Do Dogs Go Through Menopause?

Unlike humans who go through periods every month, female dogs don't. So, do dogs go through menopause? Today, we'll answer do dog go through menopause and what are the signs & symptoms that you should look out for as your furbaby ages.

"A female dog begins to have lesser estrus cycles at around seven years old. It will appear like their heat cycles have stopped or have become irregular."

A Dog's Heat Cycle

How long does a dog stay in heat? Dogs don't go through monthly periods. Instead, they go through heat cycles every four to 12 months that usually lasts between two to four weeks. According to the East Central Vet, each stage has differing signs related to behavior, physical or clinical changes, hormonal changes, physiologic changes, and cytologic (vaginal smear) changes.

A dog's heat cycle looks like this:

Now, when a woman experiences menopause, she will no longer experience monthly periods and her body will have extremely low levels of progesterone and estrogen for the rest of her life. But, do dogs go through menopause? Dogs have a much different cycle than humans, but can still have changes based on age, similarly.

So, do dogs go through menopause? No, this does not occur. But, you may still notice some changes. And at what age do dogs stop going into heat? There is no menopause in dogs and no dog menopause age, according to The Spruce Pets. A female dog will continue to go on heat cycles for the rest of her life but...

Dog Menopause?

Do dogs have menopause? At what age do female dogs stop going into heat? Maybe the only menopause-like sign in dogs is when a female dog begins to have lesser estrus cycles at around seven years old. It will appear like their heat cycles have stopped or have become irregular. Dog menopause does not exist, but a female dog's fertility will deteriorate together with age. Old dogs in heat being pregnant is still possible even if there are higher risks.

As PetMD states, just because dogs can get pregnant even if they are already seniors doesn’t mean they should. At this age, their litters will tend to be smaller and more puppy deaths might happen. Labor may also be more difficult for your senior dog if carried to term. Additionally, female dogs that get pregnant after they are 8 years of age are more prone to developing pyometra, which is a life-threatening disease involving infection of the uretus.

Dogs in this menopausal stage will not be qualified enough to maintain and carry out healthy pregnancies, so it's really best not to breed them.

As heat cycles become irregular (as mentioned above), a 13 or 14 month interval can still be normal for a senior female dog's heat cycle. But if your dog truly no longer goes through her heat, it can be a sign of a health problem like ovarian cysts, closed pyometra, and the like. Here are some examples of heat cycle abnormalities in dogs. Some dogs will also go into silent heats where there will be no bloody discharge or any visible heat signs, only swelling of the vulva and male dogs lurking around. These can seen like signs of dog menopause, but in reality your dog will not stop going into heat at any particular age.

MENO-PAWS: Managing Your Female Dog During this Stage

Though there is no such thing is dog menopause, your furbaby will continue having heat cycles, there are some things you can do to help give your senior dog a better quality of life.

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Do dogs go through menopause? Can dogs go through menopause? The answer is no. However, although there is no such thing as dog menopause, you may notice some changes as your female dog gets older. Your furbaby will still need your love and care since she will still go through a heat cycle (though not as regular anymore). Keep your female dog comfortable in heat and consult your vet if you notice that she is no longer going into heat.