Vaginal Discharge / Ear Discharge

[kelley]

Our 6-yr old female Chesapeake stopped bleeding after a normal heat cycle five days ago. I did noticed that she has been licking her vulva occasionally since the bleeding stopped--did not think too much of it although its not something she's done before. Today I noticed a blob of creamy discharge from her vagina, no smell. Is this something to start worrying about? A vaginitis or pyometra? Her BEAM is very good except that she has had a yeast infection in her left ear since August 2018. The build up of discharge in her middle ear caused her discomfort/pain. She feels better temporarily after I clean out the discharge every day or two with vinegar/water (although the vinegar probably stings a bit). There seems to be no solution to the problem, and I constantly worry about it. I've begun to think that whatever microbial balance that should be in that ear is not there. Now I'm concerned the yeast infection has spread to her vagina.

 

[Dr. Sara]

Hi, Kelley!
It is unlikely, though not impossible, that the yeast overgrowth from your Chessie's ears is affecting her vagina.
Chessies have a relatively high pyometra rate:

Chesapeake Bay Retriever Health

www.amchessieclub.org

so it is wise to evaluate the discharge and her BEAM critically.
Pyometra generally occurs two months after ovulation, and the discharge usually smells bad. Ovulation occurs at about the middle of the estrus cycle. Not all dog read the veterinary literature regarding timing and signs, however!
It is most likely that the discharges from both her ears and vagina are the body's attempt to exteriorize a problem. They are related in that, for her, discharges are her natural way of eliminating problems / toxins.
As her BEAM is excellent, it is safe to try to treat this symptomatically. I assume that she is already on an excellent diet and receiving probiotics daily to help improve her gut biota. Gut biota affects the biota on the skin and in the reproductive tract, so it is essential to have a happy intestinal biota!

You are wise to avoid suppressive medications for her ears. I would consider an enzymatic product, Zymox without cortisone, to help rebalance the normal flora of the ear. Zymox is placed in the ear daily for 7 to 14 days; the ears are not cleaned. The enzymes in Zymox help the dog develop a more normal biota. As there is no antibiotic or steroid (be sure to get the Zymox without steroid) there is no concern about increasing bacterial or yeast resistance. Zymox does not sting inflamed ears.

Regarding the vaginal discharge, I would keep the area cleaned, by gently wiping with warm water, and powdering with either cornstarch unscented baby powder, or my favourite, WiseWays Calendula powder. If your Chessie had a heavy cycle, and was cleaning herself a lot, she may have irritated the tissues, and she could have some inflammation from that, resulting in a creamy discharge. If there is a lot of discharge, I would suggest gently bathing the vulvar area up to three times daily in a solution of 5 drops of mother tincture of each Hypericum and Calendula per cup of non-chlorinated water. Blot the solution on with a clean washcloth or clean cotton, and refrigerate the excess. This solution is lovely and soothing if her vulva is itchy. I don't know your girl well enough to suggest a homeopathic medicine, but take a look at the signs associated with Pulsatilla, Sepia, Callc- c, and Sulphur. A low potency of one of these, as appropriate, twice a day for up to five doses, may help her resolve the inflammation.

If at any time her BEAM declines, be ready to investigate this further with your local holistic vet to ensure there is no concern of pyometra.

 

[kelley]

Thank you Dr. Sara! I so appreciate the information about the occurrence of pyometras--it provides some frame of reference. Given her personality, the creaminess of the discharge, and some of her other preferences, I'd probably choose Pulsatilla. By a low potency do you mean an X, or a C, or an LM?

