Recessed What? Lets Talk Lady Problems!

We  recently discussed willy problems, so it seems only fair that we  discuss lady problems too…and when a follower requested, we write an  article about hooded vulvas, we thought this would be a great issue to  discuss as, despite being fairly common, it’s rarely spoken about!

You  may be at a complete loss on what it is we are talking about, or you  may have heard of this condition before.  ‘Hooded Vulva’ is an  alternative name for what is medically referred to as vulva hypoplasia.   More routinely known as a ‘recessed’ or ‘juvenile’ vulva.  
This  condition is where the vulva is partially, or fully, hidden within the  surrounding skin folds.  It’s most common in larger dogs, particularly  those that are overweight, and it is something seen fairly frequently in  greyhounds.

Honestly, don’t think we’ve ever said vulva so many times in one paragraph!

There  are several theories as to why this condition develops including  genetics, hormone imbalance from early spaying and from being  overweight, but there isn’t a definitive reason for it to occur…although  genetics likely play a healthy role in it!

While  many lady hounds with this condition may not experience any symptoms or  complications from this, and have the condition identified purely by  accident, the abnormal anatomy can lead to a variety of health issues  including vulvar dermatitis, recurrent vaginal or urinary tract  infections, and all the irritation and symptoms that come with them.

These  issues come about because the skin folds traps in moisture whenever  your lady wees.  Add in their body heat, and you have the perfect  environment for bacteria to grow…add in excessive licking, and it’s just  a recipe for disaster.  All that bacteria growth also leads to a rather  unpleasant smell…the area surrounding their vulva may also become  stained and appear irritated which is far more obvious on lighter  coloured hounds than our beloved black hounds where it can be easily  missed.

If your hound is a  regular sufferer of UTIs, and your vet hasn’t…inspected…their lady  regions, only treating on the described symptoms or urinary analysis, it  could be you’re never getting to the route of the problem.

While  you may look at your hound’s vulva and consider it to be recessed, only  a vet can diagnose them upon physical exam, and this would only be  necessary if they are symptomatic.  As mentioned, some ladies are quite  lucky to never have a problem with their recessed vulvas!

Though  if there are concerns, beyond visual inspection, they may seek to do  some further tests and swabs to ascertain the extent of the problems and  what bacteria, or yeast, infections may be afflicting them so they can  best recommend a treatment plan.

Any  infections, dependant on the type and severity, would of course require  treatment, be it oral or topical antibiotics (yes, you may have to  apply cream twice a day…what fun!)

Though  you are treating what is secondary to the actual problem.  While you  can carry out management in the form of assisting your hound with  keeping their vulva clean, and getting veterinary intervention as and  when it’s needed, you may want to address the anatomical defect,  especially if they are routinely suffering from infections.

There is really is only a couple of options, one is a little bit more dramatic than the other though!

There  is routine medical management for hounds that are only mildly affected.   This would involve regular topical treatment, medicated wipes and  shampoos to keep the vulva and surrounding skin clean and free of  bacteria build up.

Glamourous, we  know.  Not all hounds will tolerate this, and if they’ve had issues  going on for a while they may be very cautious and avoidant of you  touching this area.  Bribery can be used to desensitise them to this  treatment, but if you have a particularly nervous hound or one that is  adamant you aren’t going near them with the cream…you may have to  consider the alternative.

The  alternative being surgical.  This is usually reserved for severe cases  but can be resorted to if the medical management is infective or not  appropriate for that hound.

We’ve  only seen one hound receive surgical treatment, in the form of a  vulvoplasty.  This basically corrects the defect by removing the extra  skin around the vulva.  It’s not something that is routinely carried  out, and you’ll likely find that many vets have rarely (if ever)  performed one in their career.

Both  treatment routes have benefits and good prognosis, depending on the  severity of the condition, but typically the vulvoplasty will yield more  significant results in preventing any future issues.

Have  you ever encountered a recessed vulva?  Have you had a hound with one?   How did you manage it?  Also, did you think you would ever read  anything on social media that said the word ‘vulva’ quite so many times?   Because we didn’t!