[EllaGrace]

Hello,
My dog Ella just turned a year and went into heat last Sunday. With discharge and I think a swollen vulva and has been showing all the signs. But still acting normal playing and eating and getting into mischief.

We are making sure to keep her inside and only going out on leash. I looked at he vulva today and it looked strange. I attached some pics. Warning they are a little gross. Thank you for the feedback.

 

[Sunsilver]

That does not look normal to me. I thing your dog has an invaginated (inverted) vulva, which can predispose her to urinary tract infections.

Do NOT get her spayed - often coming into heat will correct the condition!

A normal vulva is triangular at the bottom, and sticks out more. Do NOT follow the advice this website gives on spaying - large breed dogs should not be spayed before 2 years, to allow their bones to fully develop.

https://germanshepherdcountry.com/when-can-i-expect-my-female-dog-to-come-into-season/

The vulva will swell to several times its normal size as the heat progresses. Right now, I can tell she's in the early stages of heat, as it's still quite small.

 

[EllaGrace]

Thank you for the advice. I was already planning on waiting till she was full grown to spay her. But now I'll defiantly wait and hopefully it will fix itself. She has never had and bladder infections or other problems.

Thank you!!!

 

[wolfy dog]

Good that you posted pictures instead of trying to describe it and leave us guessing. Nothing gross about it. Please keep us posted on how it turns out in a month or so. Pyometra hardly happens in young dogs according to my breeder.

 

[EllaGrace]

I think Ella ended up having a split cycle she went out. But, now she went back in and her vulva is much more swollen than it was before. So maybe it wasn't a real cycle before.

Attached is a recent photo.

 

[lhczth]

That is entirely possible. She may be one that comes in more often than what we consider normal (average 6 months) or this heat cycle will settle her into a normal pattern.

 

[wolfy dog]

Deja's had a 'false heat' the first time, only to go into a normal one a few months later. She has been pretty regular since.