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inverted vulva,final outcomes

For those who have kept bitch pups with an inverted vulva, how many have met with the success of it resolving on first heat? Also,did these bitches produce it in their offspring?

A friend has one and is asking if she should keep the pup. I have no experience on this,so I ask for your help. Thanks in advance

Re: inverted vulva,final outcomes

I have had numerous inverted vulvas, in my pups. I have NEVER had a problem with them and have bred the girls. Is it hereditary? I don't know. I never paid that much attention because they resolve themselves after the first heat cycle. Also, I haven't had problems with UTIs because of it.
There is no reason not to keep a pup with a IV.
I also state in my health contract that surgery to fix the IV voids the contract. There are vets that will try to force puppy buyers to do the surgery. It is costly, painful, and many times the pup becomes incontinent.

Re: inverted vulva,final outcomes

My pick has an IV and I've not had any problems either, no UTI's. At 5 months her vulva already looks much better, almost normal, no heat yet.

ETA: I wanted to add that I don't give cran caps or any supplements. There was 3 other pups in that litter with IV's and the new puppy owners aren't supplementing either, no UTI's. All vets involved were familiar with IV's and all felt supplementing wasn't necessary. So far so good! The pup that I picked was inverted the most out of the 4 IV's that I had but I was told that it wouldn't be an issue.

Re: inverted vulva,final outcomes

I was just reading in a new veterinary reproduction book I purchased about a relatively recent study that followed 7 bitches with recessed vulvas and/or chronic vaginitis (which can also be a result of a recessed vulva).

Of the 7, 1 of them corrected after the first heat, 3 corrected after the 2nd heat, and the other 3 apparently self-corrected by the time the bitches were 3 years of age. This was only 7 (a VERY low number for a "study"), and none of these girls were spayed that I know of (it was just a synopsis... I haven't read the entire study yet), but their thought was that with the remaining cases resolving on their own after full maturity, problems with inflammation/irritation/infection may be related to immune system maturity as well.

Just a little additional information in case you're interested...

Re: inverted vulva,final outcomes

Thanks to those who took time to answer. More info than I ever had on the topic. I will pass it on.

Re: inverted vulva,final outcomes

Have had a couple here as well. Some resolved with the first heat, others with subsequent heats. Bred 1 of them , no IV's in 2 bitch puppies in that litter.

Re: inverted vulva,final outcomes

Agree with Gail R. have had several, have purchased one and never had a problem. They have had nice litters and not even notice any in the two or three girls. My only problem was when a pet person listen to her vet when I said don't do anything. Let her have one heat. He did surgery very young and she always had a problem and the way he did the surgery made her stick our unusual looking. Wierd. They will be fine.

Re: inverted vulva,final outcomes

Julie Langhans
I was just reading in a new veterinary reproduction book I purchased about a relatively recent study that followed 7 bitches with recessed vulvas and/or chronic vaginitis (which can also be a result of a recessed vulva).

Of the 7, 1 of them corrected after the first heat, 3 corrected after the 2nd heat, and the other 3 apparently self-corrected by the time the bitches were 3 years of age. This was only 7 (a VERY low number for a "study"), and none of these girls were spayed that I know of (it was just a synopsis... I haven't read the entire study yet), but their thought was that with the remaining cases resolving on their own after full maturity, problems with inflammation/irritation/infection may be related to immune system maturity as well.

Just a little additional information in case you're interested...


This is similar to what my vet had said. At the 8 week puppy exams he told me the IV's could correct as they grew or it could take one or two heat cycles. There are different degrees of IV's. My pick was the worst with less than 1/2 of the vulva sticking out and was classified by my vet as being "moderate". Having never seen one I thought it looked more than what would be described as moderate, lol. At 5 months the vulva is almost completely out with probably 1/16th of an inch to go as there is still a little crease there.

Not having any experience with IV before had me worried so I've been watching my puppy closely and periodically checking with my other puppy owners. No problems so far, not even vaginitis which I've seen in other normal puppies that I've raised.

Re: inverted vulva,final outcomes

My girl came from a mom and a grandma who had it..hers was bad and she had many UTI's growing up. Hers did not fully pop until the third heat-she produced 3 in her first litter.

Re: inverted vulva,final outcomes

In my last litter, 3 of the 7 girls had mild inverted vulvas, including the keeper. Two of them had a UTI when they were younger. All 3 are on cran caps and doing well. They are 7 months old now and their vulvas are already looking a lot better.

The bitch who produced them had another litter previously and there were no innies in that litter. She also was not an innie.

One of the bitch's older puppies recently had a litter with 5 girls. No inverted vulvas there either.

Re: inverted vulva,final outcomes

I have heard that vets now can "tack" the inverted vulva when the pet pup goes in for a spay. This is much different than the early corrective surgery. A few stitches to hold in place and is very effective. Please suggest this to your pet people who may not wish to deal with going through a heat cycle.

Re: inverted vulva,final outcomes

A very old time breeder once told me, get a hold of the loose skin right above the tail (much like you would the scruff of the neck) and look at the vulva...if it pops out you should not have a problem as they grow into their adult size or as she said "grow into their skin". (Could this be the reason we see we see improvement with their first season?) She believed there is a true difference between a inverted vulva(immature vulva)and the loose skin folds that fold around the vulva from the force of gravity ("it's got to go some place" she said)...over the years I have found her correct every single time- and with checking between girls in the same litter that have them and don't...the girls that have them have more loose skin over their rump area than the girls that don't. The important thing is to keep that area clean, the skin folds can harbor bacteria or get red and irritated leading to a UTI. Gently pulling the folds back and wiping with a baby wipe after they potty works well- until they learn to keep them self clean. Another thing I have noticed is the girls I have kept with a "inverted vulva" really swell when in season and stay large when bred comparing to some females I have seen in season, that stay small and when bred I don't see much difference until right before whelping.