahua:

• endometritis;
• pyometra;
• breast neoplasms.

What is estrus

Typically, estrus occurs once or twice a year. The duration of the cycle is approximately 21-30 days. At this time, the bitch becomes restless, shows aggressiveness, begins to urinate more often and mark the territory, and spotting appears.

Features of the course and duration depend on the breed, conditions of detention, and the hormonal background of the dog. Pathology is considered to be estrus shorter than twelve and longer than 30 days.

A Chihuahua's first heat usually occurs between the eighth and ninth months of life. At this time, the dog is not yet strong, the body is not ready for pregnancy - mating cannot be carried out.

A young bitch will not be able to bear full-fledged, viable, healthy offspring, and pregnancy can undermine the health of your pet.

When to breed?

Mating is carried out at stage 2 of the cycle called “estrus”, i.e. on days 9-14. By this point, the male has already been chosen, everything should be perfectly planned. Don't chance a girl with males from the street. It is better to negotiate with familiar dog breeders. If your Chihuahua is well-born, mating is carried out only with the same registered male.

The bitch must be kind to the dog. This means she is ready. But after successful mating, it doesn’t hurt to carry out a control mating after a couple of days.

How it goes

We have already written about changes in behavior when a Chihuahua goes into heat. To this it is also worth adding increased attention from the opposite sex, and your favorite often reciprocates.

The duration of the cycle is 21 days, and there are several stages in it. At the first stage (proestrus), which lasts 6–9 days, discharge begins to appear, but your pet is not yet ready for mating, so she does not allow males to approach.

After 8–13 days, the estrus phase begins, when the dog is ready to reproduce, so it begins to flirt with the opposite sex, and when touched on the back of the body, moves its tail to the side. After this, in about a week, the cycle should completely pass, and for the next six months these processes will not bother the dog.

At what age should you breed a Chihuahua?

Theoretically, Chihuahuas can be crossed once they reach sexual maturity. It occurs with the appearance of the first heat. However, early and late mating are undesirable for the dog. However, it is much worse when the dog is not ripe for childbirth. Early mating is fraught with problems with pregnancy: the inability to carry a fetus to term, problems during childbirth. Early mating also has a bad effect on the dog’s sexual development. The optimal age for mating is 2 years. Upon reaching 2 years of age, the Chihuahua becomes a sexually mature individual, pregnancy and childbirth occur under the most favorable conditions.

At what age does the first heat occur?

The first time a Chihuahua comes into heat, as a rule, occurs at the age of 5-8 months, but no later than 1 year. This range is due to the individual characteristics of each individual individual. A biological process signals that the female has reached sexual maturity. However, experts do not recommend pairing a female dog with a male dog at such a young age. Why? Read here.

If the female is one year old, but the first sexual cycle has not occurred, then you should take care of a visit to the veterinarian. The doctor will conduct a series of tests to make sure that the delay is not caused by diseases of the dog’s genitourinary system.

Often the first estrus goes unnoticed by an inexperienced owner due to mild signs, which is why breeders have adopted the term “silent estrus.” In such a case, you should pay attention to the physiological signs and psychological state of the pet.

Remember that experts recommend performing sterilization surgery shortly before the Chihuahua's first heat. This is explained by the fact that the risk of developing cancer of the reproductive system, in this case, is reduced to almost zero. Read: sterilization of a Chihuahua: pros and cons.