Could this visitor's dog have an ovarian cyst? With symptoms like brownish discharge and heavy breathing, it's a possibility. An ultrasound and testing hormone levels could be the keys to a diagnosis.
Dog Might Have an Ovarian Cyst
Hello,
I have a seven-year-old Basset Hound. She has been producing a thick brownish-red discharge. I'm not sure if she is in heat, since she was just in about two months ago.
When she has been in heat before it was thin, red and water-like. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with her discharge, but just last week I took her to the vet because she was having trouble walking up the steps. She was diagnosed with arthritis, given a cortisone shot and prescribed prednisone.
I have only given her two pills because she was breathing so heavily. I was advised by the vet to decrease her dosage to 1/2 a pill. I was also told to give her a little Metamucil because she was constipated. I assumed the messiness was from soft stools, but later saw it wasn't coming from her anus.
I would appreciate any answers you might have. I'm not sure if this is normal since I have only had her for one year, and I'm not familiar with her cycles.
Thank you~~ Bernie
Expert Reply
Hi Bernie,
I'm not and vet, buthe fact that your bitch was in season two months ago, coupled with the dark bloody discharge she has now makes me wonder if she has an ovarian cyst. The cyst could be interfering with her normal hormone production, and this would account for the bleeding.
Your vet can do an ultrasound of her ovaries to try to detect a cyst, but it may not show up well if it's very small. Her progesterone levels should be fairly high between seasons. If they're low, then it could be more evidence of a cyst.
If it is a cyst, the size of it will determine the course of treatment. A small cyst could be treated with a series of hormone shots to make the cyst mature and rupture. If the cyst is larger, your vet may want to remove it surgically. This would be a good time to have her spayed since seven years old is a little beyond ideal breeding age. It will most likely resolve the problem.
Best wishes for your Bassett's health~~ Kelly
