Sheepie menopause
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| Dogs don't go through menopause. The number of heats that a bitch goes though may decrease or change with age but there's no actual menopause. With older intact bitches, there can be an increased chance of pyrometra because after many years of estrus cycles without pregnancy, the uterine wall undergoes the change that causes pyrometra to occur. |
| I just read that humans are the only mammals that go through menopause (actual cessation of periods). So as Butters said, cycles may decrease or lessen, but ovulation never stops. |
Paula O. wrote: I just read that humans are the only mammals that go through menopause (actual cessation of periods). So as Butters said, cycles may decrease or lessen, but ovulation never stops.
I don't know about that one (the mammals) one. I have a sheep that is older and no longer seems to ovulate. She is out with the younger ewes every year and the rams totally ignore her now. Sheep ovulate as a group (like most mammal females  ), and cycle every 20 days or so during the breeding season. Most cycle only in the fall, but some breeds are year round breeder - not that common though.
This ewe (Whitey) always had lambs every year and is our super mom. No health issues, she just stopped lambing about 3-4 yrs ago. We call her our post menopausal girl and she is like a pet. She is the matriarch and a calming influence on the younger, flightier ones. |
| Very interesting, Dawn. |
I know this is an old post but found it in my searching...Do I understand females do not have any menopausal symtoms? What about if they are spayed? Does that make a difference? Then my next question would be, how would one know if their dog was having a hot flash or night sweat  I am really not making a joke. I neer had a female before and am wondering if she is going through something since she has begun to act a bit strange in the last few months. Not sick or anything but like afraid of things suddenly, noises, a bit "frantic" like in class...just off things...She is 2 years and was spayed. |
Could have fooled me! Miss Ellie has had a menopausal personality for years.  |
| Diane - there is an association between lack of hormones and increase in noise phobias and so on. Non-reproductive Effects of Spaying and Neutering http://www.cdoca.org/downloads/files/Ea ... havior.pdf Thyroid might be implicated. But not necessarily. Or, you know, it could just be her adult personality? Some OES do change quite a bit and rather suddenly at 18-24 mos old without any apparent hormonal deficiencies. She could even be going though a delayed fear stage. Mace hit one, much later than I would ever have expected, and it lasted I think as long as 6-7 mos. I really only noticed it in agility class, but it was evident enough I threatened to get her a good doggie shrink. And then she suddenly snapped out of it, as quickly as it set it, poof, gone. They're BITCHES. With or without hormones, a bitch is a bitch is a bitch. You just gotta love'em  Kristine |
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