Physical Changes During The Complete Estrus Cycle

Later on, during the last days of estrus or even sometimes during the first days of diestrus, some females can keep on manifesting a more or less abundant brown discharge, which can be explained by the oxidation of the blood which we can call "old". In any case, the color that the discharge becomes must never be used as a determining factor in order to know the ideal date for mating, as it used to be thought. What should call your attention and make you go to the veterinarian as soon as possible is when you notice a greenish or yellowish foul-smelling discharge; also if you see that the vulva is irritated or inflamed after the heat period.

Lastly, I want to remind you that when there is no male available to court the female and produce the reaction that we already know (tail towards the side and the vulva raised), it is a clear indication that she is receptive and therefore time for mating has come. You can act manually, by insistently touching around the vulva; if the female reacts by raising her tail and vulva, you will be able to realize that she is ready for penetration or, maybe, artificial insemination.

But, besides this home method, you can go to the veterinarian and ask him to do it for you. What he'll do is introduce a hyssop deep into the dog's vagina and scrape the vaginal walls, extracting a sample of the mucous membrane, which he will then lay out on a slate and evaluate under a microscope. This is a very safe method and very commonly used in many parts of the world.