# Inverted Vulva/Vaginitis



## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

I'm sorry to hear about Carly, I went through something similar with my puppy. 

If it were me, I would wait to spay her (and I'm not a vet or anything, but if something like this happened to me again I would definitely wait to spay). The vet that Maddie went to at the time said it would be fine to spay her and I listened to him. But after that she kept getting recurring UTI's and the next vet I brought her to said she shouldn't have been spayed. 

Eventually I brought her to a specialist and they diagnosed her with an inverted vulva (they said that she was "very folded") and they recommended surgery. I can't remember the name right now ... I would have to look through her folder. But they said that the surgery had no guarantees that it would help (they also agreed that if she hadn't been spayed it might have popped out more with a heat cycle). The cost of the surgery was around $1500 if I remember correctly. I ultimately decided against the surgery and decided to wait and see if her immune system would catch up - something that the vet had also mentioned. Maddie's UTI's were always E Coli and the vet said that E Coli can be very difficult to clear up. 

She's almost 2.5 years old now and she very recently (past week or so) got another UTI, but this was her first one in a VERY long time. Also, she just ran out of Cran-tri-c so I'm thinking that might have been a contributing factor. I am hoping that after the antibiotics she will be ok again for awhile ... 

I really hope that Carly starts to feel better soon and it sounds like you are doing everything that you can to help! Hang in there ...


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Letting her go through one season will not raise her risk of breast cancer that much, so I would not let that be my decision maker. In 30 years of owning intact bitches, I have had 1 with breast cancer (she died at age 13) and know of one other with breast canceer (she died at age 12). It is out there but is less common than other cancers such as hemangio or lymphoma.

I think it would be worth it just to see if it will work. If it does work, she won't need the surgery for it and if it doesn't, hopefully they can do the surgery while she is being spayed.


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

I have never dealt with an inverted vulva, but one dog I picked up off the streets went into heat a few weeks later. boy - there were some major swellings going on down there.

this is the only time I've seen a dog in heat since I am very pro spay and neuter, but I was absolutely amazed at the difference.

If you don't get enough answers here, might I suggest you put a post about physical changes during the heat cycle under the breeder's or main thread? More people who have dealt with the heat cycle might see your post.

I hope it all works out well for your pup.


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## marieb (Mar 24, 2008)

Tahnee GR said:


> I think it would be worth it just to see if it will work. If it does work, she won't need the surgery for it and if it doesn't, hopefully they can do the surgery while she is being spayed.


That is a really good point! I think that makes a lot of sense.


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## hutch (Jun 17, 2010)

My Sara had an inverted vulva and at 9 weeks she had a UTI, with antiobotics it cleared up in a couple of weeks. I know all dogs are different but she never had any problems with it in the 13 years after. We would regularly clean her, but she never had any other issues. She was spayed as well.


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## amy22 (May 11, 2008)

Does tthe vaginal area stay swelled after heat is over..or does it go back down to the original size? So does that mean it would become inverted again after heat..or does it stay a bit enlarged? Sorry if I sound dumb..Im just wondering....


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## IowaGold (Nov 3, 2009)

amy22 said:


> Does tthe vaginal area stay swelled after heat is over..or does it go back down to the original size? So does that mean it would become inverted again after heat..or does it stay a bit enlarged? Sorry if I sound dumb..Im just wondering....


It will come back down some, but will definitely stay larger than it was originally. I'm in the don't spay yet group.


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## SunGold (Feb 27, 2007)

Let her go though a heat cycle - I've had two bitches with inverted vulva's and the heat cycle cleared things up.


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## amy22 (May 11, 2008)

Thanks IowaGold, then that makes sense.


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## christyp (Dec 24, 2009)

Thank you everyone. We have pretty much decided to go through a heat. Are there any recommendations for things to buy to prepare for her to go into heat? Are their doggie diapers or anything out there to help with the mess of it?


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

I'm sorry you're still struggling with this.  I sincerely hope the first heat cycle makes things better!


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

She will keep herself pretty clean but you might want to put some sheets down if she gets on the furniture. Plus during the heat cycle do not let her outside by herself at all. Male dogs can find a female in heat from miles around and can be very pushy on getting to her. Here is some information http://www.pedigreedpups.com/female-dog-is-in-heat.html


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## mm03gn (Sep 24, 2008)

We had to go through 2 heat cycles with Burg - we found that the best things were little boys underwear - and you put the tail through the "fly"... During the times when the bleeding is a bit heavier (you'll KNOW), you can put a maxi pad in the underwear as well. Most of the time though, the underwear do a good job at catching the drips... 

Good luck with the upcoming spay - from what we saw when Burg was in heat - I imagine everything will pop right out during a heat cycle


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## Skeene (Jul 6, 2013)

So glad I found this group. My puppy, now 14 weeks has had 4 UTI's since we got her. We have now found out she has an inverted vulva. I will wait to have her spayed and hopefully we will get this pup of meds!


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## Skeene (Jul 6, 2013)

christyp said:


> Thank you everyone. We have pretty much decided to go through a heat. Are there any recommendations for things to buy to prepare for her to go into heat? Are their doggie diapers or anything out there to help with the mess of it?


Hi! My dog also has this issue and just wondering if waiting helped or do you still struggle with UTI's?


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## Leslie B (Mar 17, 2011)

I am also in the wait group. 

Have you tried adding some cranberry suppliments to her diet? It wont help with the inverted vulva but it changes the ph of the urine and can reduce the incidents of uti's.


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## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

This is a old thread that got popped up again. for the new folks asking, my Tink had a inverted vulva it took over six weeks of antibotics to get rid of the endless UTI the short term just had it coming back. I kept her hair trimmed and used hypo allergenic diaper wipes to clean her when she came in after potting. The vets she saw all said it was one of the worst they had seen. 
She partly outgrew part of the inversion as she got bigger and one heat took care of the rest. The vets which were pro spaying were shocked at the difference, the vet that I trust beyond anything just said told you!
A friend whose puppy was not near as bad as Tink spayed early then had to have corrective surgery when it continued to be a problem. The surgery and early spay caused incontinence something she was warned might happen.


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## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

Oh she has not had any UTI or problems what so ever since her heat and I no longer shave or wipe after she potties.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

The risk of mammary cancer after one heat cycle is very minuscule. The benefits of waiting are ten fold. In your case, 11 fold () as it may help the inverted vulva. I would add apple cider vinegar to her kibble daily. I know a few people who this has worked for. You may also want to look into what kibble your feeding and the pH. Is your puppy overweight, sometimes inverted vulvas look worse when the dog or puppy is fat. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Skeene (Jul 6, 2013)

You have all given me hope. Thanks for the encouragement. We will wait for the first heat. I have confidence it will correct after reading so many of these and hearing your success stories.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Dr Hutchinson absolutely recommends waiting until after the first heat if a pup has vaginitis.
I have also recommended waiting to spay if a pup has an inverted vulva.


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