[Ania's Mommy]

I will applogize in advance for my ignorance on this subject, but...

I am currently dog sitting for my brother. He has a gorgeous 11 year old Rottie (who both looks and acts like a 4 year old). She has never been fixed. My brother says that she hasn't gone into heat for a couple of years now. There is a male Rottie who comes over here from time to time. I have no idea who's dog this is. I've asked some of our neighbors, and they don't seem to know. We live on acerage but all of our surrounding neighbors have dogs. I know he belongs to SOMEONE because he is well cared for and wears a shock collar (aarrgghhh!!).

Here are my questions:

1. Do dogs go into menopause?
2. If a male dog is neutered, does that mean his "boys" have been removed? 'Cuz this dog still has 'em.
3. How long does it take them to do the deed? They haven't been left alone for more than a minute. That's how long it took us to notice that he was here.
4. Is there a "morning after" type pill for dogs? I really think that if she IS pregnant, it wil reak havoc on her and she may not survive. Also, the last thing my bro needs is to have a litter of puppies.
5. 11 years old is too old to be spayed, right?
6. The male has not acted like a crazed beast, so Mercy is probably not in heat and I'm overreacting, right?

Again, I apologize for my lack of knowledge in this area. We had Ania spayed, so I have never researched the reprocussions of having an un-altered female.

Thanks guys!
Richelle

 

[RawFedDogs]

1. Do dogs go into menopause?

I'm not expert in this area but I think an 11 yo rottie would be too old to get pregnant.

2. If a male dog is neutered, does that mean his "boys" have been removed? 'Cuz this dog still has 'em.

Sometimes the sack remains for a period of time then go away.

3. How long does it take them to do the deed? They haven't been left alone for more than a minute. That's how long it took us to notice that he was here.

Prolly not enouth time.

4. Is there a "morning after" type pill for dogs? I really think that if she IS pregnant, it wil reak havoc on her and she may not survive. Also, the last thing my bro needs is to have a litter of puppies.

Not that I know of

5. 11 years old is too old to be spayed, right?

Don't know. I don't think it would be necessary.

6. The male has not acted like a crazed beast, so Mercy is probably not in heat and I'm overreacting, right?

Yes, I agree with your statement.

Don't forget, I am not an expert in this area.

 

[rannmiller]

It doesn't take dogs long, but for bigger dogs, you would probably notice them going at it and not that males normally act like "crazed beasts" but more just overly interested and enthusiastic. And yes, they do remove the testicles when the dog gets neutered so chances are he's still intact.
More likely than not, with how old she is, she is not going to get pregnant but you never know. Unfortunately there is no morning after pill for dogs, but if she does end up pregnant, he could always do a spay abort as well. 11 is very old to do a spay, especially on a large dog like a rott, but (bloodwork and veterinary advice pending) it could still be possible.

 

[Todd]

1. Females do not go through menopause though sometimes there may be a cessation in heat cycles for a period of time and then they can start back up again. As a female ages, her fertility does drop off but she will not go through menopause as humans do. It is also possible for senior dogs to become pregnant. Dropping off of fertility with age does not mean she cannot become pregnant.

2. Technically, neutering refers to the removal of the reproductive organs on both male and female animals. However, neutering, also known as orchidectomy, is most commonly referred as the de-sexing of male animals, removing the testicles.

3. Dogs usually mate close to when they ovulate to increase chances of pregnancy. Usually dogs ovulate sometime between days 9-14 from the start of heat but dogs vary as individuals and can mate earlier or later.

If they are just playing and she is still saying no-no! then you are probably a little early. Giving them time to play and court is good as it will make their mating easier to accomplish.

4. Yes, there are effective birth control pills for dogs, however there can be negative side effects involved. (It may be alright to use these for the short term, but not in the long run) Below is a link to a website where you can learn all about doggie birth control pills;

http://dogs.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Birth_Control_Pills_for_Dogs

5. Although maybe not as easy as she once could have, dogs are among many animals that remain fertile for their whole lives or at least most of theirs. Therefore, it is never too late to get your dog fixed. The only thing I would be worried about is whether or not she can handle the anestesia.

6. You are probably correct, but you can't always be 100% sure. Below are several ways to determine if your dog is in heat;

First signs of heat are...

Personality change up to a month prier to coming into heat
Your female may act shy for no reason or cranky with other dogs or people, some dogs even become more affectionate. What you are looking for is just a personality change. This is the female dog version of PMS.

Swollen, vulva
Up to a few weeks prier to being in full heat your dog’s vulva will seem larger and puffier then normal
As she gets farther into her heat it may become loose and floppy in the vulva. The main thing again to look for is a change in the vulva.

Increased urination
Some female will start urinating more often, beware this is to leave her scent, to tell all the boys she is coming into heat.
Teats {breasts, nipples} may get a bit pink and puffy

Blood from the vulva
You may notice some red blood on the floor or on your dogs bedding.
At the first sign of blood we will say this is the “first day of heat”.

The dog will ovulate approximately 6 to 18 after first sign of blood.

As your female gets closer to ovulation the bloody discharge may turn pale pink, straw color or disappear altogether.

Your dog is most likely to get pregnant after the bleeding has stopped. So just because you see no blood dose not mean it is safe to let you female dog around other dogs.

Once your dog gets close to ovulation she may become more friendly and playful with other dogs.

The only real way to tell when your bitch is ovulation is to take her into the vet’s office and have them check her progesterone level.

*Hope this helps. Good luck:smile:

 

[malluver1005]

When I worked at the Petshotel, we had these two dogs in the playroom. The male (not neutered) was not supposed to be in there with the intact female. The male was a Shitzu and the female a toy poodle mix. There were two employees in there watching them play. They thought to themselves "What could they possibly do, we're watching them"

Well, I was on my break and when I got back, turns out that they had mated. I bet once the employees turned their heads another way, it happened. Since they are little dogs, it happens quicker. I believe once they start, you can't separate them until they finish.

Turns out the female had one puppy. And she gave birth at the Petshotel on 12-25-07...