You are here:
- Home
- Animals/Pets
- Pet Birds
- Ask the Veterinarian
- Old female dog that has been spayed.
Ask the Veterinarian/Old female dog that has been spayed.
Advertisement
Question
I saw an answer about the older dog that had been spayed that had
a swollen vulva. We had our female dog tested for estrogen and
there was none. We have had her tested for everything and cannot
figure out what this is. She chews on herself until she bleeds,
scoots around on her behind until it is red and more swollen. The
backs of her legs are swollen and red at the middle of the leg.
Any suggestions? Thank you! The dog is 9 years old and is a wire fox terrier. Up to date on all vaccinations.
She could have cellulitis in the tissues back there from the chewing trauma. You need to have her checked for allergies as these sound like major allergic symptoms.
Redness, swelling, chewing, scooting around are all symptoms of a major allergy which can be flea related, food related or airborne allergens.
In all that testing that was done was she ever tested for allergies?
Without knowing what kind of tests she had run and not knowing what kind of food she eats, all I can suggest to you is to have her tested for multiple allergy issues and do a trail feeding period with a novel protein food to rule out food allergens or sensitivities.
Related Articles
- Perfect Gifts for People With Food Allergies - Finding the Perfect Food Allergy Gift
- Food Allergies - Food Allergy - The Basics of Food Allergies
- Child Food Allergies - Teaching Your Child About Food Allergies
- Food Allergy Treatment - Treatment of Food Allergies
- Food Allergy Facts - Food Allergy Facts and Myths
Answers by Expert:
Jana Connell RVT, CVT
Expertise
PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!
Experience
I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina.
I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.
Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.
Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT.
Certified Veterinary Dental Technician
Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).
Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.