Stella is her happy self again, now that she is recovered from surgery to remove excess skin from her vulva. The anatomical condition is fairly common and often leads to bladder infections.

Stella was suffering. She was scooting, licking her vulva excessively, waking her humans in the middle of the night to go outside, straining to urinate, or having accidents in the house – a rarity for this dog. Was this a simple bladder infection, or could there be more to this?

When Dr. Kathy Passinault examined the pup, she found that in addition to a urinary tract infection, Stella had a condition called a recessed vulva.

“The condition was causing urinary tract infections that caused the dog pain, itch and overall discomfort,” said Passinault. “It’s a fairly common anatomical condition, and it can cause some big trouble.”

When excessive skin folds surround the vulva, the area collects moisture when the dog urinates. “The trapped moisture from urine, combined with body warmth, gives bacteria an excellent place to live,” explained Passinault. “If the bacteria stays within the skin folds, the dog might get perivulvar dermatitis – a skin infection – and makes the dog prone to urinary tract infections.

“The bacteria that are normally found on the skin can proliferate and possibly extend into the vagina, causing vaginitis. Then, if left undiscovered or unchecked, the bacteria will use the urinary tract as a highway to the bladder, where it will wreak more havoc.”

Passinault said researchers haven’t quite settled on whether the anatomical development of extra skin folds is genetic, but there are some commonalities among dogs who have the problem. “Many times we see this in medium- to large-size dogs, and it’s most prevalent in dogs who are obese,” she said. “Keeping a dog lean can help prevent many problems; this is just one of them.

“However, some puppies are born with a recessed vulva. When we spot them, it is important to keep the area clean, such as with medicated wipes. Sometimes, but not all the time, after the dog goes through her first heat cycle, the issue resolves on its own. It’s not the most common thing, but it happens. If it doesn’t resolve, then we recommend a surgery called a vulvoplasty at the time of the spay.”

The photo on the left shows the excess skin folds that trapped moisture from urine and created a ripe environment for bacteria to grow. At right is the repaired vulva following surgery.

Prior to the surgery, doctors might order urine tests, complete blood counts, blood chemistry panels, cystoscopy, x-rays, ultrasound or prophylactic antibiotics before surgery. “Once we’ve made sure there aren’t other conditions and we’ve done everything to prepare for the procedure, our next step is to remove some of the excess skin around the vulva. Once all that is removed, the skin around that area will stay drier, so bacteria will no longer have a breeding ground.”

After care from the surgery is very important, Passinault said, and recovery time is usually between 10 and 14 days. Dogs might need some pain medications, antibiotics to prevent infections, and be restricted from activities that could lead to the incision site tearing open. “And of course, the dog must wear a cone to prevent her from licking her sore spot.”

Passinault said the surgeries are usually successful and lead to dogs and their humans being quite happy with the results.

For information or to make an appointment, call Greendale Village Vet at 414-421-1800, or visit https://greendalevillagevet.com/.