My dog in heat has a strong vulva odor. Could it be vaginitis?

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It looks like your pet has a case of vaginitis, inflammation of the vagina, or she has an ongoing discharge, possibly due to an infection in the cervix or uterus. She may need antibiotics, especially if she is off her appetite, drinking an excesssive amount of water &/ or peeing a lot, or seems unhappy or lethargic. Otherwise, if she seems normal, give her a few days to see if things begin to clear up. You can use warm water, or a gentle facial wipe to keep the area clean, & monitor for any further changes. Hopefully, all will be normal soon. Take care.

That is very concerning. It is very likely that your female has a uterine infection. Unfortunately, if this is treated just with antibiotics, it will come back with the next heat. The treatment of choice is removing the pus-filled uterus. A uterine infection can cause kidney failure and sepsis, so this is a serious condition. Please take your dog to a vet today, if possible.

Chiquis likely is suffering from a bacterial dermatitis in this area or possibly a yeast infection. You will need to keep her from licking by placing a cone/e-collar on her. I suggest you make an appointment with your vet for an exam. The vet will likely take a swab and check the material under the microscope to verify that this is indeed a bacterial infection or a fungal (yeast) infection and them prescribe the relevant antibiotic or antifungal medication.

Unfortunately without seeing her in person, I can't say for certain if the white discharge and smell is a major concern. It could be a sign of a pyometra, and that is fatal without treatment. To be safe, I think it's best you take her into a vet now to get checked out. Best of luck.

It is normal during a heat cycle for the vulva to become very swollen. She is probably licking constantly to clean off and remove the bloody discharge that is coming out. She is just trying to keep herself clean. They can bleed pretty heavily for part of the heat cycle.

Sometimes the genitalia can experience hyperpigmentation after a heat cycle. Some sort of infection is also possible and a physical exam is needed to tell the difference. I recommend to call your veterinarian who is most familiar with Zoe. They may recommend an exam. Best of luck.

It's not normal for a dog to have a black bloody discharge with a bad smell during her heat, and I would have Pip seen by a vet right away. I would be very concerned that this dark blood and bad smell could be indicative of an infection of the uterus. Have her seen by a vet ASAP for a health check.