My spayed senior dog is bleeding from her vagina. Is it normal?

Bleeding from the vulva in a spayed dog is not normal. Possible causes include bleeding from the urinary tract (UTI, urinary bladder stones, tumor) or bleeding from the vaginal vault (tumor or infection). Some bleeding/clotting disorders can also be causing the blood you see. I would recommend that Isabella be checked out by a veterinarian. After a thorough physical and vaginal exam, your vet may recommend bloodwork, clotting times, x-rays, or ultrasound.

If your elderly dog has vaginal bleeding you should have her seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible because that is not normal. If she has not been spayed it could be a sign of a uterus infection called pyometra which can be fatal if not treated immediately. Also it could be possible that she has blood in her urine which could be a sign of a urinary tract infection or possibly stones. If she worsens in any way, becomes lethargic, starts vomiting, or starts bleeding more, you should have her seen by a veterinarian immediately.

It is not normal for a dog to bleeding from her vagina after being spayed. She could have an infection of the uterine remnants, or she could have a bladder infection called cystitis that causes blood in urine and can look like vaginal discharge. I would take Eilie into the vet right away. The vet can do a physical exam, routine blood tests, a urinalysis, and possibly x-rays to diagnose what is causing her to bleed from her vagina. Once a cause is found, the vet can start treatment.

If a dog is spayed correctly they not long have heat cycles and should not be spotting or bleeding. If there is a discharge noted, it is best to start with a urine sample and an ultrasound to look at the bladder and kidneys and look at the cervix to see if there is an infection or a growth.

It does happen that some dogs will have a small amount of discharge from the vagina [after being spayed](https://www.petcoach.co/article/surgery-on-your-pet-what-to-expect-before-and-after-the-pro). If your dog is behaving otherwise, I would advise you to monitor her at home. However, if she is lethargic, weak, has pale gums or is passing a large amount of blood, you should take her back to your veterinarian or to the nearest veterinary ER immediately. [Rest her](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-ways-to-rest-your-pet-after-surgery-or-injury) as mush as possible to aid in recovery.

As long as Cocoa is acting normally otherwise you can probably wait to go to the veterinarian first thing tomorrow morning. However, if she shows any other abnormal signs then I would recommend going to the emergency veterinarian tonight. She may have a urinary tract infection, which although uncomfortable, is not an emergency to be seen immediately. There's a very small chance this could be related to something called stump pyometra which is an infection of the uterine stump in spayed female dogs. A stump pyometra can be an emergency, however usually would result in lethargy, fever, or inappetance. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Cocoa's issue resolves quickly!

Yes, this can be due to a problem in her uterus. It could normal but since it’s been so long since she bled before there could be an infection or mass in the uterus or vagina. I recommend an exam and they may want to do an X-ray to make sure her uterus is normal size. I do recommend spaying her if you can so they can remove and examine the uterus and prevent her from getting a uterine infection or cancer. Also unspayed females have a higher incidence of breast cancer so that’s another reason for having her spayed soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care Lily.