General question about my dog in heat

Question
My dog Tobie is 3 yrs old she has just stop bleeding, but her vulva is very irritated and she keeps cleaning herself and whining at the same time. She has only had 1 UTI but it was nothing like this. Ant suggestions to what I should do for her for tonight to make her feel comfortable so she can sleep and we can sleep?

Answer
Hi Tasha,

Your dog may well have another urinary tract infection, it's not uncommon for female dogs to have this as a recurring problem. Your dog should see the veterinarian ASAP.

For tonight, it might help some if you were to wash your dog's vulva with mild soap and warm to cool water. Keeping your dog in the best hygiene can help ensure that bacteria from the urine won't travel to his urethra and compound the complications of the disease. I'm not sure how much that will help for tonight, since it's just one washing.

It might help for the here and now (so you can sleep) if you gave your dog a Benadryl. Antihistamines such as Benadryl have a mild sedative effect in dogs, that might help her to relax. Drowsiness is generally regarded as an undesirable side effect of this medication, but in your case it might be what you need. If there is itching, Benadryl can also help with that.
The typical dose for dogs under 30 pounds is to give 10 mg, for dogs 30 to 50 pounds give 25 mg, and for dogs over 50 pounds give 50 mg. Use only the "regular" Benadryl formula, not extra strength and not with other additives.

Keep your dog away from any stair cases in your home while she's on Benadryl, she might stagger about.

Benadryl, while a fairly safe drug, DOES have potential adverse effects and is not for every pet. Benadryl is to be used with extreme caution in patients with glaucoma, prostatic disease, cardiovascular disease, and hyperthyroid, among other conditions. It may also interact with medication that your dog might be taking, so be sure to discuss use of ANY drugs for your pet with your vet first.

Benadryl isn't a cure, it only might help to temporarily mask the symptoms. Please call your vet first thing tomorrow, so your dog can get the proper treatment for her problem.

Best of luck,
Patti