Unspayed dogs face more heath risks as they age
Our 11 K-year-old Boston terrier has had a number of health problems for several years. She takes multiple medications for a heart condition and seizures.
We just scheduled her to be seen for something that took us by surprise. She had not gone into heat for a year and a half. Obviously, that means we never had her spayed. Much to our dismay, she suddenly started having vaginal bleeding again after a long time. Is this typical and to be expected and can she still get pregnant?
Given her multiple health issues, we are also concerned about other possibilities that might be going on. Could she be bleeding for another reason? My wife and I thought she might have gone into menopause so we are somewhat concerned despite the fact that she otherwise seems just fine.
Heat cycles in dogs typically occur every six months but there is some variation in that. As unspayed female dogs get older, it is not uncommon for their heat cycles to occur less frequently and I suspect that might be what is going on with your dog.
Female dogs do not go through a menopause like humans do and technically speaking your dog could conceivably get pregnant even at her advanced age, although it is less likely than if she were younger. I suspect that what you are seeing is a normal heat cycle that occurs less frequently in an older dog with decreased fertility.
I would be more concerned about the possibility of her developing other problems such as an infected uterus, known as a pyometra. This can be a true emergency and would require her to be spayed. Given her other issues, she might be an advanced anesthetic risk so it would only be done if truly needed.
As far as unspayed female dogs go, there is a much higher probability of developing breast cancer at an advanced age compared to a dog that had been spayed early on. There are other possible causes for the vaginal bleeding that you are seeing. These include urinary tract infections, bladder stones, various forms of cancer and even trauma.
Your upcoming visit to your veterinarian should give you more specific answers. They might choose to do bloodwork, a urinalysis and possible radiographs in addition to a thorough physical examination. Hopefully your dog will be fine even with her other issues to contend with. Good luck.