Vaginitis is an inflammation of the vagina. It is not necessarily accompanied by an infection. Adult vaginitis usually is caused by an anatomic abnormality of the vagina that results in urine pooling in the vaginal canal. Viral vaginitis is caused by the herpesvirus, which is transmitted during breeding. Mycoplasma vaginitis may result from an overgrowth of mycoplasma organisms, which are normally present in the vagina in small numbers.
Vaginitis can ascend into the uterus or bladder, causing endometritis or, more commonly, a urinary tract infection. Juvenile vaginitis is seen in puppies less than 1 year of age. It is often asymptomatic. In some cases there is a light purulent vaginal discharge.
Signs of vaginitis are licking at the vulva and staining of the hair around the vulva. A vaginal discharge may not be visible if the bitch keeps herself clean. Vaginal examination is painful and may require sedation. Male dogs are sometimes attracted to bitches with vaginitis. This can give the impression that the bitch is in heat.
The diagnosis is confirmed by speculum examination of the interior of the vagina. Cultures and cytology are obtained. There are normally bacteria present in the vagina; a culture looks for an overgrowth of a particular bacteria. A urinalysis is taken to rule out an associated urinary tract infection.
Treatment: Bacterial vaginitis is easier to clear up if an underlying cause can be identified and removed. In the absence of an underlying cause, treatment involves oral antibiotics selected based on culture and sensitivity tests, along with an initial Betadine or chlorhexidine lavage to remove the accumu- lated discharge.
Bitches with bacterial vaginitis should not be bred until the infection has been eliminated. There is no effective treatment for herpesvirus vaginitis, but most bitches develop antibodies against the virus.
Mycoplasma cultured from vaginitis may be normal flora or the results of an infection. If other signs, such as infertility, indicate an infection, treatment usually involves antiobiotics such as the tetracyclines.
Juvenile vaginitis does not require treatment other than to keep the vulva clean to prevent skin inflammation caused by excessive licking. Most cases disappear when the female enters her first heat cycle. Spaying, if planned, should be postponed until after that time.