HELP: Early heat... now what?

[momofkevandkk]

My pup is just eight months old and she's in heat now. I NEVER wanted or imagined her to start this before she's spayed, just never expected it this early. I wanted to wait til around 10 mos to spay. I don't even know what to do with a dog like this. She's got blood on her and around the house, all over her bed and blankets. And now we won't even be able to let her outside unless we have her on a leash... no sitter, no dog park, no training classes... this really puts a kink in things. I guess I'm a little overwhelmed at the moment...

[CarolB]

Heat

I can imagine. That's pretty young to have a heat.

[WeLoveOur7Dogs]

It'll be ok. Just don't let her out of your sight. Get some "panties" for her - we use men's tighty whiteys turned around backwards (tail through the crotch) with a pad with wings. Seems to work ok. Don't leave it on her when she's in her crate or she might eat it, but it'll help keep your house clean.
It'll be over before you know it!

[momofkevandkk]

Oh, I forgot to ask my questions...

How long is this supposed to last?
I'm going out of town at the end of the month, and she's scheduled to go to the sitter's.

When to spay now? How long do I have to wait since she's already in heat?

I had actually just decided to have her spayed now that she's eight months, just a feeling I had about her starting early.... so scheduled it for last Tuesday. But she's having some other issues that the vet is running tests for, and the doc said wait til we find out what is going on with her (she's throwing up every few days, for the past 2 - 3 months). Besides, "It's not like waiting is gonna hurt anything, right? I mean, she's only eight months old." Well, guess this is what we get for thinking....

Thankfully, Raina has been really mellow since yesterday. Hope it stays this way, since she's going to have to be cooped up in the house quite a bit.

[ASIA]

8 months is early sorry to hear this...I had Asia spayed at 10 months but I have heard they can come in heat early and you are proof of this. They say big dogs come into heat later just keep a close on her..I would take the advice of the whitey's.... This way your house syats in tacked. Good luck

[danemommd]

My bitch bleeds from 2-3 weeks....take Moni's advice and either use boy's/men's undies or get some bitch britches. Blood is easy to remove from colored carpet and bedding with "Oxi Clean" laundry stain remover spray....works great!!!!!

[crdane]

We had someone in our playgroup whose dane puppy went into heat at 6 months. I am really sorry you are going through this.

[ceciley13]

I have been in your shoes!! Luna went into heat at 8 months, two weeks before her spay appointment!

Take a few deeps breaths, it will be ok. I went to Petsmart and got her some doggie cloth diapers, and then put some maxie pads in them. I got a few so I could wash and rotate them. She wore them around the house, off outside and in her crate. She had bleeding for a bit over two weeks.

[kahluadanes]

While a giant breed dog often goes in heat at 12 months or even older it isn't always the case as you found out...like any breed they can go in heat any time from 6 months on. Now that she has come in heat you'll need to wait at least 3 months to get her spayed. Some dogs only bleed for 10 -14 days others for the entire 3 weeks...some are very messy others aren't. A pair of men's tighty whities or small boxers turned around so the tail comes out the fly with a pad in it does the trick for the messy ones. A heat cycle is an inconvenience but it isn't all that bad...