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My spayed dog is bleeding. Could she be in heat or is it serious?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Yorkshire Terrier | Female | spayed | 10 years and 2 months old | 16 lbs

My 11 year old fixed female yorkie is bleeding either from her vulva or her kidneys. Do fixed dogs have heats?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jenny, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on February 9th, 2018

If a dog is spayed correctly they not long have heat cycles and should not be spotting or bleeding. If there is a discharge noted, it is best to start with a urine sample and an ultrasound to look at the bladder and kidneys and look at the cervix to see if there is an infection or a growth.

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    Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 1st, 2017

    Mounting isn't a sign that your pet isn't sterilized, but simply a sign of dominance. Females will still produce a small amount of sex hormones from other organs after being fixed. Unless she has a swollen vulva and bloody discharge then I wouldn't presume that she wasn't entirely fixed. However if you are seeing these symptoms as well, then an ultrasound scan to look for an ovarian remnant would be the next best step towards confirming she wasn't sterilized successfully. I hope this is helpful and best wishes with your pet Ambar.

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    Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 2nd, 2021

    Hello. This is possible if Gypsy had been in the very early stages of her heat cycle when she was spayed. Depending on the procedure your veterinarian did( complete removal of the ovaries & uterus, or the now more common procedure of only removing the ovaries ), she could have still had some hormonal influence on these tissues. So essentially, she is in the next stage of her cycle. If this is the case, then the spotting should diminish over the next few days. If the spotting is still present after a week, or the spotting is becoming more frequent or heavier, please see your veterinarian as soon as possible. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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    Answered By Dr Stafford, BVetMed, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on July 20th, 2017

    It sounds like she is showing signs of being in heat. Sometimes when dogs are spayed there is a chance of leaving behind a bit of ovary which can still produce hormones. There is a blood test that can check for an ovarian remnant, I would ask your vet to run this.

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My 9 yr old female (spayed) has bleeding from vulva,is this serious? 2nd time I noticed it in couple of weeks I
Bleeding from the vulva in a spayed dog is not normal. Possible causes include bleeding from the urinary tract (UTI, urinary bladder stones, tumor) or bleeding from the vaginal vault (tumor or infection). Some bleeding/clotting disorders can also be causing the blood you see. I would recommend that Isabella be checked out by a veterinarian. After a thorough physical and vaginal exam, your vet may recommend bloodwork, clotting times, x-rays, or ultrasound.
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My approximate 10yr old spayed red heeler is lightly bleeding from her vagina. I've only had her for 14 months, she's not done this before since I've had her. Is this normal?
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I have an older dog she's a rescue not sure exact age or breed guessing 12yrs. She's spotting blood all over house. I was told she is fixed. Not sure what's going on. Still eating and drinking. Any advice would be great. Funds are very limited rig
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I would have your vet take a look at her to see where the blood is coming from. The urethra is also very closely associated with the vagina so she could be leaking blood from her bladder. She could also be suffering from a serious infection called a pyometra which needs to be addressed ASAP. Your vet will also be able to tell if she is/was pregnant. There isn’t much you can do at home. If she is bleeding, further diagnostics need to be done. She likely needs some meds and additional treatment. I hope this helps.
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My Yorkshire terrier is nearly 18. She has started bleeding is she in season again. Otherwise she is healthy.
Hello and welcome to Boop by Petco. As dogs get older their heat cycles decrease, so if your dog hasn't had a heat in a while, and is now bleeding, then this is unlikely to be heat, and more concerning for cancer in the uterus or an infected uterus. I recommend bringing her in for a check up, as she could have a condition called pyometra that is fixable but if left untreated is fatal. Best of luck with your little girl!
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I have noticed my female Shihtzu bleeding when she urinates she is swollen! I thought she was spayed but I do not see any scars from that being done! I got her as a rescue she was from a hoarder who had her pets taken from her by the courts! I have
Glad to hear you got Coco out of a tough situation! To answer your question regarding whether or not we can tell if she is spayed, typically we do check for a scar first. If we can't see one for sure, an ultrasound can be performed. Unfortunately, the uterus is one of those organs that we usually won't even see on ultrasound unless there is something wrong or if there is a pregnancy. There are certain blood tests that can be sent out to laboratories that test for hormone levels that would only be consistent with an intact bitch versus a spayed dog. Lastly, you can wait and see if she starts to show signs of an actual heat. You will see obvious bleeding and spotting from the vagina, versus what you have described as blood urine. They do typically get swollen at the vulva and you might also see some mucoid material at the vagina's exit. The other most common cause of blood in the urine would be due to a urinary tract infection or stones. This is diagnosed through urinalysis and/o
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I just noticed my female dog is spotting from her vagina. She was spayed over a year ago before I adopted her.
Thanks for using Boop by Petco. If there are no other signs of heat (swollen vulva, swollen teats), then I am concerned for a urinary tract infection. Take Molly and a sample of her urine in to the vet. If there ARE signs that she is in heat, talk to your vet about testing for an ovarian remnant (a few ovary cells left in the body can be enough to trigger a heat sometimes). Best wishes to you and Molly!
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