What Age Do Dogs Have A Menopause? If They Have One At All?
October 7, 2009 by Ann-Britt
Filed under Menopause News & Articles, Menopause Symptoms
I have a seven year old cocker spaniel (and a five year old cocker and a two year old lab) and none of them have been neutered or spayed or anything, and I was wondering when they might have a menopause? Obviously they are all too young now, I know that much.
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faq: if I don’t have her spayed, will she go through menopause.
No. Her fertility may decline but she will not go through menopause comparable to a human’s. She won’t lose her ability to become pregnant even as a senior so if you don’t want to her to have any (or more) litters, she must be spayed.
B1tches do not have a menopause. They continue to come into season for the whole of their lives & can become pregnant at any age. The older a ***** is when she has her 1st litter, the more likely she is to have a difficult time. If you are not planning on breeding, it is far better to have your dogs neutered now, while they are healthy than to have to have them neutered due to an infection of the uterus later on.
No they don’t go through menopause but very shortly you are going to have to pay a TON of money to take care of the prostate cancer and mammory cancer your pets are going to get. Congratulations you are a moron!! Your dogs are going to die in the next couple years anyway since you aren’t smart enough to fix them so why do you care about anything?
i think they have a version of the menopause. but not exactly the same.
they just stop their seasons and start to just look older i think.
and i think it happens around 2 years before their average age.
The interval between heats may increase as your dog gets older, decreasing the number of times she goes into heat each year. As your b*tch continues to age past 7 years, fewer and fewer heat cycles occur. Eventually, your b*tch may completely stop cycling. In this regard, it is similar to human menopause, but in dogs there are other considerations??ainly dealing with uterine health.
maybe……….if their female
i dont think so because dogs dont get periods at keast i dont think they do even thought they can have babies
Most female dogs come into season for the first time between 6 and 12 months, although some larger breeds delay until as late as 2 years. Like most mammals, the age that a ***** first comes into season is mostly a function of her current body weight as a proportion of her body weight when fully mature. The different rates of maturation are responsible for the menarche, not the chronological age. They then experience fertile seasons biannually until old age. Female dogs do not experience menopause, although their cycles will become irregular and fertility becomes unpredictable as the become older. Dogs over around 7 or 8 years are usually considered no longer appropriate for breeding, but can still remain fertile.
not quite… If your dog’s heat cycle has suddenly changed, and we are a dog over 7 years (this means they are Seniors), then get her into the vet ASAP. Changes in the heat cycle can be anything from uterine infection (can be deadly-called a Pyometra), to liver and kidney issues.
As with any dog over 7, ANY changes are more serious than on a younger dog.
This article focuses upon reproduction of domestic dogs. Reproduction within other types of canid is not covered at present.
Two dogs copulating on a beachThis article covers the process of reproduction in canines (dogs and their relatives), as well as related veterinary and breeding information.
Contents [hide]
1 Canine sexual anatomy and development
1.1 General
1.2 Dogs
1.3 Bitches
2 The reproductive cycle
2.1 Female cycle
3 Copulation
4 Gestation and litters
5 Clinical issues
6 Dog breeding
6.1 Timing
6.2 Procedure
6.3 Amateur breeding
7 Spaying and neutering
8 Variations for other types of canid
9 Glossary of terms
10 References
11 See also
[edit] Canine sexual anatomy and development
Main article: Animal sexuality
See below for a glossary of terms used in this article.
[edit] General
The female sex of the domestic canine is referred to as a *****, and the male of the same species is referred to as a dog. In domestic canines, sexual maturity (puberty) occurs between the ages of 6 to 12 months for both males and females, although this can be delayed until up to two years of age for some large breeds. Pregnancy is possible as soon as the first estrus cycle. As with other domesticated species, domestication has selectively bred for higher libido and earlier and more frequent breeding cycles in dogs than in their wild ancestors.
[edit] Dogs
This short section requires expansion.
Like most males of any species, the development of secondary sexual characteristics is dependent on the production of testosterone by the testes. Secondary sex characteristics include increased muscle mass, penile enlargement, anal hypertrophy, and development of a gland at the base of the tail. Testosterone levels are also responsible for the sex drive, which is not cyclical. Males are receptive to mating at any time, and are willing to mate even if the ***** is not fertile. The dog’s penis has a bone, called the os penis, which provides rigidity regardless of level of sexual stimulation. The remainder of the anatomy is similar to other species. Dogs have a prostate gland and are susceptible to similar problems as humans.
