My 3yr old cane corso has had a gooey, beigy, yellowish, discharge from her vagina, not all the time, couple times a week. The vet said it was vaginitis and prescribed antibiotics. I have heard that this is extremely hard to rid of and antibiotics can make it worse. Is that wrong or right? What should I do? Is there any natural treatments I could try? Any information would be appreciated. Thanks.

What was the cause the vet concluded for the vaginitis? The cause is very important.

It can mean infection and/or inflammation.

This RX means that the vet diagnosed infection. How was it diagnosed?

He um how do I put this nicely, stuck something up there to get a sample. He didnt say why so much as it is pretty common, her vagina seemed a little red and inflamed but nothing too bad. He didnt seem overly concerned. Should I be concerned?

Then what? I assume the sample showed bacteria?

The thing is that most dog vaginitis, I believe, is usually a result of urine causing a contact problem. This leads to questions about what is happening with the urine: why is its makeup or passage causing a problem. It can happen secondary to cystitis (a UTI), as the bladder infection's bacteria come out with the urine.

The infection can also happen if rectal bacteria is conveyed to the vaginal opening, in a couple of ways, but the dog's own cleaning of herself is one common way.

So you've kind of asked a question that no one can answer without knowing more.

I would guess that since the vet did indeed take a swab, presumably he found bacteria and prescribed an antibiotic, but not much more can be guessed with this info.

But when you say "not all the time," do you mean that this is one event, off-and-on for a couple of weeks or so, or do you mean that this has been recurring week after week?

Did he mention cystitis (bladder infection)?

What is the antibiotic? I am asking that so we can know if it's a type that should not have dairy given during the protocol or whether you can give probiotics in the form of a good unsweetened unflavored live-culture yogurt, timed between doses of meds so as not to kill the cultures with the med, in order to replenish good intestinal fauna that the RX wipes out as it wipes out the bad bugs.


I'm not a health professional. All JMO.

 Quote: Cat Richter

.... I have heard that this is extremely hard to rid of and antibiotics can make it worse. ...

Do you mean if it's a yeast infection?

Did the vet mention yeast?

I honestly dont remember if he mentioned yeast. It may have come up as, it could be this, it could be this, etc. Interesting about her cleaning herself, she does do that. I dont know what the antibiotics are, we didnt get them yet. It has bin occuring week after week. I will try the antibiotics and let you know what kind. I always fed yougurt with antibiotics, didnt know about timing and only certain meds. Thanks for the great information, you've bin very helpful.

Here's a really good overview:
http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/vetmed/Medicine/Vaginitis-in-dogs-A-simple-approach-to-a-complex-c/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/557956

QUOTE:Adult-onset vaginitis

The most common primary problems reported in dogs with vaginitis are UTIs, reported in 26% to 60% of cases; vaginal anatomical anomalies, reported in 20% to 36% of cases; and systemic disease, reported in 15% of cases. .... I have had success in asking owners to keep track on a calendar when clinical signs are evident. This objective record better permits the owner and the veterinarian to determine the frequency and severity of clinical signs and to monitor progress with therapy. ..... Bacterial infections. In some dogs, it is difficult to know whether vaginitis caused a UTI or if a UTI caused vaginitis. Concurrent bacterial cultures of vaginal vault samples obtained by using a guarded vaginal swab and a urine sample collected by cystocentesis may permit you to localize disease at the time of presentation. ..... Significant growth from vaginal bacterial culture samples also prompts appropriate antibiotic therapy. Empirical therapy is not recommended. Mycoplasma species organisms and Escherichia coli may emerge in the vagina during inappropriate antibiotic therapy, strongly arguing against indiscriminate use of antibiotics. END QUOTE

But I'd read the whole article. You'll see why so many questions need answers before your original comment/question can be addressed.