Species: Dog Breed: Golden Retriever Age: 6-12 months
I have purchased a Golden Retriever to be
used as a new dog for breeding. She is now
8 months old and I have discovered she has an
inverted vulva. Her vulva was more noticeable
when she was younger than it is now. Now
you can hardly see or find it unless you pull
back the extra flap of skin that is hiding it.
She has not gotten any urinary tract infection
as of yet, and has not gotten her first heat yet. She does have juvenile or puppy vaginitis that I read will disappear with the first heat. I am hoping that the inverted vulva will correct itself after the first heat and that she will be able to be bred since that was the purpose I purchased her. Do most
inverted vulva problems seem to go away with first heat? Does it depends on how inverted it is? Amber's seem to be very inverted. Like
I said earlier, now that she is older, you can hardly see it at a glance. I have also started
her on cranberry pills to prevent any infections from coming on.
Dr. Marie replied:
You've asked a very good question! Will an inverted vulva go away after a heat cycle?
As far as I know, no one has done a formal study to determine whether a dog with an inverted vulva should go through a heat cycle.
I did a search on Veterinary Information Network and read some discussions between veterinary reproductive specialists. Most of the specialists do believe that letting a dog go through a heat cycle will help with this problem. However, no one knows for sure.
What we do know is that going through a heat cycle will help with the vaginitis. In fact, if a pup has puppy vaginitis and we spay her before her heat cycle we can often see lifelong problems with this. So, it does sound like a good idea to let her go through a heat cycle and see what happens.
Now, another thing to think about is whether or not she should be bred. While an inverted vulva is not known to be a "genetic trait", any type of physical abnormality can be passed on to her puppies. Also, sometimes when a dog has an inverted vulva there can be other problems with the structure of the vagina.
I think it's a good idea to see how the vulva looks after her heat and then have your vet do an exam to see if there are any other obvious defects before you consider using her for breeding.
I'd also like to comment on the use of cranberry juice. I wouldn't recommend it. People will use cranberry juice to avoid getting E-Coli infections in their urinary tract. The idea is that the cranberry juice will lower the pH, and infections don't like to live in a low pH. However, if we consistently cause a dog to have low urinary pH we can sometimes cause them to get urinary crystals or bladder stones called calcium oxalate stones.
A better idea to help reduce the risk of infection is to daily take a cloth or a baby wipe and wipe out the folds of skin around her vulva.
I hope this information has been helpful!
Dr. Marie.
Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?
Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.
Customer reply:
The cranberry is in form of a pill. May be I can gilve one pill
every other day until she has a heat and I can see then
what things look like.
Dr. Marie replied:
There really is no benefit in giving the cranberry at all.
Search for similar questions:
Popular questions...
Diarrhea with blood Hi Dr. Marie. My dog has had diarrhea for a couple of days. He still seems to be... (16880 views)
Cat has a watery eye. Hi, I have spoken with you before about my cat Yoko. She suffers from swollen gums... (14136 views)
Swollen muzzle in cat. Hello,
I gave my cat food this morning and when she went to eat it, she made this... (11599 views)
Dog ate dark chocolate candy. Bo ate an 8 oz. package of See's chocolate brittle (12 one inch pieces of toffee... (11454 views)
Cracked Toe Nail. My dog cracked his nail horizontally at the base of the nail. Is there something I... (12437 views)
Lump on puppy's jaw. Hi, My puppy has a lump on her face at the side just below her eye, Its roughly... (15428 views)
Dog died after coughing. Hi,
My name is Tania. I had a Maltese/Shih tzu 12 years old. She had a stage one... (11848 views)
Hartz Ultra Guard for fleas? hello dr. marie,
bear has fleas. i gave her a bath then treated her with hartz... (12407 views)
Worms in vomit. My dog threw up a yellow substance and it had worm like creatures I it what should I... (12522 views)
Swollen eye and vomiting. Hi Dr. Marie. Our dog's eye swelled up the other night withing an hour.....it went... (63601 views)
Veterinarian, Dr. Marie created this site to be able to provide quick, accurate veterinary advice online. She would love to help with your pet's problem!
Dr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.
Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.