[edit] Bitches
The anatomy of the ***** is similar to other mammals. They have two ovaries located caudal to the kidneys in the abdominal cavity. They have a bicornuate uterus, and there is single uterine body which is sealed off by the cervix. The cervix is muscular with fibrous tissue support, and closes in a stellate pattern. The vaginal vault extends to the opening of the urethra in the dorsal wall, at which point it is termed the vestibule. The vestibule makes a steep downward turn and the exit of the reproductive tract is the vulva. Bitches have a clitoris just inside the vulva. Bitches often have a vaginal stricture, which is a remnant of where the vagina and vestibule fused together during embryonic development. This stricture is often asymptomatic and is broken down during mating.
As with most domesticated species, one of the first and strongest effects seen from selective breeding is selection for cooperation with the breeding process as directed by humans. In domestic dogs, one of the behaviours that is noted is the abolition of the pair bond seen in wild canines. The ability of female domestic dog to come into estrus at any time of the year and usually twice a year is also valued. The amount of time between cycles varies greatly among individual dogs, but a particular dog’s cycle tends to be consistent through her life. Conversely, undomesticated canine species experience estrus once a year, typically in late winter.
Most female dogs come into season for the first time between 6 and 12 months, although some larger breeds delay until as late as 2 years. Like most mammals, the age that a ***** first comes into season is mostly a function of her current body weight as a proportion of her body weight when fully mature. They then experience estrus about every seven months until old age. Female dogs do not experience menopause, although their cycles will become irregular and fertility becomes unpredictable as they become older. Dogs over around 7 or 8 years are usually considered no longer appropriate for breeding, but can still remain fertile.
The reproductive cycle
Female cycle
This short section requires expansion.
The average length of the reproductive cycle for bitches is 7 months. Bitches reach sexual maturity (puberty) between 4 to 18 months of age. There is a tremendous variability in the maturation age between breeds, and even within a breed of dog. The first stage of the reproductive cycle is proestrus, in which eggs in the ovaries begin to mature and estrogen levels begin to rise. During this stage males are attracted to non-receptive females. Initially, the vulvar lips will swell up and become pliables, there are small amounts of bloody vaginal discharge, and signs of frequent urination and restlessness. Proestrus generally last 9 days. Estrus is the next stage, in which estrogen levels are high, mature eggs are released from the ovaries, and the ***** mentally and physically becomes receptive to copulation. It is only during estrus that copulation will result in pregnancy. During proestrus and estrus, bitches may have a clear to bloody discharge. These stages is often referred to as “heat.” The length of these cycles varies greatly between individuals. Proestrus and estrus can last anywhere from 5 days to 21 days. Diestrus is the period following mating. Diestrus lasts approximately 56 to 58 days in the pregnant *****, and 60 to 100 days in the non-pregnant *****. During both of these periods, progesterone levels are high. Because the hormonal profile of a pregnant ***** and a ***** in diestrus are the same, sometimes a non-pregnant ***** will go through a period of pseudo-pregnancy. At that time she may gain weight, have mammary gland development, produce milk, and exhibit nesting behaviours. Anestrus is the period of reproductive quiescence. The ***** has no attraction to or from the male. Anestrus generally lasts four to five months.
Copulation
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When copulating, a male canine initially mounts the female from behind, as with most tetrapods, a position known informally as doggy style. The female will hold her tail to the side (called “flagging”) and allow this if receptive. If unreceptive she may sit or lie down, snap, move away, or otherwise be uncooperative or not allow mating. The male will often move about as he tries to get a good purchase upon her, and whilst attempting penetration of his penis to the female’s vulva. At this point, the penis is not erect, it is slender and held rigid by a small bone inside, known as the baculum.
When the male achieves penetration, he will often hold tighter and thrust faster, and it is at this point when he is mating that the male’s penis expands. Canine reproduction is different from human sexual intercourse, because human males become erect first, and then enter the female; canine males enter first, then swell and become erect.
The male dog has a bulbus glandis, a spherical area of erectile tissue at the base of the penis, which traps the penis inside the female’s vagina during copulation as it becomes engorged with blood. [1]
Once the penis is locked into the vagina by the bulbus glandis, the male will usually lift a leg and swing it over the female’s back while turning around. The two stand with their hind ends touching and the penis locked inside the vagina while ejaculation occurs, decreasing leakage of semen from the vagina. After some time, typically 5 – 20 minutes (but sometimes longer), the bulbus glandis disengorges, allowing the mates to separate. Virgin dogs can become quite distressed at finding themselves unable to separate during their first copulation, and may try to pull away or run. Dog breeders’ websites often suggest it is appropriate for those involved to help calm and settle the mating dogs once this stage is reached, if they show anxiety, through until eventual separation.
