Why does my spayed dog have vaginal discharge? Is it serious?

Hello, sorry to hear about Pepper. Vaginal secretions like this could be normal especially in an intact female. However, if she had a heat about 3-4 weeks ago, this discharge could be more concerning for an infection (pyometra) or a false pregnancy. Other signs associated with a pyometra could include a decreased appetite, lethargy, painful abdomen, and persistent discharge from her vulva. If you note any of these, then Pepper should be evaluated by her veterinarian immediately. Finally, discharge from the vulva could indicate a urinary tract infection, vaginitis, perhaps her heat cycle. If you note continue to note this discharge, then have Pepper evaluated. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Discharge from this area can either be coming from the urinary tract (uti, etc ) or reproductive tract. Likely your vet will rule out uti first with a urinalysis and urine culture. A sterile vaginal exam may also be recommended. If persistent and not related to a uti then it may become important to make sure she was properly spayed. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

If your dog isn't [spayed](https://www.petcoach.co/article/spaying-ovariohysterectomy-the-benefits-in-dogs/), this could be a heat cycle. Or it could be a very serious condition known as [pyometra](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pyometra/), which means infected uterus. Especially if she had her heat cycle a couple of months ago, and if she's lethargic or has a fever you need to take her in to a veterinarian to be examined tonight. If she is spayed, this could be several things. She could have a [urinary tract infection](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-signs-of-urinary-tract-disease-in-dogs) and you're seeing her leak blood-tinged urine. I hope not, but depending on her age there could be cancer in the urinary tract that's causing bleeding (blood doesn't always look bright red). Very occasionally spayed dogs will continue to bleed if a piece of an ovary was left behind. Get her checked out by your veterinarian as soon as possible to figure out what's going on.

Vaginal discharge can be caused by a number of things. Both the urethra and vaginal openings exit the vaginal/vulvar area so discharge could indicate a problem with the urinary tract or with the reproductive tract. With any strange discharge, it is a good idea to schedule a veterinary appointment to check it out. If the discharge becomes cloudy, green or yellow in color, it is best to seek veterinary care as soon as possible as that may indicate something more serious such as a uterine infection (in unspayed females, but can occur if part of the uterine stump is left during a spay).

When you say you saw a white discharge you do not indicate where you saw the discharge coming from. Since you discussed heat later in the question I assume you mean you saw discharge from the vulva. An occurrence small amount of whitish discharge can be a normal finding. However, if you are noticing a yellow or blood tinged discharge, if she is drinking more than usual, if she isn’t eating well or otherwise acting “sick” then I would be concerned. Pyometra is an infection of the uterus and can be fatal. So if you are concerned that you are seeing abnormal vaginal discharge then she should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. If this is the problem they will recommend to have her spayed immediately . Best of luck and I hope she is back to normal soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello sorry to hear about Molly. I would be concerned with fluid in her uterus. This fluid could be infectious or non-infectious. That is this could be a pyometra or infection of her uterus. The best way to diagnose an infected uterus would be to sample some of the fluid in her uterus as well as obtain bloodwork and an abdominal ultrasound. Ideally, you should have this evaluated by your veterinarian immediately as a pyometra can be quite detrimental to health. Hope this helps and best wishes.

Some discharge is normal but it is generally clearish or slightly opaque. Vaginal discharge can indicate an infection in the uterus. I recommend to have her examined today in case this discharge is related to a uterine infection. Uterine infections can lead to a life threatening septicemia so it's best to play it safe. Best of luck.