Hi there!

My Basenji Nzinga had heat in april and again now, in november. She is almost 4 years old and it is the first time she has two heat cycles in a year. What do you advise me? She is not castrated and not mated and I don't intendent to. Thank you and greetings from Brazil. Andrea Menezes

We had our 2 sisters castrated, Lela after her first heat and Binti after her second (she came to us when she was 1,5).
Castrating greatly reduces the risks to various kinds of cancer.
And during their period of heat, they were both reserved, a bit sullen, not playful or fun at all - it lasted several months.

There is no reason to leave her in-tact…. not only to you risk cancer, but also bitches can develop Pyometra, especially if they start to have odd seasons

My first Basenji had 2 heats a year, and then she'd always have a false pregnancy after each heat. And she was bitchy for the month she was in heat… and bitchy for the 2 months she was "pregnant". So that meant, with 2 heats a year, she was bitchy for 6 months out of the year. Talk about a good reason to spay a dog!

And Pat is right, there is no good reason to keep a bitch whole if she doesn't need to be. Never mind just the convenience of it,,,,, Pyometra IS a threat. I had 2 bitches get Pyometra. I lost one, the other was saved with an emergency spay.
-Joanne