What is Not Coming Into Heat?
Female dogs have heat cycles, or estrus. During this time, the female is receptive to a male and has the ability to reproduce. There are some times when your female dog, or bitch, has an abnormal heat such as a silent or split heat or does not come into heat at all. If your female does not come into heat for over 10 months, there is a strong chance that her reproductive cycle is being suppressed.
Sometimes you may not realize that your female has actually cycled on time because she has had a silent heat. This is when your dog goes into heat but does not exhibit any of the normal signs of a regular heat cycle. Your female can still become pregnant during a silent heat. It is important to watch any intact male dogs closely; they will be able to detect a silent heat.
Possible causes of why your dog is not coming into heat include:
- Silent heat cycle
- Hypothyroidism
- Ovarian hypoplasia
- Malnutrition
- Tumor on the ovaries
Why Not Coming Into Heat Occurs in Dogs
Many times a female dog will not have a proper heat cycle until they are about two years of age. This is especially true in many large or giant breeds; they do not reach sexual maturity until they are two years old. You should be concerned if your female does not have a heat cycle until they are 24 to 30 months of age you will want your veterinarian to examine her.
Silent Heat Cycle
This occurs when your female will have a heat cycle without the normal symptoms such as bleeding and swelling of the vulva. Females will still be receptive to males and can become pregnant. Your veterinarian can check for a silent heat cycle by performing vaginal cytology and progesterone assays.
Hypothyroidism
Your dog may be suffering from a thyroid problem that can cause irregular heat cycles and in more severe cases can cause your female to not cycle at all. Hypothyroidism is thought to be genetic and dogs diagnosed with it should not be bred.
Ovarian Hypoplasia
There are instances when the ovaries do not fully develop and are incapable of producing enough estrogen for your female to come into heat or have a normal heat cycle. The mammary glands and the vulva will stay small and look underdeveloped. Ovarian hypoplasia is a result of abnormalities of the sex chromosome.
Malnutrition
Female dogs that are malnourished from poor diet or recent illness will many times not have a heat cycle. Feeding a commercial dog food that is low in protein and fat content can cause your female to not have a heat cycle. If you are planning on breeding your female, be sure to feed her a high quality food to ensure that her body is able produce enough estrogen for a proper heat cycle.
Tumor on the Ovaries
Tumors can develop for many different reasons, some being cancerous and some being benign. When a tumor develops on your female’s ovaries, this can inhibit heat cycles. Your veterinarian will need perform diagnostic testing to determine if a tumor is present and whether or not it is cancerous.
What to do if your Dog is Not Coming Into Heat
Your veterinarian will need to conduct a full examination of your female and also run routine tests such as biochemistry panel, complete blood count and urinalysis. If you suspect your female is experiencing silent heat cycles, you will need your veterinarian to do weekly vaginal cytology and progesterone measurements to determine the exact days that your female is in heat.
Females with ovarian hypoplasia will have elevated LH and an ultrasound will show if the reproductive organs are immature. Spaying a female that is diagnosed with ovarian hypoplasia is usually recommended. Blood testing will show if your female is experiencing a thyroid problem.
There are some instances where your veterinarian can induce a heat cycle by using human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH). Your veterinarian will need to closely monitor your female while undergoing these reproductive therapies.
It is recommended if your female is experiencing significant reproductive problems such as abnormal heat cycles or lack of heat cycles, she be spayed. Reproductive difficulties can be genetic and also can be indicative of a female who will be unable to properly carry or care for a litter.
Prevention of Not Coming Into Heat
While genetics can play a major role in your female’s reproductive health, there are certain preventative measures that can be taken to give your female a better chance of having a normal heat cycle. Feeding a quality food that is high in protein and fat is one way to ensure that your female is not suffering from malnutrition. Do not feed a low quality food and avoid giving extra treats or table scraps.
Speak with your veterinarian about supplements that target the reproductive system of your female. They may recommend a supplement that will keep your female cycling regularly. Regular checks by your veterinarian will hopefully catch any underlying problems such as hypothyroidism or tumors on the ovaries. If you are worried about your female’s lack of heat cycle, be sure to have your veterinarian do a full assessment to figure out the cause.
Cost of Not Coming Into Heat
The treatments for this symptom can range from very little cost, such as an office call to your veterinarian, to $7,000 depending on the exact cause. For example, hypothyroidism often averages at a cost of $1300, while ovarian cancer is much more expensive, with treatments ranging to $6500. On average, treating a female that is not coming into heat can cost around $1300.
Not Coming Into Heat Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
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I have a 10.5 month old McNab stock dog. She's ~37 lbs. She has not had her first heat yet as best as I can tell. In the description you guys mention that large/giant breeds may not go into heat for two years, but at what point is it concerning for a medium sized dog? I also have an intact male around, so I am assuming that if she had a silent heat he would have let me know, and that she has not gone into heat at all.
