Hypoplastic (Recessed) Vulva in Dogs

All female dogs can have a hypoplastic vulva but medium to giant sized dog breeds have been shown to be at a higher risk.  Breeds that tend to suffer from inflammatory skin diseases are also at a higher risk of developing hypoplastic vulvas. 

A hypoplastic or recessed vulva in dogs is when the female has large skin folds that are covering the vulva. This condition makes female dogs highly prone to perivulvar dermatitis and urinary tract infections. This condition may be not noticeable to pet owners, but will need to be checked and treated by a veterinarian.

If you notice your dog exhibiting any of these symptoms, contact your veterinarian and schedule an appointment for a thorough examination.

• Scooting across floors 
• Excessive licking of the vulva
• Foul odor from the vulva
• Frequently urinating
• Blood in the urine
• Red, irritated skin on or around the vulva
• Recurring urinary tract infections
• Incontinence
• Abomal looking vulva

Your veterinarian will need to know what symptoms your dog has been exhibiting and if any environmental changes have occurred. This will help your veterinarian make a complete diagnosis and make an appropriate treatment plan.

Genetics can play a role in dogs with hypoplastic vulvas. Breeds more prone to allergic skin diseases or inflammatory skin diseases are at a higher risk of suffering from severe skin infections associated with hypoplastic vulva. 

Weight is another contributing factor. Female dogs that maintain a normal, healthy body weight will be less likely to have a severe case of hypoplastic vulva. If your dog is more prone to being obese, the severity of the hypoplastic vulva will increase. Giant breeds, in particular, need to be kept on the leaner side if they have already been diagnosed with hypoplastic vulva.

Your veterinarian will do an initial physical examination and then will run various tests to diagnose hypoplastic vulva in your dog. A physical examination will allow your veterinarian to rule out other possibilities while confirming that the vulva is recessed under a fold of skin and is not visible upon a cursory examination. 

Your veterinarian will order several tests to ensure that a proper diagnosis has been made and determine the severity of the condition.

• Complete blood analysis
• Urinalysis
• Urine culture 
• Ultrasound of the bladder

Once your veterinarian has determined the severity of the hypoplastic vulva, a treatment plan will be put in place.

Treatment options will vary depending on the severity of the hypoplastic vulva. One or more treatment options may be used to alleviate symptoms and correct the recessed vulva. While surgical treatment is the only option to remove the excessive folds around the vulva, medications can be used to relieve symptoms and treat UTIs.

Topical Antibiotics

Vulvar fold dermatitis is often treated with a topical antibiotic or drying agent to provide relief of any itching or burning sensation that your dog is experiencing. Buster collars are used to ensure medicine is not licked off and to prevent further self-trauma via licking.

Oral Antibiotics

Inflamed tissue on or around the vulva can be treated with an oral antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medication. This will treat the symptoms but will not cure a hypoplastic vulva.

Episioplasty

Surgical treatment, called episioplasty, is a reconstructive surgery that will remove the extra folds of skin around the vulva. A crescent shaped incision is made around the vulva and the excess skin is removed.

The recovery time will vary depending upon the severity of the hypoplastic vulva. Each surgery will be different depending on the size and location of the extra folds, and the number of sutures will also vary. Activity should be restricted for the first two weeks following surgery and sutures will be removed 10-14 days following surgery, depending on how well the wound is healing. 

Always follow your veterinarian’s treatment plan as directed. All medications should be used as prescribed. Complete the required follow-up visits to ensure that your dog is healing properly.

Following episioplasty surgery, your dog’s prognosis should be excellent. Problems can arise if an inadequate amount of skin was removed; this can cause persistent perivulvar dermatitis. If too much kin was removed, we may see rupture of the wound due to tension.