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My unspayed female dog has crusty, leaking nipples. What's wrong?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Border Collie | Female | unspayed | 3 years old

I was just stroking my 3-year-old female unspayed border collie when I noticed the fur around two of her nipples had a yellowy/white crust around it. I cleaned it off but then found that one of her nipples was leaking. What could this be and do I need to make an appointment with her vet?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Ann Dion, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on April 2nd, 2017

Hello. If she recently had her heat (about 1 month ago) then she chould be having psuedopregnancy. This is not a concern unless she develops a mastitis. If the nipples and glands are soft, not hot or cold, and not sore to touch, and if the milk is white and not clear, yellow, green, or has a bad smell, then you can monitor her. If you are noticing any yellow/green/clear discharge from the nipples then you need to get her to a vet ASAP. Prevent this in the future by having her spayed. Good luck with your little girl.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Laura Johnson VMD
Veterinarian
Published on January 6th, 2018
Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Boo!

If Boo had a heat recently she could be experiencing a false pregnancy. This is when there is a hormonal imbalance and her body THINKS she is pregnant when she isn't. The mammary glands can become enlarged and produce milk, they can act anxious, needy or nest and carry toys around like babies. If she is having a false pregnancy she can get an infection in her mammary gland (mastitis).

Other possibilities are tumors that are inflamed and infected in her mammary glands.

Because the skin in red and the glands are leaking fluid, sore, red and are swollen I recommend having your Vet take a look and see is she needs antibiotics. They can also tell if she has masses in her breasts.

I hope this helps and I wish Boo the very best!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on January 31st, 2019
Hello. If this is a false pregnancy, there really is nothing much you can do at home. Unless you are going to use her for breeding, spaying will prevent this from happening again, but if you do not want to spay her, this will not cause any loss in fertility if you decide to breed her in the future. If her symptoms are mild, it is best not to do anything at all, as any stimulation of the nipples by applying warm compresses or wrapping them to prevent milk leakage will just stimulate more swelling & milk production. If she is licking herself, you may need to put a cone or E collar on her. If she really seems to be uncomfortable or there is a lot of leakage, sometimes we will treat these dogs with diuretics or even hormones. So, see how she does & see your vet if the situation worsens. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My unspayed dog has black dots on nipples & yellow discharge. Vet?

The black dots are likely to be blackheads due to fat content in the are. The fact that nipples are producing milk may be due to a false pregnancy which is due to an hormonal imbalance. This problem is usually self limiting but if lasting more than 24 hours a check up would be required as specific medication can be prescribed.

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My spayed dog has yellow creamy nipple discharge. Is it serious?

So sorry to hear that Lilly is having this issue. Is this discharge coming from all the nipples or just one? First off, let me say that it is best to not touch the nipples too much and don't try to "milk" the fluid out. If there is not an infection already you will introduce one that way. The two main reasons for nipple discharge in a spayed female are infection and cancer. The other possibility is that she has an ovarian remnant - this means that when she was spayed they accidentally left a small piece of ovary behind. This piece can still produce hormones that can cause this discharge. I strongly suggest you get her to your vet for an examination. Regardless of the underlying cause this is not something you can treat at home. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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Why are my intact female dog's nipples big like she's nursing puppies?

[False pregnancy](https://www.petcoach.co/article/false-pregnancy-in-dogs), or pseudopregnancy, is a term used to describe a common condition in a non-pregnant female dog that is showing symptoms of [pregnancy](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pregnancy/), lactation, or nursing, without producing puppies. The affected female dog shows these symptoms about a month or two after her estrus (heat) is over. A hormonal imbalance is thought to play a central role in affected female dogs. Depending on the severity of problem, the symptoms may last for more than a month. Unless symptoms persist, treatment is typically unnecessary. Otherwise, your veterinarian may recommend hormonal supplementation or spaying to prevent further episodes. To reduce mammary gland secretions, your veterinarian will advise you on using cold or warm packs to minimize the stimulation that promotes lactation. An Elizabethan collar (cone) can also help prevent the self-nursing or licking behavior that can stimulate lactation. In some patients, reducing the daily food intake can help to reduce the production of milk. If you are not planning to breed your dog and do not want her to reproduce in the future, [spaying](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-great-reasons-to-spay-or-neuter-your-pet) is recommended for preventing future episodes of false pregnancy behavior. The overall prognosis is good and most dogs improve within two to three weeks, even without treatment.

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I am wondering if Lokita might be experiencing a pseudopregnancy. Sometimes dogs will have all of the hormonal changes associated with pregnancy and can even produce milk without being pregnant. It’s important to make sure she isn’t truly pregnant even though you keep a close eye on her. I’d recommend having your vet examine her - they may want to perform an ultrasound to make sure she isn’t pregnant and if they are suspicious of pseudopregnancy they can discuss treatment.

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Why is my unspayed female puppy's nipple red, swollen, and misshapen?

Hello. This is nothing to be overly concerned about. Manakoa is old enough that there are hormones circulating & this nipple just seems to be a little more sensitive to the effects of estrogen at this point in time. If you were planning on spaying her, this is a good time to consider doing so, but otherwise, as long as the nipple does not continue to show further hormonal influence, it should not significantly affect her. If it does continue to enlarge & seems to bother her, do see your vet. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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My older spayed dog's nipple is leaking clear fluid. Is this normal?

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. So sorry to hear that Panda is having this issue. I would be extremely concerned about this discharge in only one teat and she was just recently spayed at her age. I suggest you take her back to the vet for an exam. This may be recurrence of a tumor or there is some hormonal imbalance. This discharge is never normal in a spayed dog.

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