Your Female Dog and Pyometra

Pyometra can put a stop to people who want to utilize their female dog for breeding, whether for a company or just to retain for themselves. This is a dangerous infection of the uterus in dogs who have never been pregnant, particularly if they have not been impregnated throughout numerous heat cycles. The term pyometra derives from the Greek words pyo, pus, and metra, uterus.

The uterus is really a 'U' shaped organ in female dogs, with horns extending up either side of the abdominal cavity. If she gets pregnant, the pups will develop on these horns. The female dog's physiology perceives male sperm as a pathogen, and the sperm would be killed in the uterus if killer white cells were not kept from the uterus during the heat cycle.

Aside from the absence of white blood cells to combat germs, the walls of the female's uterus thicken (due to hormone production) during heat and stay thick for many months thereafter — this is to establish a favorable environment for the pups to grow. This thickness persists even if no pregnancy occurs. Without a pregnancy, thickening persists over the following few heat cycles. Cysts occur when the walls of the uterus thicken. Following cervical openings, bacteria find an ideal environment to proliferate in the fluids generated by the cysts. In certain circumstances, pyometra is caused by an accumulation of germs that the body is unable to manage.

Young female dogs are less prone to get pyometra than older ones, owing to the fact that they have not gone through as many heat cycles, although this condition may affect any age dog. Owners of intact female dogs should be on the lookout for any of the signs listed below. A discharge is often pus oozing from the uterus. If you see an unusual discharge on the dog's bedding, furnishings, or carpets, your dog should be evaluated as soon as possible. Your dog's bacterial illness may be causing her to run a fever. Dogs that are sick often lose their appetite. Because dogs are renowned for being voracious eaters, any decrease in appetite indicates a problem. As the virus saps her stamina and vitality, the dog will most likely become sluggish. Vomiting and diarrhea are symptoms of a very unwell dog.

Keep in mind that discharge will only occur in a subset of pyometra patients. When the cervix is closed and the contaminated stuff stays in the uterus, a more severe condition might arise. The abdomen will grow outwards as more pus is generated. The uterus may become so large that it bursts, distributing pus and germs throughout the abdominal region (peritonitis).

To compound things, harmful bacteria will create poisons. These poisons may enter your companion's circulation and spread the illness throughout the body, causing kidney damage. Pyometra causes dogs to drink and urinate significantly more than usual, and this may happen whether the cervix is open or closed.

It is surely a huge disappointment to discover that your female dog has pyometra after intending to breed her. The non-surgical therapy of pyometra, which involves utilizing hormones to open the cervix and enable the uterus to drain, has a low success rate, and unless a significant improvement is noticed within a day or two, the only alternative is surgery.

Pyometra is treated surgically by removing the uterus totally. Depending on the severity of the illness, your dog may need to stay in the hospital for several days to get intravenous fluids and antibiotics. Once your dog gets home, he or she will most likely need several weeks of oral antibiotics.

Keep in mind that a female dog with pyometra may be extremely unwell, and the longer you wait to start treatment, the more likely the dog will die. After her diseased uterus is removed, your dog will be just as loving and affectionate as before, and she will be much happier to be free of sickness.