Sky is a French bulldog who came into our clinic with a history of loss of appetite, and the week after she started losing her appetite she hardly ate. She started vomiting, was prostrated and had been in heat two weeks previously. At the consultation we saw that she had a fever and a distended abdomen. We carried out tests and Sky had anaemia and leucocytosis (an increase in white blood cells). We then decided to do an ultrasound and found that her uterus was very enlarged, taking up almost the entire abdominal cavity. Sky had pyometra!
What is pyometra?
Pyometra is the name given to a uterine condition that affects non-sterilised female dogs and cats of all ages. It appears some time after the heat and is characterised by an enlarged uterus full of pus and bacteria. This disease is serious. It puts the lives of these females at risk: it’s a surgical emergency and even with surgery there are various complications that can occur, including the uterus rupturing and the contents spreading throughout the abdominal cavity. After surgery, it is necessary to stay in intensive care for monitoring.
Signs of pyometra
Signs that suggest you should contact your vet are: drinking more water, urinating more, stopping eating or a capricious appetite, fever and prostration, abdominal swelling, in some cases, pus dripping from the vulva.
How to prevent it?
Prevention is very simple: early sterilisation. Otherwise, bacteria can enter the uterus during oestrus (which can’t be controlled). When the cervix closes at the end of oestrus, either the body responds and resolves the infection, or it doesn’t and the bacteria multiply and the defence cells accumulate inside the uterus, leading to pyometra.
Vet.Point – Oeiras Veterinary Clinic
Emergency 24h | 927896112 – 211918923 | geral@vetpoint-ivl.com