Why is my 17-year-old Maltese always swollen and attracting male dogs?

No, this is not normal. LuLu may have a uterine infection which can be life threatening. You need to have her examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Drinking and urinating more than usual and appearing quieter than usual would also be signs consistent with an infection. The veterinarian will give her a thorough exam, blood tests and possibly take an x-ray to visualize her uterus. Should LuLu get lethargic you need to take her to an emergency clinic.

It's not common in younger dogs, but a pyometra can happen and would cause these symptoms. A pyometra is an infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment. I would be very concerned about this possibility, and I would take Luana into a vet immediately. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It can take several weeks for the blood vessels to Decrease in size after a heat cycle. I usually say about 6 weeks after you see bleeding. If you see any discharge, she’s licking the area, or not acting herself, I would recommend taking her to a vet for any exam. Good luck and kisses to Lillie!

I am sorry to hear about Lilo. It looks like she has a recessed vulva. This can predispose a dog to developing a urinary tract infection. If you have closely examined her vulva before and it did not look like this, I suppose it is possible she could have inflammation from licking resulting in swelling of the area but it is less likely. I would recommend having your vet examine the area in person to see if they feel this is a recessed vulva. Sometimes medicated wipes can be used to clean between the folds and prevent infection, but in cases of recurrent infection surgical alteration of the area can be helpful.

If Luna has a blood tinged discharge and your male dog is showing an increased interest in her, it is likely she is in heat and possible just very early stages and this is why her vulva isn't swollen. You can read more about the heat cycle in this article: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952188 (it is about false pregnancy but gives a good idea of the stages of the cycle). If, however, you think it is possible the blood could be in her urine/she is having urinary accidents/asking to pee more frequently then a vet visit is recommended.

Vaginal swelling is itself a sign of estrus/heat even without discharge. If it is the first season it may be that you won't notice any discharge at all. It is actually possible that the estrus is over already and vaginal swelling will go down in the next week time. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

I would strongly recommend that Diamond be seen by your veterinarian as soon as possible for an exam. The biggest concern is that she may have developed an infection in her uterus- known as a pyometra. If that is the case, this can be a life threatening emergency. She may need an X-ray or bloodwork to confirm the diagnosis. Pyometra usually requires emergency surgery but can occasionally be treated medically in very minor infections. Please take Diamond to your vet or closest emergency clinic.