Each part of your dog’s body can be affected by disease or vaginal trauma, and this includes a dog’s vagina. As a responsible dog owner, you should be careful with your dog’s overall health, especially with body parts that are directly predisposed to the external environment.
Let’s learn more about possible health problems related to a female dog’s vagina.
Anatomy of Female Dog’s Reproductive Tract
The vagina is located between the legs, toward the tail, and consists of different parts. The outer portion of a dog’s reproductive tract exposed to the external environment in dogs is called vulva. It consists of two tissue thick folds called labia, placed on the top and bottom part of the vulva.
Inside the vulva, the vagina continues into the vestibule and then the urethra, where the bladder drains. Then, the dog’s vagina connects with the cervix, uterus, and ovaries.
Healthy Dog Vagina Appearance
To determine health problems related to the dog’s vagina, you need to know the appearance of a normal healthy vagina and vulva.
In case the dog is not neutered or spayed, the vulva may drastically change during the heat cycle. Being in heat means that the female dog is receptive to mating, and the length of this period may vary from dog to dog. During this phase of the reproductive cycle, the dog has evidently swollen vulva and bloody discharge.
After this phase, the bleeding stops, and the vulva has the normal pinkish color appearance, without foul odor and abnormal vaginal discharge. However, many pet parents get confused since this cycle in some dogs occurs once every four months and in some once every 12 months.
If your dog is healthy and doesn’t have any health issues, you should be able to see the vulva only by spreading the skin apart. Any extra skin in the nearby area of the dog’s vulva might cause urinary and vaginal infections and sometimes even dermatitis due to the excess skin.
What’s difficult about this health issue is that dogs don’t show any symptoms until the inflammation is advanced. Sometimes this can get so advanced that the only solution is surgical removal of the extra skin.
Is Something Wrong With Your Dog’s Vagina?
Pet parents are often in doubt if their dogs have vaginal issues. These are the signs you should look for before you panic:
- Yellow, white, or green abnormal discharge from the dog’s vulva
- Foul odor from the vagina
- Excessive rubbing in the hind area
- Excessive licking of the vulva or vagina that gets flaky or dry
- Frequent urination
- Male dogs show sexual interest in mating with your female dog
The underlying cause for these vaginal issues can be due to bacterial infection, foreign bodies, virus infection, yeast infection, vaginal abscesses, ectopic ureters, or in worst-case scenarios, tumors, UTI, or pyometra.
Common Vagina Problems in Dogs:
Vaginitis in dogs
Vaginitis in dogs means inflammation of the vaginal tissue, which can occur during puberty or in adult dogs; however, it is very common in young puppies before puberty. The underlying cause for this inflammation is a bacterial infection.
In case you suspect vaginitis in your dog, observe for the following signs: swollen red vagina, increased licking, frequent urination, vaginal discharge with pus, mucus, or blood, as well as rubbing and scooting the vaginal area.
Vaginitis in dogs occurs in both intact and spayed female dogs at any age.
Vaginal overgrowth
Vaginal overgrowth leads to swollen vagina during heat and additionally to vaginal prolapse and vaginal hyperplasia. Due to increased estrogen, the vaginal tissue becomes visible through the dog’s vulvar opening. It is very common for young, not spayed female dogs.
Yeast infection
Yeast infection is widespread inflammation of the female dog vagina. Yeasts naturally exist in the dogs’ bodies, but they only cause problems if the yeast overgrows. Many reasons can lead to yeast overgrowth, including medical conditions, weak immune system, exposure to medications, and lack of hygiene.
Swollen vulva in dogs
A dog’s vulva might become swollen and red during the physiological process of the heat cycle, which is typical for an unspayed intact dog. After this heat cycle, the swelling and redness reduce, and the vagina returns to its normal size. This process lasts from 2 to 21 days, and if the swelling continues, you should call or visit a veterinarian.
Dog vulvar dermatitis
Infection of the skin folds around the vulva in the medical world is known as dog vulvar dermatitis. This health issue is caused due to excess secretions and urine.
Additionally, bacteria and yeast can be found around the vulvar area, which causes a dark and moist environment. Dog vulvar dermatitis is common in both young and older female dogs.
Ask for expert advice if you notice anything strange with the dog’s vulvar area.
