My dog's private area looks red. Could it be a UTI or infection?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This does not necessarily warrant a veterinary evaluation if it goes away on its own. Since she has improved, I would continue to monitor her for now. If this does not improve, I recommend you have her reevaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may decide at that point to try a different antibiotic if they think it is because of an infection. Best of luck!

From your picture, it looks like Val has what we commonly call a recessed vulva. That means that her vulva is tucked up and has a fold a skin around it. The problem with this is that the fold of skin can trap moisture and result in a yeast and/or bacterial overgrowth of that skin which is very itchy. So, I would recommend asking your vet about a topical treatment for the skin folds. We will often use medicated wipes that contain both an antibiotic and anti-fungal medication to help treat and prevent skin fold problems. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Gracie has been urinating frequently and that it is red-tinged. It is possible that she has a UTI that is not responding to the particular antibiotics that your veterinarian initially prescribed, which can be a problem especially in older pets. Your veterinarian should perform a urinalysis and a urine culture and susceptibility (if they haven't already) to see if there is an infection present and to what particular antibiotics it is susceptible. Another possible cause of Gracie's signs could be urinary bladder stones, which can cause irritation of the bladder, leading to frequent urinations that are often red-tinged. Most bladder stones are visible on abdominal x-rays, which may be recommended by your veterinarian. Other stones require an abdominal ultrasound to see. An abdominal ultrasound would also be able to detect any other abnormalities in the bladder, for example, a tumor. I recommend ensuring she has plenty of access to water, and having her seen by your veterinarian at their next available appointment. I hope this is helpful!

Reddish urination during this period of time can definitely occur. However, this is not to say that it isn't coincidental and a separate urinary issue is not occurring. As long as July isn't experiencing any other clinical signs such as frequent small amounts of urination, straining to urinate, pain when urination, or urinating extremely large amounts, I wouldn't necessarily assume anything is wrong currently. If you have a working relationship with your veterinarian, he might be open to you collecting a urine sample in a container and dropping it off at their office for analysis. They will be able to tell you if there are large numbers of white blood cells and/or bacteria present, and potentially prescribe an antibiotic should they see fit. Hope this makes sense.

Inflammation in that area can make it look red. Dogs can get vaginitis, infections, tumors or it can get inflamed if she has been licking at it more than normal. Pay close attention to her urination habits as a UTI can cause pain which can cause increased licking. If the redness does not go away after a few days, if she seems uncomfortable or itchy, or if you see a change her urination, have her seen by her veterinarian. It never hurts though to have it checked out right away. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

The photos are pretty blurry/pixelated so it's difficult to tell. Maximus Oakley could have a mild skin infection, or be developing allergies. I recommend having your vet take a look to determine what's going on. If he's developing an infection your vet can determine if he's likely to improve with something topical (such as a medicated shampoo) or needs a course of oral medication. If they suspect he's developing allergies, they can discuss the various intervention options, such as a monthly injection (Cytopoint) or daily pill (Apoquel).

Hello, thank you for your question about Goldie. Based on the photo and the symptoms you are describing I would suspect that this redness is secondary to some mild irritation or a very mild bacterial infection. If she is otherwise acting ok I would recommend continuing to monitor this area. If at any point Goldie begins licking or you notice a colored/odorous discharge I would recommend having her evaluated by your veterinarian so that they can evaluate this area and perform other diagnostics such as an impression smear or culture of the area. Hope this helps!