Need help - Page 1

Has anyone had a female with open pyrometra (sp?) and has treated it with any success? or did you have to spay her? any info will be a great help! Thanks

Yes, I have a bitch who was successfully treated and whelped a litter normally after having pyometra. I am not sure if it was an open one or not as it has been a lot of years ago. The vet did give her injections of a medication to open the cervix further and to contract the uterus to expel the pus. She was also on heavy antibiotics to clear up all infection. I will warn you that it is a very painful procedure and I did not realize this in advance and might not have done it if I had known. My vet said that I needed to breed her on the next heat cycle as she would pyo again at some time (at least most bitches will). I bred her and got the litter and spayed her before she could cycle again. I was not willing to risk her health any further. I didn't realize what she would go thru before we started the treatment. Good luck with her. I hope she recovers well.

Thank you orienone! He did not give her a shot to open up the cervix. He told me to watch her close and bring her back on Friday, and if her cbc is down that we will continue the antibiotics, if not, she will have to be spayed.

Greatestgsd, I do not know what you mean by "open" pyometra, but I presume that you are talking about the bitch's cervix being open while the uterus is infected. I did not know that there was more than one (1) type, but I don't know a lot of things. You can certainly expand on that further. I have a bitch who acquired this two (2) years ago. The treatment lasted for two (2) weeks and involved the twice daily administrion of antibiotics, plus a twice daily administration of a subdermal injection that forced her to go into "labour". I apologize, but I do not remember the names of the drugs used. Immediately after each injection, we had to take her outside and quickly walk for approximately two (2) miles; the idea being that this additional work would help push the pus and dead tissue from her uterus. She recovered completely, and never had this again. I am especially careful with her, as the veterinarian did tell me that she would be more prone to this malady in the future. I hope this helps and good luck toward the bitch's full recovery. Bob-O

I went through this with my youngest bitch. Unfortunately, even after the antibiotic treatment, it seemed that she never quite cleared up enough to be able to breed her. She was spayed, much to my broken heart, but for her betterment... I was also concerned if I bred her,what would be the outcome with the pups. Corieone, you were lucky(I mean that in a good way, not the way some people on this site come off). I know of cases where the bitch was bred back and wound up with a closed pyo and lost the pups and was almost lost herself. Tricky business, this is..

Bob-O, your bitch had an open pyo, one where the uterus was able to drain ... this type of pyo is often treateable, although not always.. With a closed pyo, your bitch pretty much needs to be spayed because the only way to get rid of all that infection is to get rid of all the infected parts.... I'm sure attempts have been made, and I wonder how successful.. not sure I'd even consider it since a pyo can be such a terrible, life threatening thing....

Bob-O, There are 2 kinds of pyro, one open, that is there is some drainage and the other is closed and that is when there is no drainage and usually not found in time until the bitch is really sick. Thanks

DKiah and GreatestGSD, thank you very much for the information. My bitch obviously had the "open" type as I noticed the drainage and odour which indicated a severe infection. I never asked the veterinarian about this, as like most people I had other things on my mind at the time. Guys, thanks again. Bob-O

I had a bitch with open pyo...she was very young (for peyo) and had never been bred...I believe it was her 3rd or 4th cycle. Bob-O mentioned the smell....well it is one that you cannot forget! My vet immediately had me take her in and kept her for 4 days to give her the injections. It is extremely painful for a short period of time after the injection. He described it to me as being similar to labor pains and to think of the injection as the stuff they give you to induce labor (can't recall the name of that drug!) But since it is not a constant drip through an IV, it only lasts a short period of time. (although I'm sure it seems like FOREVER to them!) Anyway, she was fine and healthy after treatment. I was also advised to breed her at her next cycle and to breed her EVERY cycle thereafter until I felt I had enough litters out of her. (as long as she was healthy, of course!) He said that most times it's only the next cycle that there could be a reoccurance, and that breeding will usually 'reset the internal clock'. But that if she WERE to get it again, she would more than likely need to be spayed. I had one litter out of her and had her spayed. I didn't want to breed her every cycle. Just make sure the first breeding is EXACTLY what you are hoping for in a mating...choose the stud wisely and keep what you want. There may not be a second chance.

I had a bitch that had a pyo she was 11 years old but it was a closed one no sign of being off colour or looking ill everything was normal then one day in the afternoon she went a bit shaky her legs and body were trembling I phoned the vet rushed her to the vet but it was to late i lost her within minuets of arriving at the vet i was heart broken this was about 8 years ago but the bitch ate her breakfast went out to play with her ball everything was normal no dischard nothing i feel if she had a open pyo and i had seen a discharg coming from her then i perhaps could have saved her I still miss her very much and always will