Gun Dog Forum

I have an older spayed bitch and a young male dog. For the second time in the last 6 months, he is acting like she is in heat He has gone off of his food, whimpers around her, is constantly trying to sniff at her or where she has been.

The only way I can describe it is it seems she still gives off some sort of scent of being in season a couple of times per year. This makes absolutely no sense because she is spayed. But it seems as if her body still gives off something on a regular cycle basis.

I have noticed this before with her on another older male that we used to have. He also seemed to notice a change in her, and would sniff and follow her around for about 3 weeks. But he never went off his food and whined an cried like our young male is now doing.

Has anyone ever experienced something like this with a spayed female giving off a scent twice per year. Or perhaps can give me some other explanation for this behavior?

Could be a false heat..?

There's a thing called ovarian remnant syndrome. If a fragment of ovary is somehow left in the dog during the spay, it can produce hormones and cause the symptoms of being in heat. Is your girl swollen and receptive to the male? Maybe call your vet and ask more about it, to find out if she can smell like being in estrus without the physical symptoms.

FWIW, one of my males gets all studly twice a year, and does carp like teeth chattering and adopting pillows as his girlfriends.
He doesn't bother my spayed terrier (she'd rearrange his face if he annoyed her) and my other male only rarely gets worked worked up. So I wonder if there is a neighbor's female coming in season, that he can smell. It lasts about 7-10 days then done for another 6 months or so.

Might be other dogs in the vicinity?

She isn't swollen. She's ok with his sniffing and even some licking but once he gets too excited, she gives him a correction. When she was intact, and in full blown heat, she was never receptive to males.

shags wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 10, 2021 10:06 am

There's a thing called ovarian remnant syndrome. If a fragment of ovary is somehow left in the dog during the spay, it can produce hormones and cause the symptoms of being in heat. Is your girl swollen and receptive to the male? Maybe call your vet and ask more about it, to find out if she can smell like being in estrus without the physical symptoms.

FWIW, one of my males gets all studly twice a year, and does carp like teeth chattering and adopting pillows as his girlfriends.
He doesn't bother my spayed terrier (she'd rearrange his face if he annoyed her) and my other male only rarely gets worked worked up. So I wonder if there is a neighbor's female coming in season, that he can smell. It lasts about 7-10 days then done for another 6 months or so.

I never knew this one! thanks for the information