My unspayed dog's heat: heavy bleeding, clots, lethargy. What's wrong?

I would strongly recommend that Diamond be seen by your veterinarian as soon as possible for an exam. The biggest concern is that she may have developed an infection in her uterus- known as a pyometra. If that is the case, this can be a life threatening emergency. She may need an X-ray or bloodwork to confirm the diagnosis. Pyometra usually requires emergency surgery but can occasionally be treated medically in very minor infections. Please take Diamond to your vet or closest emergency clinic.

These signs are quite concerning as they could be compatible with a infection of the uterus called pyometra. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics and possibly further investigations (like abdominal imaging as ultrasound or radiographs) may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

I'm sorry Scruffy isn't doing well! I see that she isn't spayed, which makes me concerned that her symptoms could be caused by a pyometra. This is an infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment. It would make her lethargic, not want to move much, reduce her appetite, and will be painful. It could also be that she injured herself causing these symptoms. Because I can't see her in person and rule out a pyometra, my recommendation would be to monitor her very closely. If you see any discharge coming from her vaginal area, her belly becomes larger, she starts vomiting, and/or won't move at all, these can be signs of a pyometra and she absolutely cannot wait until tomorrow to see a vet. In that case, rush her into an ER vet; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet will be found on a clinic's answering machine or website. I would hold off on food after midnight tonight and do not give her any breakfast in the morning in case the vet wants to take x-rays and needs to sedate her. She can have water, however. Rest her as much as possible. Get her into a vet as soon as possible if the symptoms you describe continue in the morning. If she does have a pyometra, spaying her is part of the recommended treatment. Good luck, I hope this helps!

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am afraid that this is more concerning this time. It may be due to an infection such as Pyometra or something else. For that reason, I recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They can then decide what would be best after evaluating her. Best of luck!

I'm wondering if Brownie is spayed or not. If she isn't spayed, I would be very concerned that this bleeding could be due to a pyometra. A pyometra is an infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment, and is a medical emergency. Even if she is spayed, it's still a medical emergency when a dog is bleeding a lot. She needs veterinary care now, and you have to take her into a vet immediately. Best of luck.

Poor girl. Pyometra doesn't usually cause just bloody discharge. It will be a foul smelling pink discharge or no discharge at all. However, if she had her last heat cycle 1-2 months ago and now appears to be having a similar heat cycle, then I would definitely suspect that she has pyometra. At any rate, because she is so ill, I would highly recommend Zoe see your local vet for a thorough exam and medical care. Any pet that refuses food for more than 24-48 hrs should be seen, because an underlying illness is present that needs to be identified and treated for. I hope that your pet Zoe is able to make a full and speedy recovery soon! Best of luck and take care.