Shih tzu second heat in 1and half months?

Question

I have a 2 year old female who is the love of my life. I am very worried about her. In October she had her 3rd heat last week she began exhibiting signs of another heat (swollen Vulva, Bleeding aprox 4 days 1 heavy day where she wore a pad etc.) Is this normal? I want the best care for her and am very worried Please help.

Answer

Female dogs tend to go into heat twice yearly, usually spring and fall. It is unusual that your little dog is having another heat so soon after her last one. There are several things that you need to consider for her health. Firstly, if you are not planning on breeding her then it is in her best interest to be spayed. Unspayed dogs are more likely to develop malignant mammary tumors (breast cancer) as they get older and also are at risk for developing an infection in their uterus(a pyometra) which can be life threatening. At my practice we are big advocates of spaying and neutering for the health and well-being of the pet. Your little girl may have cystic ovaries or possibly an early pyometra and should definitely be evaluated by a veterinarian. It could just be an unusually early heat that your little girl is having but I still would recommend that she be checked out to be sure.