Rectovaginal fistula
This is a very rare congenital abnormality related to the female dog vagina. The rectovaginal fistula manifests as a hole between a dog’s vagina and the rectum.
These health issues may cause difficulties with breeding and lead to persistent incontinence and infection. Therefore, if you notice any signs, consult with your vet.
Since vaginitis in dogs is the underlying cause of any other further vaginal issue, let’s find out more about this health issue.
Diagnosis of Vaginal Inflammation in Dogs
Before your vet starts the diagnostic process, he will need more information on the dog’s medical history, diet habits, recent health issues, overall well-being, and energy level. Also, you should provide information about how long the process persists and explain the symptoms.
Firstly, the veterinarian will physically examine the visible dog’s vaginal tissues to explore anatomic abnormalities. Besides observing, your vet might use a vaginoscope for the physical examination that gives a better visual view of the dog’s vulva and vagina. With vaginoscopy, any changed color of the canine mucosa, lesions, or masses can be detected.
If this vaginal examination does not give any relevant results, an X-ray and ultrasound can be used for a more detailed diagnosis.
Additionally, if the vet suspects a more serious health issue, he may perform a histological examination of the vaginal discharge or the scrapped tissue. This procedure can determine cellular changes in the vaginal mucosa, as well as increased amounts of bacteria. Other standard test procedures include blood count, urine and feces examinations.
Treatment of Vaginal Inflammation in Dogs
After diagnosing the underlying cause of vaginal inflammation, the next step is the treatment of the problem. The treatment depends on the cause of the issue. Therefore, sometimes, the only solution is a surgical procedure. For example, anatomical abnormalities and foreign bodies can be treated only with surgical procedures.
On the other hand, bacterial infection or proliferation of bacteria above the normal readings can only be cured with antibiotics. The therapy sometimes includes glucocorticoids, anti-inflammatory, and hormone drugs.
Opposite to serious inflammations, mild cases require only daily cleaning with a prescription douche or simple wiping of the vaginal area. Vaginal douches contain 0.05% chlorhexidine or 0.5% povidone-iodine.
When it comes to therapy, the good news for many pet parents is that juvenile vaginitis in young dogs is resolved as soon as the first reproductive heat cycle occurs. Besides juvenile vaginitis, almost every other case resolves after the first heat cycle.
Dog Vulvar Dermatitis Home Remedies
Since many bacteria buildup, the best option is to give your puppy a good bath, and the most recommended shampoos are shampoos based on benzoyl peroxide.
Another very helpful home remedy is apple cider vinegar. The procedure of treatment is very easy, you just mix water with the vinegar and spray on the affected areas. Except for vinegar, a very helpful ingredient is coconut oil since it soothes pain and helps in removing the wax buildup.
The great thing about homemade remedies is that they are cheap and you can buy them from any market. However, make sure you consult with your vet before you apply anything to your dog.
Other great tips for dogs with vulvar dermatitis are to keep the living place dry and clean, since yeast and bacteria love moist places, to avoid food with additives, and add probiotics to maintain normal pH.
Prognosis for Dogs with Vaginitis
In most cases, vaginal infections respond surprisingly well to conservative treatment. Most dogs recover after two or three weeks after initiating treatment. On the other hand, prepubertal vaginitis in dogs resolves after the first heat cycle. Meanwhile, a spayed female dog can live a longer and healthier life.
However, most of the time, the prognosis depends on the duration and severity of the issue.
In worst-case scenarios, the prognosis of dogs with vaginitis caused by tumors depends on the tumors’ size and stage.
Prevention
Sometimes prevention is the cure, and the best way to do it is always to ensure a clean vaginal opening. Maybe your Pinscher won’t need extensive cleaning, but your Husky needs daily cleaning due to the long fur. To make this process easier, keep the fur trimmed and use baby wipes to remove urine and fecal debris from the vaginal area.
Another great solution is spay surgery, which will additionally lead to healthier and longer life.
FAQ:
Final Words
The external surface of the vulva and vagina can alarm for some serious health issues related to your puppy. Your responsibility as a dog owner is to inform your veterinarian about any present symptoms to improve your furbaby’s health. A healthy vulva and vagina may contribute to a healthier and longer life.
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*photo by GekaSkr – depositphotos