Breeding question abouit pyometra - Page 1

Pyometra is very serious!  Absolutely do NOT breed, or you would risk loosing both the litter and the mother.  If it's very very early, you might try antibiotics... in the form of an antibiotic flush of the uterous.  But more often it requires spaying, and is dangerous even then as the uterus becomes "fryable", or begins to break down from the infection.  Trying to expose an infected uterus there's a risk of it actually coming apart in the Vet's hands, spilling very toxic pus into the abdominal cavity.  If that happens again there is SOME chance with a flush of the abdomine with saline, then with antibiotics.  

You can get other less serious infections that show up on culture but pyometra is usually over the top.  If your dog should have any form of infection, and be treated... and you plan to breed on a subsequent heat, I'd recommend a culture prior to the breeding even if you're using your own male.

My puppy is one of 7 surviving pups from my friend's miracle litter. Her 2 year old Shiloh bitch developed pyo following her heat. Every single vet said "SPAY HER"!

Then, she contected Guelph, and the vets there said, "Since it's an open pyometra (pus is draining and not being held in the utuerus) and since the bitch is young and healthy, we will try to get her better."

Treatment involved antibiotics and prostaglandin, a drug which causes the uterus to contract and expel the pus. It is also used to induce labour in pregnancy.

The bitch remained on antibiotics until her next heat, then was bred by AI, to avoid introducing any bacteria. The vet said there was about a million in one chance of her conceiving!

Well, did we get a surprise! The ultrasound at 4 weeks showed she was pregnant, and the vet guessed 3 or 4 puppies.

We got NINE. One was stillborn, another was very weak and died the next day.

Here's some pictures of the pups that were taken on the weekend. Three have gone to new homes already, and two more are waiting to be shipped out. The breeder is keeping the pick male, and the grey sable male is still waiting for a home. My pup was reunited with her sibs just for the day. She's the one with the pink collar.

 

Video: picasaweb.google.com/muggzee/091017OntarioChapterFallMeet#5393995989714405810

 

I actually have had a bitch with a closed pyo and I caught it EXTREMELY early!  Treated with ludelace (bad spelling) and got the uterus to open and drained of the infection.  Lots of antibiotics and EXPENSIVE ones too!  The vet said I HAD to breed her on the next heat cycle to get her hormones back to normal.  She had had a funny heat cycle 2 months prior to the pyo as well.....it was like a split heat but she never stood for the male.  Bred her on the following heat cycle, she had 7 healthy puppies.

Large animal vets are more capable to handle pyo as well!

Vickie
www.PowerHausKennels.com

Oh, yes, VERY expensive! The antibiotic tablets alone were around $800! Then there was the cost of about a week's hospitalization at the Guelph University vet clinic, cost of the AI (x2) and the ultrasound to determine pregnancy.

On top of this, there were several visits to the vet clinic before the bitch was properly diagnosed. One was to the emergancy clinic, and THEY always charge an arm and a leg...

So, this was one VERY expensive litter!

I told her for the next time, just let the sire (her male) and the bitch go at it, and if they're not capable of having a litter the normal way, get her spayed. IMO, it's not worth it to go through this for a second pregnancy. Besides, there's always the chance that there might be an ineritable problem causing this.

[shifty eyes] Umm...yes, Shiloh pups...[/shifty eyes] 

Forgot to add: if it's a closed pyometra (pus is being contained inside the uterus) spaying is definitely the safest course, as there is a risk the uterus may rupture, and sow infection throughout the whole abdomen.

I have a bitch that had pyometra 6wks after her heat cycle.
It was open and draining. She was treated with Lutalyse injections and antibiotics.

She is  now on Cheque drops to give her a chance to rest and because I wasn't ready to breed her.
Robert Hutchinson is her vet. He put her on the Cheque drops and doesn't expect to see any problems when she is bred.
I expect to breed her in the spring.

Franki

Vonissk... I think what the Vet was refering to is bitches who are left whole, but never bred.  They are at a higher risk of getting Pyometra than bitches who are bred.  With delivering a litter it flushes out the system somewhat, and the hormonal changes that occur durring pregnancy also help.  

I have a 10 year old unspayed Tibetan Spaniel.... and I worry following each heat.  I had always intended to breed her as she has a steller pedigree, but never did.  Of course @ 10 I wouldn't consider it.  But she's at a higher risk than a dog who had several litters.   NOT a reason to breed a bitch by any means!!  More a reason for spaying a dog who is not going to be bred. Spaying early on also helps prevent mamory tumors.