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My bull mastiff x husky hasn't come into heat or shown any signs not sure if it's a silent heat or not. But my male dog all he wants to do is hump her constantly and when he gets close to her he trys to lick back end. But she keeps getting aggressive towards him.
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My American Bully is about 6 years of age. She had 2 litters. Her last time coming into heat was October 2017. We expected her to come back into heat April 2018 and she hasn’t yet. In the beginning of the month her vulva was swollen but still never noticed a heat cycle. Any ideas?
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Say there is a delay in her heat. How long can her delay take?
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My dog Sugar hasn't been in heat yet the last time was approximately around September 2017 and she usually has it around every 6 months give or take a few days,she is about 12 yrs old. .should I be worried
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Last heat was in september 2017
1st pregnancy. Pups was born on 15th November 2017.
After this heat didn't come till now. At the beginning of March volva was swollen and then went back to normal size.
Straight after pup's birth Terra had course of antibiotics
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My female pomeranian is going to be 4yrs old in October. We've jst noticed shes never gone into heat. Around the time we got her we had a death in the family that threw us all into a depression. She never lacked care but we just never noticed that she never went into heat. I have had many people ask if I would like to breed her, Which I really would. And it has got me thinking about her cycle and how shes never had one. She has no other medical issues and has been living an easy life. Is this aomething to be worried about? She was the runt of the litter. Could that be a reason?
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My female Caucasian got pregnant but had a premature birth and ever since for like 8 months now she has not been on heat. I have a male dog around so if it’s a silent heat I’ll know. Though she had a premature birth because my vet gave her a deworming drug when she was ill during pregnancy. You have any idea why she hasn’t been on heat yet?
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My female dog is suffering from breast pain with swollen and hot she is already ligated help plz
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Hello
I have two sibling sisters who are 20 months old, they are chocolate Labradors and are in great condition.I have just acquired these dogs a few months ago and within a few days one of them started her heat cycle, the previous owner said that both the dogs had their first cycle at 12 months of age and they came in about a week apart, but this time the second dog has had no cycle. What could be the problem?
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my golden retriever Channel is 14 months this month but she never go into heat. should I be worried? we got her when she is 11 months old. i think her previous owner did not take good care of her, she in the cage until 11 months old, she has tooth decay, she's small than usual the size breed.
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I have an almost 11 month old German shepherd. She has not come into heat yet should I be concerned? She also has had 2 UTIs could this be a reason? She eats Eukanuba Large breed puppy which is 26% protein. Our vet wants us to go to vegetarian Natural Balance which is only 18% protein wouldn't that hurt her?
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I have a female Caucasian, she got pregnant but had a premature birth and after that for 8 months now she’s not been on heat. Also have a male around so if it’s a silent heat I’ll know. Any suggestions on what’s wrong?
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Hi, my 2 years old chihuahua have not gone on heat for near 10 months. She has a stomach surgery 2 months back for ingesting foreign bodies resulting in blockage. Is that why she hasn't got her period?
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my shitzu is 4ys 6mths didnt get her period til now .gave her medicines whch didnt help.got usg done that shows a lump.doctor cnt say wether the lump is in the uterus or ovaries as ovaries are not visible in the usg .urine is normal.please sugest what to do .im very woried
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In this situation if there is a mass, it would be best to have an exploratory laparotomy so your Veterinarian can see the mass visually and remove the mass along with the uterus and ovaries. If Betsy hasn’t been in heat, a successful pregnancy isn’t likely and would be best to have her fixed. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Our female went into heat and we thought she was pregnant , a month later my male will not leave her alone
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Hello my dog is 5 years old this year and we've had her since she was 2. She typically goes into heat every six months give or take a day or two. This last cycle started about a month or two later than usual. What could be the cause of this? She's now been in heat for the last week or so and everything has been normal. Should i be concerned that she was a bit late or can that happen?
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my dog is 6 yrs old and just now came into heat. she went 14 days and now she keeps drinking alot of water to the point she throws up. what is going on with her, she heat cycle was horrible bleeding heavy the whole time. Thank You Kathy
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I have a dog named Temmy and she’s 5-6 years old but the strange thing is she haven’t been going into heat for two years already. My family is planning to breed her but we couldn’t if she’s not in heat. Her heat cycle was all normal before but it stopped around 2 years ago. Not sure why it happened. I used to buy physiological pants for her but she’s not having her heat cycle. I’m not sure if it’s a silent heat or not. Also, I bought her a stick looking squeeze toy when she was younger, and I always see her thrusting her hips into the toy, is that normal? And please help me I need to know why she stopped her heat two years ago and it’s not coming back...
