My dog has skin spots and swollen glands after heat. Are they linked?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It can take a bit for the vulva and mammary glands to decrease from the hormones. She could also be experiencing a false pregnancy, which is a hormonal imbalance that can cause pregnancy symptoms: swollen mammary glands, milk development, nesting behavior, anxiety, carrying stuffed animals around. It usually resolves in 2-3 months. Causes for the area of hair loss are: trauma/injury/abrasion, skin infection, ring worm, demodex. I would put her on one of the oral flea and tick medications: Nexgard, Bravecto, or Simparica. All 3 also kill demodex as well. If the spot grows or doesn't resolve then I would have her seen. I hope this helps!

Hi there, and thank You for posting this question about Daisy. I am not as worried about the swollen mammary glands as this can be normal post heat, but I am very worried about th decreased appetite and shivering. Pyometra is a life threatening uterine infection that occurs several weeks after heat cycle. Dogs often have non-specific signs of illness such as lethargy, fever, decreased appetite, sometimes increased water consumption, and occasionally vaginal discharge. I would highly encourage you have her examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. I would not wait until Tuesday. X-rays and blood work are usually needed to make a diagnosis. Sometimes early pyometra will need an ultrasound to find it. If she does happen to have a pyometra she will need an emergency spay. Best of luck and I hope she does well. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is possible that Harley could be going through something called 'pseudo-pregnancy'. Dogs can develop mammary glands, produce milk, and will sometimes even start to nest and collect small stuffed animals to nurse. This is normal and will subside in a few weeks. However, it is recommended to get her spayed before her next heat so she doesn't have to go through that stress again. The other possible cause is something called a pyometra. This is an infected uterus and is life-threatening. If you notice any discharge from her vulva, if she is weak, not eating, drinking more, or acting abnormally at all, I would have her seen by your vet right away. Best of luck with Harley.

a higher hormone activity level such as during heat can indeed make the mammary complexes get more blood supply in preparation for a possible pregnancy. This should go away a little while after coming out of estrus (estrus = heat, and your dog is in heat for about three weeks after she stops bleeding. If the redness does not subside, or if the skin starts to look diseased, you should have your vet give Fufu a skin exam.

Hello Mariah! If you are finding red spots, Mia is likely in heat. The heavy bleeding doesn’t happen at the beginning of the heat. The swollen nopples indicate she is in heat as well. Her behavior does sound normal for a dog in heat :-)

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If the masses are near her mammary glands they could be cysts or increase in normal mammary tissue in response to hormones associated with her heat cycle. If the growths persist past her heat cycle I recommend that you have your Vet examine them I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach! Based on the photos you provided, the bumps appear to be papules / pustules that indicate a skin infection. This could be from her licking at the area when she was in heat (which is common). I would disinfect the area with and keep clean with a spray called Miconahex. This is a antimicrobial / antifungal spray that can treat superficial skin infections quite effectively. You can find this spray online quite easily. If you begin to notice any irritation after using the spray, discontinue immediately. If the skin condition worsens or does not resolve, I would recommend scheduling an appointment with a veterinarian to have this looked at. Additional medications may be needed to treat this. I hope this helps!