Having a dog opens up many questions about their nature and behavior. The longer you stay with one, the more questions you have. Some of them may not seem like appropriate ones to ask a friend. Whether dogs have periods or not is one of those questions. Luckily, the internet is here to save us and answer all the awkward stuff. We would instead not talk about in public.
The question about dogs and periods may not be as far-fetched as you think. We all know – hopefully – that we share the same class of evolution with dogs which scientists call Mammalia. This means that our reproductive cycles are quite similar. So you would expect that other mammals – like dogs – would share the same reproductive characteristics that we see in human beings, one of them being the menstrual cycle (periods)
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The Estrous Cycle
So, to answer your question directly: yes, dogs do get their periods. Except for the way dogs experience their periods is not precisely similar to how humans experience them. For starters, periods in dogs and the majority of other mammals is called Estrus or the estrous cycle to be specific. For most of us, we refer to this being a time when a dog is on “heat.”
The estrous cycle is different from the menstrual cycle in many ways. For starters, we know that preparation in the human female reproductive system happens by the uterine walls growing and acquiring more blood for a fertilized egg. Lack of a fertilized egg means the sloughing off of this wall in the form of blood, which is what we call menstrual flow.
In the estrous cycle, there is also a supply of blood into the reproductive organs, but there is no enlargement of the uterine wall which occurs. Sometimes there is bleeding during a dog’s cycle, but it is because blood can be supplied in excess during this process and that leads to some of it being discharged from the dog’s vagina.
In other words, the blood does not come from the uterus but from the vagina. Another significant difference between the estrous cycle and the menstrual cycle is that while the lack of a fertilized egg in the latter leads to sloughing off of the uterine wall and the egg itself, the estrous cycle involves reabsorption of nutrients from the egg into the body over an extended period of time.
The estrous cycle can occur up to twice or thrice a year depending on the size and breed of dog and can last up to 180 days. The period is made up of four significant steps: proestrus, estrus, diestrus, anestrus. Proestrus and estrus are the two phases when a dog is most likely to have its eggs fertilized, and are also the phases where the dog is most likely to have a discharge of blood from the vagina.
Proestrus Cycle
The proestrus cycle lasts around 3-17 days. During this phase, there is a high production of estrogen within the dog’s body. There is also swelling of the vulva and a noticeable increase in urination. The discharge in this phase is usually made of very dark blood because it is the beginning of the cycle. Along with the blood, there is a discharge of excessive hormones and pheromones. The pheromones are responsible for alerting male dogs and attracting them for mating.
During Estrus
The dog is in its prime mating phase. The first noticeable change of estrus is that the discharge from the dog becomes significantly lighter, turning from dark red to pink and eventually a clear fluid. There are other signs that a dog may be in estrus, including a reluctance to take part in usual daily activities such as playing, taking walks, or running. The dog is also inclined to sleep more often and may begin building a nest for her young puppies to live in when they are delivered. Estrus is the shortest phase of the estrous cycle and may last up to a maximum of seven days.
Diestrus
Diestrus is the third phase and has two significant activities happening. In the first scenario, the dog’s egg has been successfully fertilized, and the development of the fetus or fetuses has begun. The other occasion is one where there was no fertilization, and the dog starts to reabsorb the nutrients from its egg back into its body. During this phase, there is no discharge from the dog’s vagina. The vulva has also begun to reduce in swelling and will continue to do so until the stage is over. Diestrus takes up to 65 days to end, which is the same period that gestation occurs in a dog.
Anestrus
Anestrus is the last and most extended phases of the four, lasting up to three to four months. During anestrus, all hormonal activities in the dog’s body have stopped, and the dog is sexually inactive.
What If You Don’t Want Puppies
Most people are usually okay with getting just one companion dog for their home. In most cases, they are acquired as puppies or from animal shelters or only from a kind person rescuing one. For female dogs, because the estrous cycle is a natural biological occurrence, keeping them indoors or detaining them during the “heat” is not always advisable. For starters, they may become aggressive because of the need to mate. This will make it difficult to clean or feed your dog.
Thankfully, there is a safe way to ensure that your dog does not go into the estrous cycle at all. This process is called spaying, and it involves the removal of a pet’s ovaries and uterus at a young age – usually six to eight weeks – and is a safe procedure for your dog. In male dogs, the process of removing their testicles is referred to neutering.
Spaying and neutering are beneficial for your dogs in many ways. In your female dogs, it can significantly reduce the chances of acquiring chronic diseases such as mammary and ovarian cancer. The chances of uterine infections are also lessened considerably by spaying. You will also avoid instances of false pregnancies and the accumulation of pyometra (mucus) in the uterine walls which could attract bacteria if the dog does not successfully fertilize her egg. Neutering for male dogs also dramatically reduces the chances of developing testicular cancer. It is best to neuter or spays your dog if you are also not in a position to raise puppies.
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