1st season, when is it safe to take her out??

[Lizzie-May]

Lizzie, 9 months, started her first season on 1st July... it's been 28 days.. the bleeding has stopped, swelling has gone down.. her nipples are still erect?? is it safe to take her out?? since the 1st July she has been stuck in, with plenty of regular runs and play in our garden.. but she is fed up.. we are desperate to take her out for a walk and a run but we are receiving conflicting advice.. is it safe to take her out now????

[JacksAndLabs]

A walk on leash...go for it. I personally wouldn't risk letting her run anywhere with the possibility of an intact male for at least another week.

Were you waiting because of an inverted vulva? Just curious if it worked.

[Canyon Labradors]

I walked Grace in our neighborhood during her heat, so I didn't really have an issue with her being "pent up". We lived in a pretty decent neighborhood with no wandering dogs, so it was safe for us to take her around. Of course, ALWAYS on leash.

If your neighborhood is OK, I would definately take her out.

[Lizzie-May]

No inverted vulva.. There a far too many intact dogs here, so we kept her in. She is being spayed in october, our vet advised us to let her have her first season before spaying 3 months after. I have to say I am glad it's over she has been a bit miserable and not herself. Hubby took her out at 6am this morning and as there was no other dog around let her off for a run... he said she was so happy. ;D ;D

[Fallriver]

If it's been 28 days you should be OK. There have been some stories of girls getting knocked up at 30 days or so, but it is very uncommon and if you are there to supervise her, she will be fine. I just carry a big stick around when my girls are in season and we walk as usual.
GREAT ADVICE from your vet!!! Nice to see a vet aware of current research...sounds like a keeper

[dare1969]

Sydney has a slight inverted vulva and when I was at the vet I asked when they recommend
to spay and if I should wait for her to go into season. I was told they prefer to spay starting at 6 mo. I asked them why so young (it just seemed young to me), and I was told that after their first heat the risk of mammary(sp?)
cancer is increased by 70%.

He also said that her vulva wasn't that inverted to worry about and that
it should be fine.

Ok...now that I said the word vulva more times in my life...