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Ihave a german shepherds whipet mis who os 3 years old amd have come into heat 5 times this year she just came out of heat less than a month ago and shes already coming back in she has experienced a great tragedy 2 weeks ago in the form of a house fire that she saw her daughter and her daughters litter burn im worried she hasnt been eating much at all but she typically doesnt go into heat so soon after the last
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My dog is 3 years and 1 month old. Shes a husky and went into heat once when she was around 9 months old. Since then she has not gone into heat. She has had no abnormal behaviors, though she does seem to pant alot.
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i have a 105 pound rhodesian ridgeback, she is almost 2 and has not gone into heat. I was told by her breeder to wait till she has one heat before spaying her.
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My Olde English Bulldog puppy had her first season at just 6 months, she's now 18m and not had a second season yet. She's a little large around her vulva but not bled at all. Any thoughts? I realise they can be irregular until full matured. She's in perfect health btw.
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Thanks, I'll keep an eye on her for another month or so and then pop to the vets if nothings changed.
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I have a female Shepherd who will be 2yrs old on March 1st. She had her 1st heat cycle Dec 30th of 2016 & has not come into her second heat as of yet. I've witnessed some light vommiting & she now has runny stools, also looks like she's losing weight. She acts perky and fine otherwise. She's a picky eater as well. I've had her on Diamond Naturals- Adult Beef formula for a year now. Please, any advice?
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My dog is 2 1/2 yrs old siberian husky. She is small for her breed. She had her 1st heat when she was around 11 month and another about 8 months later. She has not had one since. I thought the last time she had a silent heathe. She had the personality change. Slightly swollen, but no bleeding just a few drops of a clearer secretion. Now she is having similar symptoms but no swelling at all. One person said her dog food may contain steroids I wasn't aware of. I am not planning on breeding her because of her size. She is full of energy but is shying away from her food.
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I have my one year and half old german shepherd naned Pauli. And im wondering if i should be concerned that she hasnt got on heat by now her sister got on heat 2months ago?
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Hello. I have an English Cream Golden who had a successful litter of 11 pups at the age of 2 1/2. We kept one of her pups from this litter. She had another heat cycle roughly 8 months later (which was normal) but unfortunately has not had another cycle since then. We were hoping to breed her again and were waiting at least a full year after her first litter. Her heat cycles were very evident while occurring. Swollen, blood etc. etc. I am with my dogs all day everyday and I check her for signs almost daily. She has no health problems, sees our vet routinely for vaccinations and eats a very high quality food. I have lost faith in our vet due to misdiagnosis of our pup from that litter. One pup had a simple uti and he insisted she had ectopic ureter issues and we spent thousands of dollars and had many sleepless nights, all for nothing. He just wouldn't listen and focused on her ireters for no reason. Just an explanation of why I don't trust my vet. In process of finding another vet I can trust. Anyway, could you please advise as to what direction we should head? Thank you so very much for taking the time to answer.
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There are a few reasons why a dog may not be coming in heat which may be due to hormone condition, tumours (ovarian), nutritional deficiency or the heat cycle may not be noticed (but you mentioned that you check her regularly; whilst I understand that you have some concerns about your current Veterinarian, a breeding soundness examination should be carried out to see if there are any underlying conditions which may cause anestrus. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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my female German shepherd has not come in heat, she had her first cycle and i had her injected to prevent unwanted pregnancies but now she has not cycled again am worried the injection may have something to do with it
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The active ingredient in the injection may have a bearing on future heat cycles; if Riley hasn’t come into heat again, you should speak with your Veterinarian about the type of injection given to Riley and an examination, blood test and ultrasound may be required to determine the underlying cause. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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My 3 years old vizsla had first heat at age of a year, second heat 10 months later, but now is already 11 months from the last time she was in heat and she shows no signs. should I start worrying? I also plan to breed her and worry if this could be a sign of some medical condition? Alao are there any supplements can help to induce heat?
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If you are planning on breeding Penny, it would be best to have a breeding soundness examination performed by your Veterinarian to determine whether or not Penny is suitable for breeding. Common causes for a dog not commoning into heat are malnutrition, hormonal conditions, tumours or ‘silent heat’. Your Veterinarian will check for the usual causes for a dog not going into heat; there are some supplements (as well as prescription products) that are anecdotal to bring dogs into heat, but I would recommend a breeding soundness examination first so that you are aware of any problems and wouldn’t waste a mating if chances of success are minimal. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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Thank you Dr. King. I was just trying to think of other potential causes, and was wondering if the concept of Athletic Amenorrhea has an equivalent in canines? I do not work stock with my dogs, but we do a lot of ball, frisby, running, etc. and Zoot is therefore quite a fit dog. She is a very robust and healthy pup, and has not had any health concerns the vet has noticed in her appointments, hence my thinking that maybe the two could be tied together. Again, thank you for taking the time to comment here, if no change by 12 mos. I will ask my vet to do some investigating at her 1 year checkup.