Area below vulva hardened

[ChristineL]

Hi @Dr. Jeff @Dr. Sara @Dr. Christina ,

I noticed my girl has been licking her private area frequently. Upon checking the area, I don’t see any blood (her last cycle ended June 2022) but the area between her vulva and anus is hard. I never paid too much attention on how that area nor know how it should feel…is that normal?

 

[Dr. Sara]

Dear Christine,
Normally, the area between the anus and the vulva is smooth fur with a small amount of tissue and fat underlying, with the firm pelvic structures more deeply located.

I would not be surprised if your girl was getting ready to go into heat again; estrus recurs every 5 to 7 months on average. The area around the vulva may become more firm around the time of estrus in some dogs, in others it becomes more soft and pouchy. If you think that there is an irritation causing licking - say she sat in something irritating - I would apply warm Epsom salt compresses twice daily for a few days to see if that helps the itchiness. If she seems normal aside from the licking I would not be overly concerned.
Stay well,
Dr. Sara

 

[ChristineL]

Dear Christine,
Normally, the area between the anus and the vulva is smooth fur with a small amount of tissue and fat underlying, with the firm pelvic structures more deeply located.

I would not be surprised if your girl was getting ready to go into heat again; estrus recurs every 5 to 7 months on average. The area around the vulva may become more firm around the time of estrus in some dogs, in others it becomes more soft and pouchy. If you think that there is an irritation causing licking - say she sat in something irritating - I would apply warm Epsom salt compresses twice daily for a few days to see if that helps the itchiness. If she seems normal aside from the licking I would not be overly concerned.
Stay well,
Dr. Sara

Thank you Dr. Sara. I will try the Epsom salt compresses. Thanks again!