We humans need a fertility stage to get pregnant. In the same way, dogs need it too. Their ability to get pregnant depends on their heat or season. You may think, Can dogs get pregnant when not in heat?
Well, a dog can’t give birth if she is not in heat. In fact, she won’t allow other male dogs to come closer to her. If your dog comes into heat, there are many things you must do. Keep reading!
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When Do Dogs Come In Heat?
Before we know about the period of dogs coming into heat, we have to know what this heat means. Well, heat means the fertile season for female dogs. It is the time when they can get pregnant.
Usually, dogs come into their first heat when they are 6 years old. Some dogs can come into heat later, like in 2.5 years. It varies from dog to dog when they come into heat.
Once the female dogs come into heat, they will continue this process every 6 to 7 months. It means the fertility period of a female dog is twice a year. Some dogs can have a long gap in their fertility season, like 7 to 8 months. Each cycle of fertility lasts for 16 to 18 days. You can see many awkward symptoms in your dog.
We humans can’t give birth to babies once we reach menopause, but that doesn’t happen with female dogs. Female dogs will continue to give birth unless someone spays them.
Stages Of The Heat Cycle
When female dogs come into heat, they have to go through a heat cycle, also known as estrous. It has four stages, which are:
Proestrus
The proestrus stage lasts for the first 5 to 10 days. This is the stage when a female dog’s body gets ready to mate with a male dog, but they don’t get attracted to male dogs. In the proestrus stage, your dog will bleed and have an engorged vulva.
Estrus
After proestrus comes the estrus stage or the active stage. It lasts for 7 to 14 days. The discharge won’t be bloody but watery. The vulva will remain swollen, but the bitch will pee more than usual.
Diestrus
Diestrus is the stage in a heat cycle that lasts for 14 to 140 days. While reaching diestrus, dogs get normal and develop pregnancy. Also, the vulva will become normal, and the behaviour will be like usual.
Anestrus
Anestrus is an inactive stage of the heat cycle that lasts for six months. The duration of anestrus is short in tiny dogs and long in large dogs.
Can Dogs Get Pregnant When Not In Heat?
As said before, heat is the fertility stage when a female dog can get pregnant. If she is not in heat, she can’t give birth, even if she mates with a male dog.
Many dog owners neuter or spay their female dogs to avoid unwanted litters. In that case, a dog can never get pregnant.
Signs For Dogs In Heat
Here are some signs that female dogs exhibit when they are in heat:
- The vulva gets swollen.
- Discharge of blood.
- Constant licking of the genitals.
- Peeing more often
- Seeking attention from other dogs
- Behavioral and mood changes.
- Change in food habits
Can Dogs Not Bleed When In Heat?
In most cases, we have seen that a dog reaches the fertility season and still doesn’t bleed. She will bleed, but the discharge will be less. So you might think that the dog is not bleeding.
Usually, dogs bleed in the estrus stage, but if they don’t bleed, maybe they licked or cleaned the discharge.
Some dogs don’t have enough progesterone, which makes them bleed less. Besides, dogs can bleed less when they get into split heat. It is common to get female dogs that lack nutrition and have hypothyroidism, ovarian tumours, and so on.
Can Dogs Get Pregnant When Not In Heat? What If They Come In The Heat?
There is no chance for a dog to get pregnant when not in heat. If she gets into heat, you must take good care of her. The fertility period of a female dog is a fragile time for them. They need extreme care in that situation. Here are some tips to do so.
Make Her Feel Better
To make your dog feel better, you must keep her distracted and happy. She is suffering from a hormonal change and many confusions. To make her feel better, you must keep her distracted and happy. You can play games with her and give her some soft toys or a ball to entertain herself.
Don’t keep her around other dogs, or else she will try to mate. It would be better if you took her to an open area where she could stay calm and composed.
Prevent Bleeding
Dogs bleed when they come into heat. Some bleed profusely, and some bleed a little. This can create a mess in your house.
Try keeping your dog under a carpet or a bunch of clothes to soak up her blood. Also, try limiting your dog’s movement so as not to leave blood here and there.
Prevent Pregnancy
Heat is the stage when female dogs feel attracted to male dogs. If you don’t want an unwanted pregnancy in your dog, keep her away from other male dogs. If needed, look after her the whole time.
You can also place a fence in your backyard so that no uncastrated male dogs can contact your dog.
Maintain Hygiene
The dog will lick herself continuously as she feels restless during her season. Let her do it because she is trying to keep herself clean. However, you must wash her after a while and do it carefully so that she doesn’t feel hurt.
Can Dogs Mate When Not In Heat?
Heat is the period when a dog is ready to mate with a male dog and get pregnant. If she is not in heat, she is not ready to get pregnant or mate with a male dog.
A male dog may try to penetrate a female dog but he will be unsuccessful. So yeah, dogs can’t mate when they are not in heat.
Frequently Asked Questions: Can Dogs Get Pregnant When Not in Heat?
Can a dog get pregnant easily?
A male dog and a female dog will end up making babies when the female dog is in heat. Almost half of the dog family gets pregnant in just one mating session. So dogs may get pregnant easily.
How do I know if a female dog has mated?
A female dog that has mated recently will have some behavioural changes. Like becoming more clingy, feeling irritating, etc. She may also suffer from nausea and morning sickness.
What are the signs of silent heat in female dogs?
When a female dog gets a silent heat, she won’t bleed like she should. Usually, the heat cycle swells up the vagina of dogs and makes them build. If your dog is experiencing a silent heat, she will hardly bleed, and her vagina will not swell as usual.
Final Thoughts
If anyone asks you if Can dogs get pregnant when not in heat, tell them no. We living beings need a certain stage to bear offspring; this is when our body gets prepared. In the same way, dogs need the fertility stage to get pregnant.
Anyway, if you see a dog getting into heat, take proper care of her. Ask your vet if any supplements are required or not. To avoid an unwanted pregnancy, keep your dog away from other dogs and spend time with her.
