Questions About My Puppy's Heat Cycle

Hello all! My baby, Emma, is about 11 months old and is currently going through her first (and last!) heat. I should have gotten her spayed a couple months ago but decided to let her have one. I have done some research that says she should be in heat for about three weeks. I am taking care not to let her outside by herself and only in our fenced backyard, we also sent our male dog to my parents for the week that she wants... well... you know. So all is safe as I am not planning to breed her.
Here is my biggest question:
She has been licking herself ALOT. And her vulva is very big and very pink. I am worried that this is not normal and perhaps she could have some sort of infection. I hope she doesn't. She has kept herself very clean, but when she was bleeding heavily we kept her in diapers so it wouldn't wreck our furniture and bedspread. Should I be worried? Or is the swelling and constant licking a normal behavior during heat?

My other question is this:
How long after her heat cycle should I wait to get her spayed. I have read that vets do not perform the surgery when she is in heat.

Thank you!

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Permalink Reply by Cooper, Nora, Grady, Izzy & Jax on November 10, 2009 at 7:24am

Usually the first week of their heat cycle their vulva will swell alot. She's just keeping herself clean. Week one is usually swelling with reddish discharge, week 2 is regular bleeding and week 3 is brownish discharge. You are right that they won't spay her while she's in heat, You usually have to wait about a month after she goes out of heat, but you can call your vet and ask to see what their policies are!

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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on November 10, 2009 at 8:20am

Hi!
This is perfectly normal and she may get more swollen than not! The licking goes along with it and once she starts about the middle of her cycle will be the time that she will be receptive to other dogs! She will again go into the 1st part at the end of her cycle. I would just talk to the vet and wait 2-3 months as she will not go into season for awhile and her hormones will be back to normal. That is good that you have your male at your parents as they can be sneaky and I end up having to have mine separated for about 10 days...just to be careful! It's much easier to have one gone! Hope this answered your questions!
Otherwise ask more!

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Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on November 10, 2009 at 9:44am

Besides the info above, you may want to do a complete carpet steam clean after the heat cycle, before the return of your male dog, the scent will cause him to urine mark.

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Permalink Reply by Joanna Kimball on November 10, 2009 at 4:08pm

After the heat cycle she's going to have a hormonal pregnancy. Dogs don't actually "know" that they're not pregnant; the body releases enough hormones to sustain a pregnancy whether or not they conceive.

While the hormones are high, her uterus will be swollen and have a lot of blood supply. Spaying her during this time is more likely to cause dangerous bleeding and is at least slightly riskier to her.

I'd wait until the heat cycle AND the hormonal pregnancy is over; that's about three months from the first day of bleeding.