Page 33 - Chow Life - Summer 2016 Issue
P. 33
Pyometra Panic
by Beverly Stanley, ELS
Warning signs case, toxins enter the be fatal, and immediate surgery
and treatment of bloodstream and affect may be best for saving the life of
a potentially fatal the kidneys, causing a bitch showing severe signs of
infection overall fatigue, thirst, the disease. Laboratory tests on
and frequent urination blood drawn will confirm infection
Katie bred her first show bitch, as the pressure causes and, more immediately, a vaginal
Missy, who had four beautiful pain and gastrointestinal cytology test performed by your
puppies at age 3. Katie bred her symptoms. Rarely, the veterinarian is an excellent method
again without success, and then uterus may rupture, of diagnosing this condition early
tried again at age 5. About a month as in appendicitis, or on or confirming it after symptoms
after the last breeding, Missy was even more rarely, the contents are observed. Stabilization with
tired, had no appetite, drank a lot may backflow into the abdomen, intravenous fluids and antibiotic
of water, and urinated frequently. causing severe and often deadly therapy may be necessary before
Her abdomen was swollen and she abdominal infection. There may surgery is possible. After surgery,
vomited and shivered. Alarmed, be no initial symptoms with antibiotics will be continued
Katie rushed her to an emergency open or closed pyometra, as the for two weeks or more and will
clinic. The veterinarian performed infection is first isolated in the be monitored for symptoms of
an ultrasound, finding an enlarged uterus. But the bitch may quickly infection, and kidney, liver, and
uterus. Based on her history and go into shock as the bacterial other organ damage. Missy made a
symptoms, he told Katie that he toxins and infection leak into her complete recovery after surgery.
suspected Missy had closed system. Immediate treatment is
pyometra and recommended an needed, yet symptoms are easily What Leads to
immediate ovariohysterectomy missed. Periodically checking for Infection
(spay) to save her life. Pyometra is pus in the usual white or clear
a hormonally influenced disorder Pyometra is not caused by
of a uterus infected with bacteria. “Endometrial bacteria alone, but from a
It occurs more often in bitches hyperplasia probably combination of factors that involve
over 6 years of age and in those occurs in all bitches, but the uterine lining (endometrium),
who have never had puppies, but the degree to which it the hormones estrogen and
it can occur in any bitch at any progesterone, impaired immunity,
age after the first heat (estrus). occurs varies”. and infective bacteria. In the
Between two and eight weeks after first phase of estrus, the estrogen
estrus, infection causes the uterus vulvar secretions or observing it level in the blood increases, the
to fill with pus. Swelling causes in the fur near the vulva (or on vulva swells, becomes warm (thus
pain and distends the abdomen, the bedding) is a red flag. Fatigue, the term “in heat”), and there’s a
and sometimes pus comes through lack of appetite, and abdominal normal bloody vulvar discharge as
the cervix and out of the vulva as swelling may go unnoticed or be progesterone and estrogen cause
a bloodtinged, yellow-green, foul- excused for pregnancy in closed the uterine glands to grow and
smelling discharge. This is called pyometra (as in Missy’s case), but thicken to nourish fertilized eggs.
“open pyometra” and is more easily vomiting and diarrhea; excessive As ovulation approaches in the
discovered. The more insidious drinking and urination; a painful, next phase, estrogen decreases and
“closed pyometra” has no outward swollen abdomen; and fever that decrease greatly stimulates
(approximately 20 percent have the effects of progesterone on the
drainage of pus from the fever) mean an immediate trip uterine lining. This helps set the
ballooning uterus. In either to the emergency clinic - don’t stage for pyometra. The lining
wait! Untreated pyometra can is reorganized and regenerated,
pregnancy or not, but
incompletely absorbed in some
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