Swollen Genital......NOT in heat

[bethaliz]

I'm pleased to say that Roxie finally had a heat. Acorrding to the vet there was never anything wrong, she just had a "silent heat". Basically that means that the typical heat signs weren't there. But she's fine.

As some of you know (from another post) she was bred during that heat cycle and we had four puppies (two boys and two girls)! They're very cute! Good markings and very healthy! We are very proud!

However during one of Roxie's trips outside to do her business she got stung by a bee on her vulva. We took her to the vet, they made sure that the stinger was out and told us to give her benadryl and try to get her not to lick herself. It doesn't seem to bother her when she pees, but her vulva is VERY swollen, yellow and red. Does anyone know of anything else I can do to help make her more comfortable?

It's also hard to keep her from licking and biting the area. Because she's just had puppies she still has a little post birth mucus, not a lot but enough that she feels the need to clean. Because of this I can't just tell her NO for licking, she needs to. Although I have started cleaning her myself very time she comes in, so it reduces the need for her to do it. I also can't put a collar on her because she needs to clean her puppies. How do I get her to stop licking and biting the area? Any Ideas would be apprecaited.

Also, does anyone know if the Benadryl will be harmful to the puppies? The vet told us to give it to her and they know she's had puppies, so it should be ok, but I'm not sure.....

Thanks in advace

[Puppyluv]

If she won't leave it alone, I would say put a cone on her, but that may interfere with her interactions with her puppies. you could try it and see though.

Yellow tends to mean infection. Benadryl is an antihistamine and won't help that, so I would bring her back in if the yellowness persists or worsens.


edited to say: good thing I read the last sentence of paragraph 4..... what about covering it? I know air is better, but covering might be better than licking.

[kaytris]

I agree with Puppyluv, your best bet probably is to cover it. What about those 'doggy panties'?

[bethaliz]

I've tried doggie panties, she pees in them and then chews them off. She REALLY hates them. We tried a cone too, but she was having trouble trying to get to the puppies properly. She got really freaked out and ended up stepping on the puppies, which made them cry, which got her more upset. So that's not going to work.

I know when MIsty (my aunts dog) had her puppies, there was an acident and her eye came out of it's socket, they had to put a cone on her and she had to be removed from the puppies and we had to give them formula every couple of hours and clean them and everything. It was horrible, but it was all we could do to keep the eye.

I really don't want to have to take Roxie away from her puppies. I know that's not the best thing for her or them, but I don't know what else to try.

[LibbyP]

I would think if the area is red swollen and yellow this is a sign of infection, this would cause her to lick/bite at herself more, not sure if she should 'still' have post birth mucus, how old are the puppies now? Is the discharge what's yellow? (IMO) if this is the case I would take her back into the vet's, they 'should' pass all the afterbith within a time period and maybe this is whats causing some of the problems

[bethaliz]

We were at the vets yesterday, the area looks the same then as it does now (ie. was red and yellow). The vet said it was fine, just iritated as it just happened. She's pretty much done with the mucus, but she still has a little. We also addressed that with the vet, which she said is normal as it's clear and practically nonexsistant. She'll stop feeling the need to clean it in the next day or so according to the vet.

[bethaliz]

I"m running out of Ideas......anyone?