My dog's vulva is swollen. Can she be spayed if she's in heat?

The hormones can stay around for several weeks after a dog in heat is spayed, so you can expect some bleeding for another week or two. The vulvar swelling should decrease some after that, but I will say that for some dogs the vulva stays large after just one heat cycle.

Vaginal swelling is itself a sign of estrus/heat even without discharge. If it is the first season it may be that you won't notice any discharge at all. It is actually possible that the estrus is over already and vaginal swelling will go down in the next week time. 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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tootsie. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. The vulva will swell with heat, but you want to ensure there is not a complicating factor such as a vaginal prolapse starting. I hope this information helps!

It is the skin around the vulva that is irritated and swollen, not the vulva itself. The vulva will swell when they are going into heat. This is a skin infection. I suggest you have her to your vet for an exam.

This is definitely possible that she is already back in heat. She could also have an infection so be sure to keep an eye out for any abnormal behavior like not eating, lethargy, or vomiting. If you see any abnormal behavior or just want to be sure, I would have your vet take a look at her to ensure she is healthy. I would not breed her during this heat cycle since she just had a litter. I hope this helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. Her swollen vulva and the blood tinged discharge are consist with her heat cycle starting. However, the lesion in the pictures is abnormal. She could have traumatized herself by licking. If there is tissue protruding from her vagina, then I worry about a prolapse. If the area enlarges or seems to bother her, then she will need to see her veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

Yes, swelling of the vulva is normal during a heat, and it can get large especially if Poke already has a relatively large vulva. It can also be caused by an allergic reaction or an infection. It's always good to have it checked out by a vet just to be safe. I hope this helps!