Note that similar canine mounting behavior (sometimes with pelvic thrusting) is also used by dominant canines of both sexes. Dominance mounting, with or without thrusting, should not be confused with copulatory mounting, in which the thrusting is short term until a “tie” is achieved.
Gestation and litters
A Catahoula Leopard mother nursing her litter of puppies.Dogs bear their litters roughly 9 weeks after fertilization, although the length of gestation can vary from 56 to 72 days.
A general rule of thumb is that a mammal will produce half as many offspring as the number of teats on the mother. This rule is altered in domesticated animals since larger litters are often favoured for economic reasons and in dogs, particularly, the great range of sizes and shapes plays a role in how many healthy puppies a female can carry. An average litter consists of about six puppies, though this number may vary widely based on the breed of dog. Toy dogs generally produce from one to four puppies in each litter, while much larger breeds may average as many as 14 pups in each litter. The number of puppies also varies with the mother’s age and health, the father’s sperm count, the timing of the breeding, and many other factors.
Some breeds have been developed to emphasize certain physical traits beyond the point at which they can safely bear litters on their own. For example, the Bulldog often requires artificial insemination and almost always requires cesarean section for giving birth.
Since a mother can provide nutrients and care to only a limited number of offspring, humans must assist in the care and feeding when the litter exceeds approximately eight puppies.
Clinical issues
This short section requires expansion.
Owners of intact bitches should be aware of pyometra, an acute infection similar in effect to appendicitis which can affect any intact *****, and which is always very serious and often fatal. The period after heat, when the cervix is closing, is a high risk period for this disease and close attention should be paid for any signs of temperature, lethargy, lack of eating, excessive thirst, or any other indicators of sickness. Pyometra should be treated as a medical emergency if suspected. Contrary to myth, pyometra can strike any intact *****, whether she has been bred or not, and whether it is her first or tenth season, although it is more common as dogs become older.
Dog breeding
This short section requires expansion.
Timing
Breeders and veterinarians have various methods for determining the best time to breed a *****. Breeders rely on both the visible signs of estrus and modern testing methods when they are trying to decide the best time to breed. Visible signs of estrus (or heat) include vaginal bleeding, vulvar swelling and the female dog responding to a male dog by standing and “freezing” to allow the male dog to mount her. The three most commonly used medical methods for determining estrus are: Blood Progesterone, Blood Luetinizing Hormone(LH), and a Vaginal Smear. The first two test for the level of those hormones in the blood, and a “smear” checks the amount of cornified epithelial cells present in the vaginal secretions.
Many breeders prefer the LH and Progesterone tests because they are highly accurate while the smear method can be unreliable (especially when done by a vet who has limited experience performing this test). However the smear method is still widely used because it is much cheaper, and it’s less stressful for the ***** because no blood has to be drawn.
Before the advent of modern testing a breeder might mate the two dogs every two to three days during the *****’s estrus to ensure that fertilization had occurred. Today, most breeders will track a *****’s cycle (usually by Progesterone blood tests) and breed her only during a 3 day window when she is most fertile and most receptive to the male.
A female dog allowed to roam freely during estrus can end up producing puppies from multiple fathers. Breeders might occasionally breed a female to more than one desirable male for various reasons, in which case the only reliable way to determine parentage of the puppies is through DNA testing of the pups.
Procedure
This short section requires expansion.
Natural breeding can be easily accomplished between most dogs as long as the ***** is in estrus during the attempt. Simply placing both dogs in the same environment for a few days will usually result in a pregnancy.
If, due to breed characteristics or the stud only being available for a short time, natural breeding is not desirable, artificial insemination can be used. This is often done at a veterinarian’s office. An artificial vagina is prepared, which is a conical thin latex sleeve ending in a sterile collection tube. The inside of the latex sleeve is lightly lubricated. The male is allowed to sniff a female in estrus. Experienced studs cooperate readily in the process. New studs often require encouragement in the form of manual stimulation. Generally the male will mount the female, and the collector quickly directs his penis into the latex sleeve. The male emits semen in the normal way and it is collected in the tube. The semen is then drawn up into a long thin pipette. The pipette is threaded through the *****’s cervix and the semen deposited in her uterus. There is ongoing research into techniques for chilling or freezing canine semen. Currently, for high quality breedings, one of the mates is often flown to the location of the other for this procedure.
Amateur breeding
This short section requires expansion.
Amateur breeding is also referred to as “backyard breeding.” People practice this for a variety of reasons – they may want their dog to experience pregnancy, they may have failed to spay their dog, or they plan on selling the offspring. Due to the huge numbers of unwanted dogs that are routinely euthanized in animal shelters, this type of breeding is generally frowned upon.
