My unspayed senior dog is bleeding and eating soil. What's wrong?

I am very concerned that Willow may have pyometra (an infection in her uterus). This type of infection can be life-threatening and typically requires surgery to remove the uterus which is the source of the infection. I would recommend taking her to your vet right away so she can be evaluated for this disease.

Hi, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry to hear that Cagney is not doing well. With her being intact and having the discharge you are describing, I am particularly worried about a condition known as pyometra which is an infection within her uterus. While there are other possibilities, a pyometra is most likely. Unfortunately, this is not something that can wait until tomorrow. Please seek veterinary attention for Cagney as soon as possible tonight. If she does have a pyometra, her condition can go downhill rapidly without aggressive intervention. I hope this helps and that Cagney gets better soon!

I would have Hennessey seen by a vet immediately. I would be very concerned that this heavy bleeding, lethargy, and bloating is caused by a pyometra. A pyometra is a serous infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment. Using a physical exam, blood tests, urinalysis, and x-rays, the vet can diagnose if she does have a pyometra and can treat her for it. Should she have one, spaying her is part of the recommended treatment. Please take Hennessey into an ER vet or find a vet on call to see her now.

If you have had her for a long time and she has never had this issue then she probably is spayed and the problem is caused by something else. Lulu could have a urinary tract infection, bladder stones, or a tumor causing her to spot blood. The only way to know would be to have her examined by a vet. A vet can run a urinalysis to look for an infection and take an x-ray, if needed, to help diagnose. You could try to find a low cost clinic in your area and see if they could help. She may just need an oral antibiotic to treat an infection so it might not be too costly. Hope she gets better soon!

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.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Spotting blood is most likely related to uterine infection called pyometra. If left untreated, it may become a very serious condition, so please try and get Lacey seen by your local vets as soon as possible. If it is uterine infection, you will have to get Lacey neutered, as this is the only reliable treatment for pyometra.

If they vet recommended spaying, I wondering if the bleeding is actually coming from her vulva. If it's definitely from her anus, she needs a rectal exam, abdominal x-rays, and then likely a colonocopy to look for the problem. I would be concerned about a cancerous growth.