My 7 month old female Ripley might be going into heat. Her appetite seems less, she is jumpy and more aggressive when interacting with male dogs which is unlike her. For the past 2 days she has had diarrhea and today there seems to be a little bit of blood in it. Is this just another sign she is going into heat? Or should I take her to the vet?
Sounds like she IS in heat.
Keep away from other dogs and give extra love.
The problem is, what you describe COULD be heat (though none of my bitches ever had diarrhea)... it could also be something serious, such as parvo. Let the vet check her.
Have you spoken to her breeder? About the right age for 1st season and hormone change can bring on some little issues.
I spoke to the breeder and she said I should get her checked out to be safe so that is my plan. I have never had a female so this is all new to me and this might be a dumb question but where do they bleed from when in heat?
@ripthebasenji, bloody discharge will come from the vulva, which will also appear swollen. No questions are dumb!
Hope you can get her into your vet quickly.
They also urinate more frequently during heat.
As mentioned, her vulva should be swollen. This is usually hard to miss. The diarrhea might be something else. Or not. Like Debra, I've never heard or experienced this but I have limited experience.
I always feel for them during the first heat. They're still really a puppy, It's all new and confusing, and there are so many hormones to deal with. Sort of like the teenage years on steroids.
You may have this all worked out, but if she's in the house you may want to get a doggie diaper and some wee wee pads. That's worked well for us. Hardly perfect and she'll probably not like it at all, but it's better than stains. As vicyuv mentioned, she will likely urinate more frequently. That lays down the "come hither" scent, so you might want to take her away from the house.
Hi. My 8,5 month went into heat at almost 7 month, one week before she turned 7) It was the first experience for us as well. She didn’t have diarrhea but as mentioned before, her vulva was very swollen with a bit of dried blood on it, she was more quiet, loved when you rub her belly) Give her lots of attention and buy special underwear) for us diapers didn’t work, she took them off but didn’t mind underwear at all. However, I used regular female’s everyday pads since doggy pads were too small))) Good luck, it only last ONE MONTH 
Diarrhea can sometimes happen along with a heat. Possibly of very short duration. Hormonal activity is especially great at this time and can upset the gal in other ways.
Certainly get the vet to go over her. She may become a bit 'clingy' so give her lots of attention !
Watch the colour of the discharge. It will start dark red and become almost straw coloured before reverting to dark again. When it is palest is when she is at her most vulnerable (to be the victim of rape !) Apart from the swollen vulva, you may not even notice the discharge because most Basenjis keep themselves scrupulously clean. Put a towel on her bed that is easily washed cos she might leak in her sleep, but don't ban her from her favourite resting places. The wee girl is going through enough change at the moment without any unnecessary additions.
Make a note of dates and times so you build up a history for future seasons. When did you first spot the season, when did she change colour, how long did the season last ? We had one girl whose seasons lasted 35 - 40 days. Another started screaming for sex at just 4 - 5 days when even our own boys looked disdainfully at her - THEY knew she wasn't ready even if she didn't !
Most bitches have a 'window' when they would accept a mate. Sometimes it is only hours (like polar bears !) some times a bitch will stay 'ready' for a couple of days or longer.
But keep up with attention and cuddles.
@zande said in Puppy going into heat for the first time:
. Another started screaming for sex at just 4 - 5 days
ROFLMAO, I had a Rottweiler who would be in "mentally" standing heat from nearly the start until after the heat. She infamously backed up to the bed trying to entice our elderly toy poodle who was neutered as a pup well over 16 years earlier. Her mother, who I bred but gave to my co-breeder, was better. Brenda said she knew when she was "ready" when she parted the curtains and planted her business end against the glass for her husbands kenneled police dog in the side yard.
So to the poster, be careful. Hormones can lead to some very creative behaviors for scratching the itch.
@zande said in Puppy going into heat for the first time:
Another started screaming for sex at just 4 - 5 days when even our own boys looked disdainfully at her - THEY knew she wasn't ready even if she didn't !
It's funny and sad at the same time. We'd cue "I Need A Man" by the Eurythmics for this. Just not sure if during the first heat they even know what they want.
Great idea to keep a record. Putting the info on the calendar is an easy way to do this.
In the days before computers, I kept a book (now its all carefully entered in to special folders on the 'machine' and provides me with a complete history) - total sickness record, including jabs and innoculations (and cost of pills / treatment), of each dog. Weight at birth of puppies, ease of whelping. Onset of seasons, boys starting to react (chuddering and showing interest), date relative to onset of color of the first time the girl's tail went over. Just about every aspect of each dog is carefully logged and catalogued.
