Overview of Vaginal Discharge in Dogs
Vaginal discharge is a common symptom in dogs with vaginitis, a uterine infection, or urinary tract infections. Vaginal discharge is the appearance of liquid material (other than urine) from the labia of the vulva (the external female genitals). Vaginal discharge may be clear and watery (serous), bloody, thick and gray (mucous), yellow/green (purulent), or dark green/black (after giving birth). The discharge may or may not have an odor. Licking at the vulva may also be noted.
Vaginal discharge, depending on the type and circumstances, may be considered normal in some cases. However, its presence may also signify a disease process of the urinary tract or reproductive tract in dogs.
Diagnosis of Vaginal Discharge in Dogs
There are many reasons for vaginal discharge to appear, some of them benign and others more serious, so don’t be alarmed by the sudden presence of discharge, but do schedule a visit with the veterinarian. Its important to take quick action and not a “wait and see” attitude. Be prepared to give a medical history to the veterinarian, including any medications, surgeries or breeding activities, including whether your pet has been spayed. Note any sexual involvement with other dogs, regardless of whether breeding was intentional or possible.
The veterinarian will make a physical examination of your dog, checking for fever and signs of illness as well as examining the vulva and vagina for trauma, signs of infection, or an abnormality. Heightened vaginal discharge after estrus (“heat”) in an intact dog can be normal and may appear bloody. This is also normal for a number of days after an animal has given birth. However, if the bleeding and/or discharge persists, this could be a sign of a problem.
Sometimes, the urinary tract and vagina can cross-contaminate infections, leading to bloody or very cloudy urine and purulent discharge from the vulva. A sample of this discharge can be taken for culturing to identify the pathogen. In cases of infection, a blood test may be performed to gauge the severity of the infection via white blood cell count, and to make sure the infection has not spread to the blood to cause septicemia (life-threatening blood poisoning).
Cancers of the vagina, uterus, and ovary can cause a variety of discharges and secondary infections, and your veterinarian may choose to ultrasound your pet’s pelvic region to look for masses. Ultrasound is an easily-portable technology that can provide medical s in even a small veterinarian’s office, and is non-invasive and inexpensive. However, more detailed s may need to be taken via X-ray or MRI, which are larger machines and require referral to a specialist.
Symptoms can include discharge from the animals vagina, spotting of blood, scooting the hindquarters, attracting males.
Spaying can help to reduce the likelihood of vaginal infections. For birthing animals, make sure that all of the uterine contents have left the animals body, and be observant of excess blood or discharge after the birth.
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Outpatient treatment is sufficient under most circumstances. Medications in the form of vaginal douches and antibiotics will be used to treat the infected area.
Vaginal discharge refers to any substance coming from the animals vagina. Types of discharge can include mucus, blood, or pus. Since there are so many causes for this medical condition, consulting with a veterinarian is highly recommended.
Dog yellow discharge
Dogs are many things: adorable, loyal, smart and sometimes very gross. Yes, dogs are occasionally kind of disgusting. In addition to farting and eating poop, sometimes our furry best friends ooze leaky dog discharge. Here’s our guide to all the different types of gunk that come out of our dogs, how to spot dog infections and how to tell if you need to call the veterinarian!
All of our canine buddies have two sacs on either side of the anus called anal glands. These glands, when working properly, secrete a brownish, oily dog discharge with a powerful odor. Anal glands need to expel fluid regularly, either when your dog poops or when you manually express them. Generally pups don’t leak anal gland fluid when they’re not pooping. If this is happening to your dog, you should contact your vet. You should also call your vet if your dog is dragging their butt along the ground, frequently licking or biting at their anal region or it looks like it hurts when they poop.
Dogs occasionally vomit and it’s not necessarily reason to panic. If your pup just throws up once and continues to eat and drink normally and poops as usual, then you’re probably in the clear. It’s also no big deal if your dog eats or drinks too fast and regurgitates shortly afterward. Vomiting is also common on car rides due to motion sickness.
If your dog throws up more than twice, it’s time to call the vet. You should also contact your veterinarian if you notice other symptoms of illness such as:
Unfortunately, sometimes our pals get dog infections and sometimes these infections are accompanied with pus. This dog discharge can be green, yellow or white. Generally it’s opaque, meaning you can’t see through it. The pus might follow a cut or wound. It might also result from gum disease. The dog infection itself might be bacterial, fungal or parasitic. Other signs of infection include:
If you notice your pup is oozing pus or see any signs of dog infections, you need to call your vet immediately.
Tiny eye boogers are totally normal in dogs, just like they are in people. If the dog discharge is clear, sometimes it just means that your pup got something in their eye or they’re having issues with allergies. However, here are some signs that something might be wrong and you need to contact your vet:
Some of these symptoms might mean nothing is wrong, but it’s necessary to have your vet examine your pet and determine if there’s a problem.
There are two easy ways to help determine whether or not the dog discharge coming out of your pooch is menstrual blood. Ask yourself: Is my dog female? And has my female dog been spayed? If you have an unaltered female dog, then yes, the discharge might be menstrual blood. This particular discharge shows up when your dog goes into heat. It can be red or even straw-like in color. Here’s an article with more information about caring for your dog when they go into heat.
So you’ve noticed some clearish gooey stuff running out of your dog’s nose. Chances are that this dog discharge is mucus and chances are that your pup’s runny nose is due to illness. A runny nose can be caused by a variety of diseases, including the common cold and the flu. Anytime you notice your dog has a runny nose, you should contact your veterinarian.