Luna Spotting

 As of August 24th Luna has been spotting and her vulva is engorged which means she is in heat for about 21 days from yesterday, the first week her body is getting ready and then around Day 16 she ovulates, and the eggs live for four or five days, which means around Day 21 we can relax again. Just as it is getting cooler and I plan to take the babies to the dog runs! Frustrating...Of course it varies with each individual dog, I notice looking back over the blog she had her first period with us on Xmas eve, so that makes a nine month cycle rather than a six month cycle. Lots of good advice on how to recognize bitches in heat and what to be aware of at Pet Happy. Mind you, I don't think Luna's heat was too much trouble the first time round, nothing special about walkies, and she did her training fine on day 21 odd, so here's hoping. I think here in the metropolis most dogs are neutered, so it's less of a problem than in the countryside, where they run loose freely. Luna does seem a little hungrier than usual, but she always is scavenging and on the lookout for an extra tidbit, so it figures.

PS Ordinarily rescue dogs are spayed, as we did with Nobunaga (Claire had already had her operation when she arrived). However my vet says Chiaro di Luna is in no condition to be spayed, and even her rabies shot was waived this spring with a note from the vet...fortunately her November 2013 rabies shot is still valid for some time). In June an ultrasound confirmed her spleen is on the verge of rupturing, which, if it were her only issue, could be operated on, but since she has multiple issues, we can't: as with the pyometra, the vet said best to let her live out her time, and take her to Nasu and give her whatever she wants! Now Luna is a feisty little thing and seems to be enjoying life and hanging on in there, which is fine by me, but that's why we can't have her spayed.