Dog Is In Heat But Not Bleeding – Silent Heat
Last updated on March 20th, 2023 at 06:54 pm
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Dog Is In Heat But Not Bleeding – Silent Heat
Dogs go in heat, and it is one of the most critical phases in a dog parent’s life, especially if they are eagerly waiting to get a new litter. The situation worsens when their dog is in the heat but not bleeding, and they cannot get what is happening.
Quick Answer:
A dog in a heat cycle with no bleeding reflects a silent heat period during which you cannot get a clue of whether she is in the cycle or not. Typically, female dogs in heat discharge blood or vaginal discharge, clearly showing pet parents that the dog is near mating, but silent heat gives no such indication.
Therefore, it is a period of extraordinary care and attention. Your dog may need visits to the vet and many other things. So, make sure to get into the details of silent heat, how you can learn your dog is in silent heat, what to do after knowing, and how to deal with the whole situation. This ultimate guide will answer all your questions.
What is Silent Heat in Dogs?
Silent heat in dogs refers to a condition in which a female dog is in the heat without showing any outward signs. Typically, dogs show clear signs like changes in their behavior, physical changes, the desire to mate, and bleeding. But if your dog is in silent heat, you cannot get any clue confirming its heat season.
Many pet parents are unaware of this type of heat in dogs and mistakenly assume that their dog has skipped the heat cycle. On the other hand, it is not the dog that has skipped the cycle, but they could not get it due to the absence of signs and symptoms.
As far as the cause of silent heat is concerned, many factors contribute to it. Malnutrition is one of the significant reasons, and a poor diet can affect your dog’s normal heat cycle. Similarly, dogs with some autoimmune diseases can also lead to such problems – so be careful and get that; if your dog is in the heat but not bleeding, it means she is in silent heat.
How to know if your Dog is in Silent Heat?
Knowing whether your dog is in silent heat or not is a bit tricky, and you cannot guess it either way. It needs a vet visit for proper examination and tests.
Here you must remember that a dog in silent heat means she is in the cycle but with no signs, so the best way is to do her blood examination. Your dog must have different hormones in the blood to help understand her heat status.
So, your vet will run routine blood tests to determine what’s happening inside. Frequent urination is also a sign of heat in dogs; urinalysis will help confirm whether your dog is in heat or not.
Thus don’t get upset if your furry baby undergoes extensive testing because you cannot do anything better for her.
Once silent heat is confirmed in your dog, move on to the next step for some basic strategies to deal with it.
What to Do if your Dog is in Heat but not Bleeding?
Some dog parents take it as a favor that the dog is in the heat but not bleeding because they get free from the hustle of cleaning blood all around in the home. But others get concerned as they want to breed for a new litter.
It will be pleasant news for you to know dogs in silent heat are fertile and can get pregnant but with little more care.
Dr. Dan Rice has suggested two strategies in the book “The Complete Book of Dog Breeding,” and you can also get the benefit. These are:
- First, house a female guest dog has a normal heat cycle, with your female dog prone to having a silent heart. The purpose of doing this is in hopes for the dog’s heat cycle to synchronize, as seen in many cases when female dogs live together. When the guest dog enters the first stage of the heat cycle, your dog with a history of silent heat will also go into the cycle with outward signs.
- In another technique, house a male dog with your female dog prone to silent heat. Remember, it needs more time, around six months, so it is better to accompany the dog you want to mate with. By doing so, the male dog will detect a heat cycle without relying on physical confirmation of bleeding. Sooner then, your silent heat female dog will have puppies.
Here you must not forget these are some experimental practices and may give results only if the silent heat is not due to complicated medical reasons. Therefore, you can give it a try, but the best practice is to follow your vet and don’t expect guaranteed results for every dog.
Always listen to your vet first!
How Long Does a Dog Stay in Heat?
Heat usually lasts 2 to 4 weeks and consists of 4 stages – proestrus, estrus, diestrus, and anestrus. The first two stages of the heat cycle are of prime importance as they determine pregnancy; on average, they last for 2 weeks. The pregnancy status of the dog will affect how long she remains in the diestrus stage, while the anestrus stage is simply the resting stage.
Furthermore, your dog can first go into heat at 6 months, but the time varies among breeds. Smaller dog breeds may first experience their heat cycle earlier than large dogs, who may not go in heat until up to two years of age.
How to tell if your Dog is in Heat?
As said earlier, silent heat is the period of heat in dogs with no apparent signs; still, you must know the basic symptoms to assess your dog’s heat season. Here are these:
- Dogs in this particular period are more aggressive than usual because of released hormones. They secrete mating hormones that add to her aggression.
- Bleeding is common and the most prominent sign of dogs in heat. Normally, a female dog entering heat may also discharge secretions from her vagina. The bleeding may get heavier or lighter in different stages.
- Your dog will frequently be urinating anywhere in the house.
- A female dog in the heat excessively licks her genital area and tucks her tail.
- Swollen vulva that returns to normal size.
- Female dogs pay more attention to male dogs for attraction or mating purposes by raising their tails. You can also say female dogs flirt with male dogs; therefore, you need to keep them inside if you are not ready for new pups.
Bear in mind that these signs are of dogs with normal heat, and you are in the counter scenario where there will be no visible signs. So, just learn them with the hope of attending to another dog in normal heat.
Can You Help Dogs in Silent Heat Getting Normal Heat Cycle?
Genetics plays a major role in your dog’s reproductive health, and you can only help dogs in silent heat to get normal if there is no serious medical history. Working on malnutrition can also give good results, and feeding quality food will ensure ideal growth.
You can also ask your vet about supplements that target the reproductive system of your dog and keep the cycles normal.
Conclusion – Dog is in Heat but not Bleeding!
Heat is a natural process in female dogs, causing swollen vaginas, bleeding, urination, hormonal and behavioral changes, and other signs. The other case arises when no bleeding occurs in dogs, and silent heat gives no signs of onset of the heating season. If your dog shows such a period, make sure to visit the vet and seek medical advice. You can also benefit from the techniques as mentioned above to get your dog to a normal heat cycle.
About The Author
I'm a content writer and researcher. But bottom line, I loveee animals. I had my first animal which was a guinea pig at age 8. Later had a bunny, dog and a lot, a lot of fish. Writing about what I know about pets will allow me to share my knowledge and love for them with everyone else. Dealing with dogs my entire life, I know a lot.
