Expert: Jannie Balliett - 3/25/2010

Question
HI, I have a truly great 2yr old fixed female boxer who has a messy discharge from her private, we've had her at the vet and they say it'll go away in time or we can try antibiotics, after a run of antibiotics she is fine for a while then it starts up again, I don't want her on meds all the time, any advise? She is slightly underweight but very active.

Answer
There could be several reasons:

A discharge is a normal part of the heat cycle. Bloody discharge occurs for several days and then there is a milky or clear discharge.

Urinary tract infections or an infected uterus (pyometra) can cause an opaque purulent discharge from the vulva.

Neoplasia (cancer) of the urogenital tract may cause bloody, mucousy or purulent vaginal discharge.

Vaginitis (inflammation of the vagina) can cause to watery or mucousy discharge.

Coagulation (clotting) disorders that result in abnormal bleeding may produce a bloody discharge that can be difficult to distinguish from blood in the urine (hematuria).

Urinary incontinence (inability to hold urine in the bladder) secondary to an abnormal location (ectopic) of the ureter, or a problem with the bladder sphincter (the muscle that acts like a valve at the opening of the bladder) may result in pooling of urine in the vagina and secondary irritation and discharge.

A defect between the rectum and vagina may lead to the passage of watery fecal material from the vagina.

Look for signs of vaginal discharge of any type other than the normal stream of urine. Excessive licking of the vagina and scooting the bottom along the floor, increased urination and difficulty defecating. Also watch for lethargy, fever, increased thirst as that is a sure sign of diabetes.

Your vet should do a complete blood count (CBC), biochemical profile, and urinalysis. A urine culture is to rule out a bacterial urinary tract infection. He may do a vaginal cytology (culture of the vaginal discharge) and even if worried about other possibilities, do an ax-ray of her abdominal area to look at her uterus and pelvis positioning. Or, may do an ultrasound. Intravenous dye study of the kidneys and ureters to identify any abnormalities in the location of the ureters if blood tests reveal kidney problems.  

Vaginal discharges that are considered normal for the dog do not require treatment but consistent discharge that never goes away is concern. Other causes of vaginal discharge are more serious and require specific therapy, depending upon the cause. If she has an infected uterus that antibiotics have not cured, the vet may remove an infected uterus, or look for a tumor which an x-ray or ultrasound may show.

The main thing is find a vet that is willing to go the next step and look for the root of the problem; the discharge, by doing the blood (CBC) panel tests, x-rays and ultrasound, and most importantly, a culture of the discharge itself to look for presence of bacteria.