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My 6-month-old dog's vulva is red and swollen. Is she in heat or sick?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Great Pyrenees | Female | unspayed | 6 months and 7 days old | 35 lbs

My female dogs vagina seems to be red swollen and irritated. She is about 6 months. I do not know whether she is about to go through heat or this is caused by something else.

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4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 27th, 2019

It is the skin around the vulva that is irritated and swollen, not the vulva itself. The vulva will swell when they are going into heat. This is a skin infection. I suggest you have her to your vet for an exam.

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15Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

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    Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 4th, 2017

    The swelling of Pebbles' vulva is certainly a normal change when a dog goes into heat. However, she should not experience urine leakage or a bright red vulva during a normal heat cycle. Pebbles may have a urinary tract infection, bladder stones, crystals in her urine, or urinary incontinence (although this is more common in spayed females). Make sure that Pebbles is not licking her vulva excessively (use an e-collar/cone if necessary), but otherwise she should go to her vet for an exam and urinalysis to get to the bottom of this issue. I hope that all goes well!

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 18th, 2017

    Poor Meenah! It could be that she is going into heat again, as the vulva can swell and turn red when a dog is in heat. Even though she is 15, she will still be experiencing heat. There is a possibility this could be a sign of a uterine infection called a pyometra, and I would monitor her for now. Should she start having a pus filled discharge from her vulva, stops eating, starting drinking a lot, starts vomiting, and/or becomes very lethargic, I would have her seen by a vet immediately.

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    Answered By Sarah Derksen, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 14th, 2018

    Hi. I'm so sorry, it is a bit hard to tell in a photo. It may be swollen. And with Jessi being an unspayed female, the most probable cause is her going in to heat. If things seem abnormal there, I recommend getting her examined by your veterinarian. Good luck.

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