She is our first unspayed female. I left her intact hoping that it would make her healthier--two previous female Chessies had a host of intransigent skin problems, thyroid issues, and finally bone cancer. But the decision not to spay was complicated by the fact that I couldn't find any vet who didn't believe that I wasn't taking extreme risk with her health to leave her with the same precious parts she was born with. I have to admit that my fear of bone cancer has been supplanted by my fear of pyometra and breast cancer. Can't win. I have listened and read your contributions regarding OSS surgery and I would certainly opt for that over a full hysterectomy. However, its a very hard decision to put her through any surgery at all. I remember you said in your talk that you had OSS done on one of your dogs because of the high incidence of pyometra in Berners. That has stuck with me--when to pull the trigger to stay ahead of the odds?

I have tried Zymox, the non-steroidal version only, did several courses and it didn't make even make a slight dent in the problem. The discharge accumulates very quickly, filling her inner ear and causing pressure. She has some temporary relief after I remove it until it fills back up again, which doesn't take long. Because you're not supposed to clean the ear during the Zymox treatment, I've been reluctant to add more stuff into that already stuffed ear. But I can try again.

Again, many thanks for your response and recommendations!
Kelley

 

[Dr. Sara]

Low potencies are 6X, 12X, and 6C, and the les commonly seen potencies between those, like 10 X. Medium potency is 30 C, and above that is high potency. LM / Q potencies are a special case. They are highly diluted, but the way they are prepared puts them in a class of their own. I use Q / LM potencies for chronic problems when I have carefully assessed all aspects of the case, not for symptomatic use.

It is a difficult thing to decide when surgery is an appropriate option. The good thing about breast tumours is that you can carefully monitor for them. Pyometra requires monitoring as well, but good management (diet, lifestyle) decreases stress and makes both problems less likely. By leaving your Chessie intact it does increase the risk of those two problems, but there are so many vital functions that sex hormones provide that I think you have made a wise choice. It can be hard to find vets wiling to perform the OSS, even though the AVMA does recognise it as appropriate standard of care for sterilisation!
Sara

 

[kelley]

Thank you Dr. Sara. Regarding potency, my question was meant to be what potency might you use in this particular instance?
Mostly, I'm curious because of your British training. I don't know if its the same as here, but no one seems to use decimal potencies much anymore--maybe that's thanks to Boiron and their blue tubes. On myself, I have noticed that an X often works faster and better than a C. But our animals can't talk about such distinctions.

 

[Dr. Sara]

I tend to use 6 X or 12 X for my low potencies, but I also use 6 C. There is certainly a greater range of effect with lower potencies. I have heard it compared to a mist sprayer and a stream - the high potencies have a greater and more directed effect, but your choice must be more accurate. The lower potencies are more likely to help if you are close to the right homeopathic medicine choice. As a 6 C is more potent than a 6 X (though both are low) your sensitivity may be such that you see a big difference in efficacy. There are also some individuals that respond better to one potency choice that another, which is why I will try different potencies of the same medicine if I truly feel it is a good choice.

 

[kelley]

Great answer! Thanks so much!

 

[kristen_acri]

I've been following this thread as Charlie has started scratching at his ears and digging in them. I've started the Zymox treatment just today, without the steroid.

Question @Dr. Sara -- in the repertory, what's the difference between ear discharge and ear wax?

Thanks!

Kristen

 

[Dr. Sara]

As the repertory was written using human signs, wax and discharge refer to those as seen in people. Wax is the normal waxy product exfoliated from the ears. Discharge is an abnormal inflammatory product produced by the ears. People and animals both normally have ear wax, and it is only a problem in excess. People exhibit discharge from the ears far less commonly than animals.
I rarely use the rubrics for wax, as people and animal wax tends to be rather different in quality. For instance, black wax is normal and common in many animals, yet fairly rare in people.
I will use the ear discharge rubrics, though not that often. In animals, ear discharge is frequently a local manifestation of a chronic skin inflammation. As such, I find it more helpful to prescribe on the totality rather than the skin symptoms.

 

[kristen_acri]

Thanks for the guidance. I have other symptoms that I'm looking at, the ears just one of them. I was looking to see what remedies might show up in all of the symptoms. Chronic skin inflammation really describes him AND there are other things.

Thanks again!

Kristen