Puppy spoting blood

by Jen Clubb
(Squires Mo)

My puppy pees ok the urine is yellow to clear with no smell to it. But she squats once and a while and a little drop of blood comes out. She is very active so she seems like she is not in any pain.

I was wondering if female dogs have periods like humans if they are not fixed?





Hi Jen
Yes, a female dogs 'period' is called 'coming into season' or 'coming into heat'. It doesn't happen every month, usually it's twice a year, but some breeds and even some individual dogs, can come into season more often or less.

The age at which a pup has her first 'season' varies depending upon the size/breed, and small dogs mature more quickly than the larger ones therefore they often have their first heat cycle at a younger age.

Somewhere between 4 and 8 months would be average. If your pup is in this age range, she could be in season. Normally you would also notice 'spotting' which is a dogs' menstrual flow. This blood flow isn't limited to urination though, it happens fairly much all the time and can ruin carpets and furniture if you don't confine her to an area which is easily cleaned. Her vulva would also normally appear swollen when she's in season.

If your dog is only showing this blood spotting when she's attempting to urinate, it is more likely that she has a urinary tract infection or some sort of irritation in her urethra. This is fairly common in female puppies and young dogs.

I'd recommend that you have your vet take a look at your pup so that you can be sure of what is going on. UTI's often need to be treated with antibiotics.

I hope this helps. Best of luck with your puppy.