Professional breeding arose in response to the evolution of dog shows. As people began to request dogs with very specific characteristics, breeders began to pay careful attention to which dogs were chosen to mate. Breeders also recognized that there were jobs for which no available dog was fit, so they crossed existing breeds to get qualities appropriate for that job.
Professional breeders attempt to improve what they deem the standard of their breed, though in actual fact there is no evidence that those that consider themselves to be professional produce healthier dogs, of higher quality than other individual. Standards are exhaustively described by national breed clubs, and it is organized under the American Kennel Club, but they may be interpreted very differently by individuals. Professional breeders attempt to maximize the good qualities in their lines; however these qualities may be subject to fashion and change over time. Breeders may think they learn which of their dogs are superior by having them compared to other dogs of the same breed in dog shows. However these qualities are highly subjective, and opinion may vary widely among breeders and judges alike. This is why only intact dogs are allowed to compete; the purpose is to choose the best dogs for reproduction. Some breeders are less interested in show status, and may test their dogs’ abilities in other activities, such as hunting, pointing, working, herding, or rescue. Some breeders are interested in improving the temperament of their chosen breed, and may work to that end.
Some people believe that there is unifying theme among professional breeders, namely that they have a specific goal for improving the breed. However many seek to achieve these goals by extreme line breeding which ultimately reduces fertility, result in birth defects, and encourages the proliferation of genetic health conditions, and there may be much disagreement about how improvement in a breed is achieved in reality. Sadly very few professional breeders have more than a rudimentary understanding of genetics, which mean that many myths still prevail concerning the heredity of health problems. Professional breeders are often highly protective of their work. While in many cases this may well be laudible, it can sometimes lead to the perception that those new to a breed are amateur or entering for reasons deemed inappropriate, especially if they hold views on breeding that differ from received wisdom.
Spaying and neutering
Main article: Spaying and neutering
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Spaying (females only) and neutering (both genders but more usually males) refers to the sterilization of animals, usually by removal of the male’s testicles or the female’s ovaries and uterus, in order to eliminate the ability to procreate, and reduce sex drive. Neutering has also been known to reduce aggression in male dogs, but can occasionally increase aggression in female dogs
Animal control agencies in the United States and the ASPCA advise that dogs not intended for further breeding should be spayed or neutered so that they do not have undesired puppies. In the less developed countries of Europe, spaying or neutering of dogs is less common, and owners are usually instead advised to keep their dogs on leash and under supervision to avoid unwanted matings; drugs are used to prevent pregnancy and abort unwanted litters.
Because of the overpopulation of dogs in some countries, puppies born to strays or as the result of accidental breedings often end up being killed in animal shelters. Spaying and neutering can also decrease the risk of hormone-driven diseases such as mammary cancer, as well as undesired hormone-driven behaviors. The hormonal changes involved with sterilization are likely to somewhat change the animal’s personality, however, and some object to spaying and neutering as the sterilization could be carried out without the excision of organs.
Contrary to myth, it is not required for a female dog to either experience a heat cycle or have puppies before spaying, and likewise, a male dog does not need the experience of mating before neutering; these myths are responsible for numerous unnecessary health problems and unwanted puppies.[citation needed] Female dogs spayed before their first heat have a vastly lower incidence of mammary tumors than dogs which are spayed after their first heat or pregnancy (1% verses 22%).[citation needed] A female dog can become pregnant on her first heat cycle (which can take place as early as six months), and should be kept away from intact male dogs, including littermates, over the age of 4 months
Gender-preservative surgeries such as vasectomy and tubal ligation are possible, but do not appear to be popular due to the continuation of gender-specific behaviors and disease risks
In Europe, owners are encouraged to have the ovaries removed from their bitches, and in America, owners are encouraged to have both the ovaries and the uterus removed. Both of these are to prevent reproductive diseases. One of the most common reproductive diseases in intact (or entire) females is pyometra. In this disease, after an estrus cycle when immune defenses are compromised, an infection starts in the uterus and the uterus becomes full of pus. This manifests as lethargy, not eating, and drinking a lot of water. This almost always requires emergency surgery and hospitalization. Other diseases include cancer of the ovaries or uterus and endocrine imbalances resulting in skin problems, behavioural changes, or blood disorders. In Europe, male dogs are often left intact. In America, it is encouraged for male dogs to be neutered. In South America and Latin America, male dogs are almost never neutered for social reasons. The medical diseases attributable to being intact include perineal hernias, anal sac adenocarcinomas, and prostatic hypertrophy. In addition, behaviour issues such as dominance aggression, roaming and marking are a result of elevated testosterone levels