Our lovely bitch was spayed, last December, three months after her first heat. Since then she has been having a very potent smelling discharge, not bloody, sometimes greyish. She has been back to the vets on numerous occasions since we noticed the discharge (a few weeks after speying).
She has been swabbed (no unusual bacteria found) and treated with antibiotics, to no avail. She has also had a blood test to determine whether there was any uterene tissue remaining inside her but this came back negative. She is having an ultrasound on Thursday and another swab, to look for yeast, this time. She also seems to have picked up a skin yeast infection since the spaying which she is being treated for with shampoo.
Has anyone else had this problem? It is very worrying and I am getting increasingly frustrated with the vet who seems to have no idea what the problem could be. This has been going on for six months now. It is very upsetting as she didn't have any problems before the operation.
Can you try a different Vet? What is she like otherwise? Eating, sleeping, playing? Certainly sounds to me like there is some kind of infection going on internally, but I am not a Vet and have never heard of this type of problem related to a spay. I think that I would be off to another Vet?
I think I will see whether the ultrasound shows anything and then consider going elsewhere if I don't like what the vet suggests. Otherwise, she is fine. She has always been quite a picky eater anyway. She is sleeping fine and is still very playful with us and her doggy friends. She doesn't look ill, shiny coat, alert eyes, happy.
Welcome to the forum, sorry i have no suggestions but hope you get the problem sorted soon.
No suggestions here, other than mentioning that humans often get second opinions on health issues, so you really might want to try another vet for an opinion on this.
Sorry you are having problems with the spay after so long - I agree with the others that perhaps you should take her to a different vet for another opinion. I've never heard of this problem before either.
It does sound like an infection and especially if she's been checked for remaining uterine tissue. Can I ask why she had to be speyed? Did your vet advise it? I agree with the others I would get another opinion as this doesn't sound at all right.
We in the states have much different idea on pet de-sexing than you folks in England.
We work to get all pets fixed in this country, because there are just too many folks who aren't responsible. We kill too many unwanted animals every year because of the babies they produce.
Assuming it is confirmed the discharge is coming from vulva region and not anal region I would be concerned about a lap sponge or 4x4 gauze being left behind during her spay or she could be having reaction to the sutures used to tie off the uterine stump. An ultrasound should help with diagnosis, if not you might need to think about exploraory surgery looking for foreign body. Good luck.
has she got a normal temperature?
Hi Patty. She didn't need to be speyed. We never intended to show or breed from her so thought it was in her best interests. Our breeder knew she was going to be speyed when we got her, as did her mum's sire/dam's owner. I've never had any advice not to have her speyed.
has she got a normal temperature?
Hello, yes she does have a normal temperature. She is unffected apart from the discharge.
Assuming it is confirmed the discharge is coming from vulva region and not anal region I would be concerned about a lap sponge or 4x4 gauze being left behind during her spay or she could be having reaction to the sutures used to tie off the uterine stump. An ultrasound should help with diagnosis, if not you might need to think about exploraory surgery looking for foreign body. Good luck.
Hopefully the ultrasound will shed some light. I'm very reluctant to have her opened up speculatively. Fingers crossed for Thursday.
Sending well wished and good lucks for her vet visit on thursday. Hopefully they find what is wrong with her, discharge wise.
Doodle - I only wondered whether there was a previous problem and that was the reason for speying.
Sharron - we do have the same problem here with unwanted dogs but obviously on a smaller scale. Speying is obviously the best idea and is encouraged by many vets. There are too many people here with pedigree and non pedigree bitches who think that its a good thing for a bitch to have at least one litter! Luckily not so many feel the same about their males!!
Sorry doodle forgot to say all the best to your girl for Thursday, I do hope that all will be well. Do let us know how things go.
We need quality dogs to help keep all breeds healthy, but pets or mixes should be fixed. IMO. As I do rescue, I am set in this opinion. I have not heard of this happening before.
I hope the tests will give you some info.
We are all hoping for the best for your b and your family.
Doodle - I only wondered whether there was a previous problem and that was the reason for speying.
Sharron - we do have the same problem here with unwanted dogs but obviously on a smaller scale. Speying is obviously the best idea and is encouraged by many vets. There are too many people here with pedigree and non pedigree bitches who think that its a good thing for a bitch to have at least one litter! Luckily not so many feel the same about their males!!
Thanks Patty. I know that speying is a very divisive issue. Our Bitch has a good pedigree but she is first and foremost a beloved pet. We don't have the experience/desire to show her so had we decided to breed, I imagine it may have been difficult to find good homes for the pups. She has an extremely soft temprement and it would have been lovely to see her become a doting mother but we thought it best to take the responsible route…and look where it got us! Poor girl. I'll let you know how she gets on.
Thanks Patty. I know that speying is a very divisive issue. Our Bitch has a good pedigree but she is first and foremost a beloved pet. We don't have the experience/desire to show her so had we decided to breed, I imagine it may have been difficult to find good homes for the pups. She has an extremely soft temprement and it would have been lovely to see her become a doting mother but we thought it best to take the responsible route…and look where it got us! Poor girl. I'll let you know how she gets on.
Well you might even find out it had nothing to do with her being spayed…. so IMO, this was right for your situation and you did do the responsible thing.
Have a pet spayed so that there is no change of "littering" is a very good think indeed.
We sure hope you can find out why she is having these issues.
Hi everyone. Unfortunately the ultrasound image wasn't good enough to tell either way. We are expecting the swab results back on Monday and the vet is looking into referring us to another surgery where they have more advanced diagnostics.
In the meantime I found some other forums where people have experienced similar smelling discharge (metallic/bloody). A lot of these people found the discharge was coming from the anal glands. The vet hasn't suggested this but it sounds to me like this could be the answer. I didn't realise they could produce such noticable amount of discharge from the anus. Because it smells metallic coupled with the timing of her speying, I thought it was probably vaginal. Obviously this needs to be ruled out before any more dagnostics are done. If this is the answer, one thing still confuses me. Leela is still attracting intact males. Does anyone know whether speed bitches can still attract males?
