Pyometra: a Good Reason to Get Your Bitch Neutered

It is in the interest of the dogs, their wellbeing and their society to have them neutered. You would also stop the risk of your bitch getting a pyometra, an infection in the uterus that could cause death. It is a fairly common disease and concern in all bitches when they reach sexual maturity.

Cause

Pyometra, (abnormal disease of the uterus) this is a life threatening disease that happens two to four months after the bitch has been on heat (in season). It was thought that it was only caused by bacteria in the womb (uterus) but now it has been found that hormonal abnormalities play a big part in it too. Bacteria may or may not be present.

Symptoms  

1. Excessive drinking and urinating.

2. Discharge from the vulva.

3. Licking the vulva.

4. Temperature.

5. Swollen abdomen.

6. Loss of strength in the hind legs.

7. Lethargy.

8. Depression.

9. Loss of appetite.

 The symptoms of a pyometra may not show until the bitch is in trouble. Cysts will have been forming on the lining of the uterus, since the season finished. These cysts are filled with large amounts of fluid, which is released into the interior of the uterus as its walls begin to thicken. The uterus is normally small and neat, about the size of a deflated balloon in a large dog. The tubes leading to the ovaries are about the width of a drinking straw.

 As the disease progresses the uterus size grows dramatically from the deflated balloon size to the size of a football, the tubes (horns) to the ovaries can swell to the thickness of a cucumber. Bacteria may well enter the uterus from outside the cervix at this stage and then the cervix that would have been open during the season will close trapping the fluid and infection inside the uterus.

 A closed pyometra is the worst form of pyometra. The fluid is now trapped inside the uterus and the body will produce white bloods cells at a larger rate. If the uterus ruptures at this stage, leaking into the abdomen the dog will die within 48 hours unless an emergency operation to remove the uterus, horns and ovaries is preformed.

 The dog’s body would have been working over time. The kidneys would have been over loaded with all the extra fluid but the amount of fluid in a pyometra is far too large for the body to expel via the kidneys and the kidneys would be over loaded and unable to get rid of the toxins, this would in turn poison the dog’s body and if no treatment were sought the dog would very soon die from kidney failure.

 Treatment

 Some vets may put the bitch on intravenous fluids and antibiotics but many vets think it is safer to go ahead and immediately perform a full ovariohysterectomy (spay) especially as the dog would be at risk of it happening again.

 If your bitch had the injection of the hormone ‘Delvosteron’ to stop her season (heat) happening then looking out for pyometra symptoms is very important as it has been found that this drug can lead to this disease.

All photographs are Authors own.