inducing a heat cycle? - Page 1

My vet just told me that to induce a heat cycle with repeated injections of oestrogen and other hormones is a method commonly used to sort put and regulate the cycle in females who have apparent hormone imbalances, and that this can be done at any time during the anoestrus phase, and the female can be successfully bred during the induced heat, and subsequent cycles are usually normal. Anyone know anything about this, any risks or disadvantages?

When I talked to a reproductive specialist about inducing a heat cycle, he didn't recommend it. He said that induced cycles tended to be unpredictable as far as whether or not the bitch would ovulate snd when. By short cycling the bitch her uterus may not have had a chance restore itself from the last heat since bitchs go through a full progeterone cycle even if they are not pregnant. Another side effect was that in some bitches changing the time of her heat had caused future heats to become irregular.

cant something be left to nature? Are dogs being forced into heat quickly after having pups to get prenant again before the body is ready or are you buying females wanting to breed them as quick as possible after obtaining them? I am just trying to understand this purpose of why not just wait the months till the dog is naturally ready?

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/bulletins_read/28131.html#28143

Thanks for your responses, I have quickly read the previous posts in your link DecoyD, and will study them in detail,later don't know about all those drugs mentioned, what my vet talked abut using was estrogen and I think chorionic hormone.... GSD Newbie, I will explain my situation further, as we are not trying to rush this female. We deliberately did not breed her when she was first eligible and just got her kk1 - she seemd still young and we wanted to compete in an important show. Six months later she came into heat again, was bred wih several matings, did not get pregnant, but did show symproms of a false pregnancy... six months later in heat again, but not normal, virtually no blood and the vulva did not swell, the male was unable to mate at the time that cytological tests showed to be correct. At 20 days she had 2 days of heavy bleeding, but by this time males were no longer interested. She just had an ultrasound that revealed no cysts, tumours etc and does not appear to have any infection. So in this case she came into heat for the first time at 11 months and has had regular 6 months cycles since then, but something is not normal. What my vet says is estrogen treatment would normalise things, but I am not convinced..........

I have read the posts on the link DecoyD provided I know understand a bit more I had never heard of forcing them into heat before and wanted to know why it would be done. Thank you oso for answering in such detail and I hope eveything works out for your bitch. I only had trouble with heats on a female mastiff she came in heat regularly but would not have a normal one she never concieved with attempts she had top lines and was a champion it was heartbreaking but I spayed her.

So very typical of our species...Nature says, "No.", we slam our fists on the table and insist on getting our way, by any means necessary. And then we wonder why purebred dogs have such a litany of problems and disorders... oso, if you're bound and determined to breed this bitch, and unwilling to abide by her natural estrus schedule, I would strongly suggest you spend the additional fees and consult a board-certified veterinary theriogenologist. While I'm sure your regular veterinary practitioner is very good, he or she is NOT an expert in reproductive problems, and if you're going to subject your girl to the risks of hormone injections, it should at least be done under the direct guidance of a specialist. While the procedures decoyD has described very well may be common practice in racing Greyhounds and similar circles, that doesn't make it ethical or humane. Frankly, whenever I hear someone promote a treatment or product by pointing out that it's been used in racing Greyhounds for years, I scrutinize it's safety and efficacy even more closely than usual--because the racing Greyhound world is *strictly* about production and profit...that's why scores of dogs are 'thrown away' by them every year. That's hardly a sport to hold up as an example of being on the cutting edge for *ethical* and *humane* procedures.

thanks GSDNewbie, this it what worries me and Anika's comments are not encouraging, about the hormone treatment....

I never delved into further investigating why my mastiff wouldnt conceive as if it doesnt get done naturally I don't like to alter things. She wasn't meant to have those pups by nature something was wrong. It would not occured to me to seach out a way to "make" her get pregnant. The racing world of greyhounds has made changes in some ways and in others just as horrific and grotesque mass production of running dogs and disposal of slow ones I agree nothing that is done by their standards of operating should be followed just because they do it. There is always going to be a shortcut or cheat or product or service its up to the individuals to do right by thier animals not too long ago on here ways of covering up lamness and temperment with use of steroids and tranqs startled me I assumed the dogs would be in natural state for the shows I am still very naive huh?

thaks for the comments, you are probably right its not the best thing to do, I was doubtful myself about this treatment which is why I wrote in the first place, but the vet made it sound like straightforward, common practice, more with the long term aim of correcting a hormone imbalance than producing puppies... I've not heard of other breeders doing it though.