Dogs can develop, throughout their lives, different pathologies that will affect their reproductive system, both the uterus and the vagina. One of the most significant symptoms of these disorders is a discharge that will come out through the vulva and that can have different consistency (more or less thick) and color (red, brown, yellow, green, etc.). If our dog has a green discharge, we must think about the existence of an infection that will require veterinary intervention, first to establish its cause and, second, to solve it by administering the appropriate treatment. Read on and discover on our site why your dog has a green discharge and what to do
Pathologies that produce green discharge in bitches
If our dog has a green discharge, we are facing an infection that may have its origin in pathologies of the bladder, uterus or vaginaIn addition, to establish the cause, we must take into account the vital moment in which our bitch is, since some pathologies only occur in puppies or pregnant or recently given birth females. For this reason, in the following sections we are going to develop the different situations in which we can find ourselves in order to explain their causes and their solutions.
When the infection is urine
Sometimes our dog has a green discharge from a urine infection or cystitis. In these cases, in addition to vaginal discharge, we will observe other symptoms such as the following:
- Struggling and pain to urinate. We are going to see that our dog bends down to pee but no urine comes out or only emits a few drops. This can be repeated many times throughout the day.
- Our dog may lick her vulva, usually because she feels itching and pain
- Hematuria (blood in the urine), although it is not always detectable with the naked eye, sometimes we can see colored urine and cloudy.
It is a reason for a veterinary consultation since, although they are usually mild conditions that respond well to antibiotic treatment, if they are not treated, the bacteria can ascend and affect the kidneys. They are diagnosed by analyzing a urine sample. Obviously, the green discharge will disappear when the infection subsides.
My entire dog has a green discharge
We say that a bitch is whole when she has not been sterilized, therefore, she keeps her uterus and her ovaries, responsible for her reproductive cycle. If she hasn't been operated on and our dog has a green discharge, we should go to the vet urgently if the following symptoms also occur:
- Apathy, we will see our dog less active than usual.
- Loss of appetite.
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- Polydipsia and polyuria (increased water intake and urination).
We say that it is urgent to go to the vet because this condition may correspond to a pyometra, an infection of the uterus that has the following presentations:
- Open: it would be the one that concerns us if our dog has a mucopurulent discharge. She means that the cervix is open, allowing infectious secretions to come out.
- Cerrada: this is the most dangerous form, since, as the uterus is not drained, it can rupture. In addition, since flow is not clearly observed, it can be more difficult to detect. The lower abdomen is often painfully swollen.
It is more common in females over six years old. Pyometra is a very serious pathology that can be fatal. It is usually treated with surgery, performing a ovarihysterectomy (sterilization) and antibiotics. The clinical picture guides the diagnosis and an ultrasound or x-ray can confirm it.
My dog is pregnant and has a green discharge
In the event that our dog is pregnant, the following situations may occur:
- The dog has started labor, she has given birth to a puppy but has been struggling for some time without any more being born. If our dog has a green discharge at that time, we should consider it a veterinary emergency and transfer her to the clinic without wasting time.
- If our bitch has already reached the gestation period, she has passed the probable date of delivery and has not yet given birth but begins to expel green discharge, it is another reason for a veterinary emergency
In both cases we may be facing infections or dystocias (difficulties caused during childbirth) that will require the intervention of a professional. You may need to have a cesarean section.
My dog has given birth and has a green discharge
If our dog has become a mother, we should know that it is normal for her to have a bloody or pink secretion after giving birth. They are the lochia and they constitute a completely normal elimination that can last from 4 to 6 weeks, in which the dog is perfectly. On the other hand, if we observe that our dog sheds green or bloody discharge with a bad odorand, in addition, presents other symptoms, we can think that she is suffering from an infection (metritis). The symptoms, which appear a few days after delivery, will be as follows:
- Lethargy.
- Food refusal.
- Fever.
- Does not care for puppies.
- Vomiting and diarrhea.
- Excessive thirst.
We must go to the vet urgently, since it is a potentially fatal pathology. These postpartum infections, sometimes caused by retained placenta, poor hygiene, etc., can be confirmed with an ultrasound. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the dog will require intravenous fluid therapy and antibiotics. In the most severe cases, surgery is needed. The mother will not be able to take care of the puppies and they will have to be fed with a bottle and a special milk for dogs. For more information, do not hesitate to consult our article on "How to feed newborn puppies".
My puppy has a green discharge
If the bitch with a green discharge is not yet a year old, it is likely that we are facing a prepubertal vaginitis It usually occurs in females from 8 weeks to 12 months of age and the usual thing is that they do not show more symptoms than that secretion, although we may observe licking and irritation of the vulva. It does not usually require any treatment, except in more severe cases. If this is necessary, at the discretion of the veterinarian, it will consist of antibiotics. A culture can be performed to prescribe the most appropriate. You have to know that vaginitis will attract some males, so it can make us think that the bitch is in heat.
Vaginitis (vaginal inflammation) can also appear in adulthood and is not always associated with infection. It can be primary, such as caused by a herpesvirus (viral vaginitis), or secondary to disorders such as tumors (especially in entire females of about 10 years of age), urinary infections (as we have seen) or congenital malformations. We will see that the bitch licks her vulva frequently and with discomfort. It is treated with antibiotics, if there is an infection, and baths according to veterinary prescription. In secondary ones, the cause that originates them must be treated.
