Pyometra
Pyometra is a disease of the uterus in bitches (female dogs). It is fast, can strike any intact female dog, and can often kill. For that reason it is worth being aware of.
Summary Pyometra is best imagined as being a bit like acute appendicitis of the uterus, the female dog's womb. The womb begins to shed layers, which easily become infected, they can stay trapped inside her body by the cervix, and after some time, the infection hits the body with devastating effects. The usual treatment has been an emergency spay, to remove the infected sexual organs, but as this prevents a bitch from breeding it is worth noting that some advances have been made in treating "pyo" with massive antibiotics for up to 40 days to bring it under control. Sometimes, for a prize dog, it is desired to get at least one litter from her before spaying, if pyometra happens suddenly before she has had pups. But this is risky and should not be done lightly.
More Information Pyometra is mostly a result of hormonal and body changes in the uterus lining. The lining changes and begins to shed. This can happen at any age, whether she has bred or not, and whether it is her 1st or 10th heat (although it becomes more common as the dog get older). - If the cervix is open, the infected material can leave the body, this is far easier and safer to treat.
- But if the cervix is fully closed, there may be no trace until, like appendicitis, it escapes into the body pouring large amounts of infectious material into the major organs and causing high temperature and possible rapid death.
Because of its etiology (origins), the main risk period for a female is just after her peak standing heat has ended, for about 2-4 weeks (up to 6-8 weeks is not unheard of). During this period, the cervix, which was open during her heat, begins to close, and the inner lining begins to adapt back to normal, and if pyometra is going to strike, this is the key period, causing infectious material to be trapped building up behind the closing cervix. As it is mostly a hormonal and uterus lining condition, it tends to repeat. So if a bitch gets an attack of pyometra, the assumption is she will be very prone to it in future after every subsequent heat. If she survives without a spay, she should usually either be spayed, or bred (only if strictly necessary due to the health risk!) with close attention and possible antibiotics, and spayed thereafter.
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