My dog is groaning and bleeding vaginally. What should I do?

If your elderly dog has vaginal bleeding you should have her seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible because that is not normal. If she has not been spayed it could be a sign of a uterus infection called pyometra which can be fatal if not treated immediately. Also it could be possible that she has blood in her urine which could be a sign of a urinary tract infection or possibly stones. If she worsens in any way, becomes lethargic, starts vomiting, or starts bleeding more, you should have her seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Princess likely is suffering from a urinary tract infection or possibly bladder stones, or other condition that causes bleeding of the urinary tract. This may be very painful. You will need to take Princess to a veterinarian for an exam and urinalysis. Your vet may also want to take radiographs to rule out bladderstones. She will need prescription antibiotics, pain medicine, and other treatment depending on the diagnosis. Please check her gums, and should they be white or very pale in colour, she will need to be seen by a vet right away.

Some discharge can be normal during pregnancy, but the best thing to do is to take her to a vet who deals with canine reproduction for a full exam. I would do a vaginal cytology and/or culture to see if the discharge is normal, and take xrays or do an abdominal ultrasound to see how far along she is and to make sure the feti look normal, and that there is no sign of gas in the uterus which can indicate dead puppies. She should be far enough along to see heartbeats and count a heart rate on the puppies, which is the best indication of puppy health. Feel free to schedule a consult if you'd like to discuss this in more depth. Hope that helps!

If your dog isn't [spayed](https://www.petcoach.co/article/spaying-ovariohysterectomy-the-benefits-in-dogs/), this could be a heat cycle. Or it could be a very serious condition known as [pyometra](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pyometra/), which means infected uterus. Especially if she had her heat cycle a couple of months ago, and if she's lethargic or has a fever you need to take her in to a veterinarian to be examined tonight. If she is spayed, this could be several things. She could have a [urinary tract infection](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-signs-of-urinary-tract-disease-in-dogs) and you're seeing her leak blood-tinged urine. I hope not, but depending on her age there could be cancer in the urinary tract that's causing bleeding (blood doesn't always look bright red). Very occasionally spayed dogs will continue to bleed if a piece of an ovary was left behind. Get her checked out by your veterinarian as soon as possible to figure out what's going on.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would have Hazel examined by a vet. I’d be worried about a miscarriage or a uterine infection (pyometra). Sadly there is nothing we can do about a miscarriage but a pyometra is serious and life threatening. The vet will do an exam, blood work, belly X-rays and maybe an ultrasound to see if the puppies are alive. I wish you and Hazel the best!

Given her age and that she has had a recent heat, she may have a uterine infection (pyometra). This can be a serious infection if left untreated. Crystal should be examined by a veterinarian to be safe and treated if indicated. Surgery may be required if she has pyometra.

This is a highly unusual situation, and in my 10 years of being a vet I have never heard of a male dog attempting to have sex with a spayed female dog. However, what is most important now is getting Lucille out from under the bed and getting the bleeding stopped. I would suggest gently nudging her out from under the bed with the long handle of a broom (using a sweeping motion and not poking her with it) or consider dismantling the bed and removing it in order to gain access to her. Once you have her, place a lead around her neck so that she cannot hide again. You will need to apply direct pressure to the vaginal area in order to stem the bleeding. Hopefully no arteries were torn and the bleeding is not as profuse as you think it is. Once you have pressure on the wound you will need to again try to reach the vet in your area. She may have tearing that needs to be addressed ASAP in order to prevent infection and further blood loss. Adding ice to your compress may provide some constriction of the vessels and slow bleeding until you can reach veterinary care.