19 Month old, female having very irregular heat cycles.

[SarahK]

Hello everyone,

I have a 19 month old female German Shepherd, Ellie. Ellie had her first heat cycle at about 6/7 months of age, we do believe she had a split heat due to the fact that after she stopped bleeding, she started bleeding again about 2 weeks later. Her second heat cycle started at about 7 months later, we also believe she split this heat, although it was closer to 4 weeks between bleeding. This was at the end of March. On Monday night ( 6/ 14) she started bleeding again. She is normally very good at keeping herself clean but this time there seems to be much more blood. She also has stayed swollen since the end of March. She does seem to urinate more often, but other than that there are no other symptoms of heat.


We had an appt with our local vet today to do a urine test for a UTI and vaginitis. He also took blood samples. Are there any specific tests I should ask him to run on her blood? Also has anyone else had a similar experience?

The vet also ran a wellness check on Ellie while we were in and he said he saw nothing concerning. Her size and weight are healthy and correct.

We were not planning on spaying, or breeding , however if it is best for Ellie’s health I would spay her without question.

 

[aruna]

@SarahH, @Dr. Jeff, do you have any suggestions for @SarahK ? In the meantime, Sarah, we have a great course on neutering you may find useful - you can find it here: Non member login - Holistic Actions!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Wow, thanks for tagging me in this thread Aruna!

So sorry to miss your great first question Sarah.

I agree that Dr. Sara's free course would be a great place to start. Especially when it comes to the decision to leave her intact (as nature intends).

No, there was nothing special to add to the bloods. Just whatever CBC/profile tests that your vet requested from the lab.

Please post them and her urine results here when they are available.

It would also be awe-some to get an ultrasound of her ovaries (to rule out cysts).

You may also want to consider individualized homeopathy for her soon. Hopefully these estrus symptoms are purely energetic and not structural (meaning that the imbalance has not progressed to structural dis-ease).

@dr_ judy herman would be a wonderful vet homeopath with whom to consult if you choose to work with someone in addition to your local vet (if they are willing to be part of your vet care team).

 

[SarahK]

Thank you @Dr. Jeff . I was hoping to have results today but so far I have not heard anything.

When Ellie was at the vet they did have to sedate her to take her blood, they also shaved off a small amount of fur from her neck to take blood. The spot of bare skin now gets what I can best describe as a film on it. This also causes the fur around the skin spot to get crunchy. I have cleaned her with a paper towel and water however it keeps coming back. Is this normal? She also has a little fur on her leg shaved and that skin does not have the same weird film.

I will post lab results when I have them!!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

YW Sarah! ?

 

[SarahK]

@Dr. Jeff hello !

I have just received Ellie’s blood / urine test results. As to her urine being orangish in color… I had given her beats with dinner the night before, not thinking ahead ??‍.

I did watch Dr. Sara’s webinar on spaying, and with all the information she gave , I rather not spay Ellie.
Additionally, I know she tested positive for anaplasma phagocytophilum we were told we “ could” put her on doxycycline for a month. I am unsure how close that is to lymes, but I would prefer to not give her the doxycycline. Are there any natural remedies I could give her in place of it?

At this point I feel a bit confused and at a stand still on what to do about Ellie’s health, if her urine and blood test are normal I don’t see why spaying would benefit her, and still I am unsure why she has such a frequent cycle.

@beccak I figured you might want to see these as well!

thank you so much!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Thanks for the additional info. Sarah.

Diagnostic test results provide awe-some data that informs us about Internal symptoms. Just like BEAM does for external ones.

I would call her results perfect (yes, even with the positive Anaplasma screening test result?. The spaying was advised as a suppressive way to deal with her heat problems. No ovaries "solves" the problem

These screening tests can not be used as the sole diagnostic tool.

Her BEAM, or another external symptom, would need to be newly abnormal for the Anaplasma screening result to be significant.

I think you are super fortunate to live near and/or be working with Becca. Just do whatever she says!!

 

[GinnyW]

"No ovaries" is not the best solution, IMO. In fact an "ovary-sparing spay" retains the ovaries and all the lovely and necessary hormones, while taking the uterus and cervix. She would still have heats, but less intense, and with no spotting. This gives you a healthy, long-lived female. Since being in contact with males is apparently not an issue for you, this would be a good choice. Lots of info online, and a useful FB group called Ovary Sparing Spay and Vasectomy Info Group, with good scientific studies. Something to think about for the future, although you can do this at any time since it does not interfere wih development.