Owners of female dogs perforce are forced to encounter at least once in their life with such a thing as estrus. This process is absolutely natural. It indicates that the animal is ready for a given period of time to perform an important function - reproduction. But sometimes the owners are completely unprepared for this situation, and questions they cause all the manifestations of oestrus (namely, this condition of the animal is called correctly), starting with what actually happens and ending with the question of how many days the dog has estrus lasts on average.
Symptoms of approaching maturation can be a changing behavior. At some point, your pet may suddenly become lethargic, stop eating or, on the contrary, show an aggression that is not peculiar to her. The onset of estrus in dogs is expressed precisely by such oddities. During this period, it becomes difficult to train an animal, it remains only to try to control its behavior.
Next, let's talk about how many days
a dog's estrus can last depending on the breed. In general, oestrus occurs no more than 2 times a year. In some small breeds, the period between estruses can reach even more: a year, or even a half. Estrus lasts from 20 to 25 days. This time can conditionally be divided into four main periods.
The first of them is conditionally called proestrus. It lasts from 1 to 8 days from the beginning of estrus. This is the time to prepare the dog’s body for mating. The animal has bloody discharge from the genitals, which can cause a lot of trouble to the owners, and you should be prepared for this. During this period, the dog still does not show interest in males, moreover, it simply can not let them in. Therefore, mating animals at this time is undesirable.
Then the estrus proper begins in dogs. How many days does the estrus period last? Usually this is a week: from the 9th day from the beginning to the 16th, inclusive. The dog has an active interest in the opposite sex. During the walk, she can clearly show her males their readiness for mating. At this time, the owner should especially strictly control the animal in order to prevent unauthorized contact. The best time for the planned mating is 2-3 days of estrus. During this period, the discharge becomes colorless.
The third period is called metaestrus. How many days does a dog have a heat in this stage? Not more than 5-6. This is the period from the 17th to the 22nd day, when the sex drive in the dog slowly subsides, previously swollen genitals return to normal sizes, the discharge stops, and the animal begins to behave in a way familiar to the owner.
And finally, the fourth period, or the time between estruses, when the dog’s body recovers, since exhaustion occurs during the oestrus period, even if the animal is not pregnant.
Any owner needs to know how many days a dog has in heat, because if this condition lasts longer than the prescribed 22 days, this is a cause for panic. In this case, you should definitely show the animal to the veterinarian in order to avoid inflammation or diseases of the genital area in your pet.