How to Clean a Female Dog's Vulva
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Introduction
Your dog’s vulva is a tender part of her body. When she goes into heat, you might see discharge or blood coming from the area. She might lick a lot to clean herself, but it’s also important that you help her stay clean and sanitary during this time. You may notice her vulva swelling, especially during heat cycles. This is normal and doesn’t require any extra attention. A simple wipe or bath will often do the trick, but while she has discharge, you may also consider keeping her bedding clean and keeping her at home and isolated, especially from intact male dogs.
Dog's Perspective
Her body is changing during heat cycles, and your dog might be curious. Excessive licking could cause dryness and itching. She might feel a bit off because of hormone changes. This may show in her mood.
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The Bathing Method
The Wipe and Treat Method
Caution & Considerations
- If your dog is not in heat and her vulva is showing discharge, seek veterinary attention.
- A swollen vulva is normal during a heat cycle.
- She may be self-cleaning by licking, but excessive licking can cause dry, itchy skin which will irritate even more.
- Dogs can develop yeast infections that can cause itching and discomfort.
- If your little girl pup has a yeast infection or other infection in the vulva area, you may also notice an unpleasant odor.
- Apple cider vinegar and water can help reduce yeast if your girl pup is experiencing a yeast problem.
- If she gets yeast infections often, adding yogurt or kefir to her diet might help yeast from growing.
- A daily vinegar and water wipe down might be necessary for the dog who has chronic yeast infections.
- If her skin is dry and irritated from excessive licking, 100% coconut oil from your kitchen can help soothe her skin. It is okay if she licks the coconut oil off, but you just may need to reapply.
- Bathing your pup on a regular basis should also help with keeping all areas clean. Be sure to wash her face with a cloth before using it to wash her vulva and backside.
Conclusion
Working out the correct way to groom your dog's vulva can be challenging. If you'd rather leave it to an expert, book a Grooming service with a Pet Caregiver near you today.
Success Stories and Grooming Questions
Grooming Questions & Answers
Her vulva area has dark brown spots I can’t get rid of. I shampoo that area with silvet mc shampoo that the vet recommended. They won’t come off the worst is right on the vulva vaginal what’s supposed to be an open area. Help
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Thank you for inquiring about Daphne's problem. I would contact the vet to be sure. I looked up the directions and I see that the shampoo may take a few weeks to work as I believe it is used for a fungal problem. Don't overuse it just in case, but definitely check with the vet for verification of the directions in Daphne's case, and to see how long the vet feels it will take for the problem to be cleared up. All the best!
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it says you use coconut oil to soothe your dogs skin can we use coconut oil we use for our hair?
0 Dog owners recommended
Hello, I think giving your vet a quick call is the best idea so you can give them the details on the skin issue. That is my recommendation. I have also provided a link here for more information on coconut oil. https://wagwalking.com/wellness/does-coconut-oil-have-benefits-for-dogs. All the best to Shadow!
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So the right side of Delilahs vulva is swollen and red but the left side has a bump on it. What do I do without taking her to emergency
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Hello, I think it is best to call your vet as there could be any number of reasons for the problem and you don't want Delilah to be in pain. We do have an option "ask a vet." Take a look here to pose your question. But don't delay: https://wagwalking.com/wag-health. Good luck and all the best to Delilah!
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How do you clip her nails? And how often are you supposed to bathe her? And her breath is stinky how can I fix that?
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Hello, it's best to clip Estrella's nails when you hear them clicking when she walks. This can be anywhere from every two weeks to once a month, depending on how fast they grow. If they are extra long right now, start with trimming the ends only. Then next week trim them a bit again, and again the week after that. Then move to 2 to 4 weeks. This guide has good tips: https://wagwalking.com/grooming/trim-a-difficult-dogs-nails. As for bathing, don't bathe her more than once a month. It depends really, on how dirty she gets - if she's a typically clean dog, every couple of months should be fine. In between, if you want to clean her, use pet wipes. They do a great job and are gentle on the skin. Here is a guide on bad breath: https://wagwalking.com/wellness/how-to-prevent-bad-dog-breath. Estrella's teeth (from the photos) look good, so keep them that way by brushing her teeth with a dog-safe toothpaste (NEVER human toothpaste as it could be toxic). When you take Estrella for her checkup, ask the vet to check her teeth and let them know her breath is bad. She could have a tooth or teeth that need cleaning or fixing. All the best to Estrella!
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We give mini baths every month but she tends to turn brownish by her vulva. She has been spayed already. What or how do I do to keep her from having that??
0 Dog owners recommended
Hi Cathy Ann, thank you for your question. You have cute dogs! As for Mini's brown staining in the area around the vulva, I would recommend a visit to the veterinarian to rule out anything like infection or injury. Sometimes the staining can be caused by something as simple as Mini's saliva (from licking the area) turning brown when exposed to the air. Then, we have to wonder why she is licking the area so much? At the vet visit, you can inquire as to how to keep the area clean after they rule out a health problem. All the best to Mini!
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I gave my doxie a bath because I noticed dark sticky skin on her private parts. Also noticed around each nipple which looks like dark dirt. It will not come Off with bathing. Please advise. Thank you.
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My dog just went into her first heat cycle, she's been crying all day, i tried to cuddle up with her but the crying didn't stop, is there anything i can do?
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My dog has what looks like bumps in between her vagina and butthole and is more getting bumps on her let’s and she is licking And scratching a lot and is balding from those spots
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Grooming Success Stories
So picked up our puppy to tge happy surprise she wasn't 8 weeks but 7 and had puppy vaginitus (confirmed by the vet and swab test). I got probiotic snd put apple cider vinegar or lemon in her water and 2ml of live bio yoghurt 2 times a day. Happy dof in 2 days. Also cleaned hef every wee and poo. Great advice. From new pup parent.
I just used ALCALA body wipes I got from Amazon to clean her potty area. Which if it stays wet (pee) can start to get dark spots. Really soft made of bamboo and premoistened with aloe and tea tree. Nice scent. Worked great. Also been using REMEDY antifungal powder for jock itch but used on her area clean scent.
Tea tree oil is often found in varying concentrations and high concentrations should never be used on pets. As little as 7 drops of 100% oil has resulted in severe poisoning, and applications of 10-20 mls of 100% oil have resulted in poisoning and death in both dogs and cats.
Tea tree oil is often found in varying concentrations and high concentrations should never be used on pets. As little as 7 drops of 100% oil has resulted in severe poisoning, and applications of 10-20 mls of 100% oil have resulted in poisoning and death in both dogs and cats.
I used Petkin Pet Wipes on Franny's fanny! LOL. It has a nice scent. She sleeps with my on my bed, so I am glad I found these.
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