Chihuahua

My 13-yr-old, 11-lb chihuahua came into heat approximately one month ago.  She was definitely ill, not eating, temperature, the whole thing.  Took her to the vet and he took xrays and a blood test thinking she had a disease common to female dogs not spayed.  Xrays showed nothing.  A week later we went back, she was not getting better, they re-xrayed her and stated he was pretty sure she did not have the disease he was afraid she had.  He sent a bloodtest off for Valley Fever -- didn't hear back from him but pretty sure that she doesn't have it.  Since that time she has definitely gotten better, I've changed her diet and I am cooking for her.  However, she is constantly licking her "area" and it is still swollen and rashy as though she were still in heat.  She's acting more normal except for this -- and also once in awhile runs from one spot to the other like a cat, like there's something on her tail.

Any thoughts?  Is there a cream to clear up her "area" so that it can heal?

[ginger899]

Well it's good to know she is feeling  a lot better though still obviously doesn't feel quite right.
I guess the vet X-rayed her for Pyometra? I would have thought an ultrasound scan would have been a better way to detect that...but of course I am not a vet, so cannot be 100% sure of the diagnostic procedures, and he might have done one??
If I were you I would either take her back and ask for an Ultrasound, or find out if they did do one, and if no luck, ask about this with a different vet.
She could possibly still have some problems either with womb or ovaries. I do realize spaying would be possibly hard on her at her age, but then again, if there is something very wrong in there, it would be advisable.
There could be something that is hormone-related... e.g. it gives her trouble at certain times of her cycle, and not so much at other times.
If her vulva is still swollen, and her 'heat' cycle is well over by more than a week (bearing in mind that a 'heat' cycle lasts about 3 weeks) then there is obviously some inflammation. That could be caused by either:
Her constant licking,
Vaginal discharge which is irritating,
Or, something in her urine which is irritating.

In which case the cause of this would need to be checked out by the vet again, and whatever treatment needed prescribed by the vet.