Everyone talks about cancer and how spaying may or may not help prevent it. But have your heard of Pyometra? When deciding if or when to spay your dog, the most important thing you can do is make sure whatever choice you do make is an informed one.
Dr. Jennifer Quammen, DVM, MPH is a practicing veterinarian, Board Member of the Northern Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association and the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association, Council Member for the American Veterinary Medical Association and President of the Northern Kentucky University Biology Alumni Association. Dr. Quammen answered our questions about how you can reduce the chances of your female dog suffering from this critical condition.
What is Pyometra?
Pyometra (latin for pus in the uterus) is an often life-threatening condition of female dogs. The most common history is that the dog was in heat a few weeks earlier and is now exhibiting signs of illness. These dogs are usually not eating, drinking excessively, and may be vomiting and lethargic. There are 2 types of pyometra, closed and open. This terminology refers to the state of the cervix. In an open pyometra there is usually a discharge from the vulva (external genitalia) that ranges from bloody, to purulent (pus filled) to mucoid. In a closed pyometra the cervix is closed and the infection is trapped within the body. Closed pyometra is often much more serious because the uterus is inflamed, thickened, pus filled and friable and could rupture within the dog’s abdomen.
How Does A Dog Get It?
Here’s how this all happens. When a dog is in heat the cervix is open (dilated) and bacteria (most commonly Escherichia coli, E. coli) from the urinary or genital tract migrate into the vagina and uterus. When the dog goes out of heat the cervix normally closes and the bacteria can become trapped in the uterus and multiply into millions. The inside of the uterus is a great place for bacteria to grow: it is warm, nutrient rich, and protected from the outside world.
How is it Diagnosed?
Diagnosis of pyometra is based on history (recent heat, not bred, usually older dog), clinical signs (vomiting, nausea, fever, anorexia, vaginal discharge), and diagnostic tests such as radiographs (xrays), ultrasound, and bloodwork. Blood analysis like complete blood count to evaluate white blood cell count and chemistry analysis to determine kidney function can be helpful in diagnosing this condition.
How Serious Is It?
We have a saying in veterinary medicine – never let the sun set on a pyometra – these patients are critically ill and require immediate attention. The most common treatment is surgery – essentially a spay procedure – but this is being done on an ill patient with a very delicate and infected uterus making the surgery much more risky and complicated. In some cases of open pyometra the treatment can be done with medications to contract the uterus and expel the pus in conjunction with antibiotics and pain medications, although I rarely recommend or encourage this treatment. The best way to prevent this life-threatening disease is to have your female dog spayed.
How Do You Prevent Pyometra?
The way to prevent pyometra is to have your female dog spayed. The more heat cycles a dog has (generally 2 per year) without pregnancy, the higher the risk for pyometra. Spaying before or after the first heat cycle does not change the risk of pyometra, but spaying early reduces the chances of breast and ovarian cancers in dogs. After 4 heat cycles, the average female dog has a 1 in 4 chance of developing breast tumors later in life.
What This Means For You
While this information may or may not have made you change your decision on spaying, you should definitely speak to your veterinarian about your dog’s individual risks for this as well as cancers and any other infections your female dog may more susceptible to if she is left unaltered.
About the Author
Based in Wilsonville, Ore., animal lover Kristina N. Lotz is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) and works as a full time trainer. She also owns her own custom pet products company, A Fairytail House, where she makes personalized collars, leashes, beds, keepsake pillows and blankets, and anything else your imagine can think up. In her spare time, she trains and competes in herding, agility, obedience, rally, and conformation with her Shetland Sheepdogs. She smartly married a Veterinary Technician, who helps keep the fur kids happy and healthy, and provides a quick resource for articles
