Piometra

[Kristina]

I couldnt fount topic covering Piometra, so I am opening it now.  

 

The vet say it is best to spay bitch very young to avoid Piometra. I also read it is difficoult to diagnose Piometra, until it is to late. Signs are: dogs shoving interest in bitch as she was in heat, fever, thirst,...  

 

If youh have any first hand experience, please share them.  

[Cheryl Gorey]

Hi Kristina, I have owned 3 IS bitches and they were all spayed at about 8 years of age (for various health reasons) but none of them had pyometra. I haven't heard that it is very common in setters, so I'm not much help. I would also be interested to hear others experiences on this topic. Thanks for posting this.

[Kristina]

Thanx Cheryl, you were very helpful just by telling that it is not very common in setters. What a releaf.

Now I also know how to spell Piometra. Pyometra.

[lyn hathaway]

hi kristina agree with what viv says we had a bitch who had the pyometra where pus was been lost.she had to undergo an emergency hysterectomy but recovered well she was about 10 years old.she also suffered from incontinence afterwards and her coat went very strawy and bald in places due to the spaying .she went on and lived another 4 years without any other illneses

[Kickie Boman]

I've been unlucky with my IS bitches and pyo. 3 out of 5 has had it. The first one wasn't so bad, she could be helped with antibiotics, she was about 9-10 years old when she got. The next one had a closed pyo and she didn't recover after operation, I lost her after 4 days... she was 8 years old. And this spring my 5 year old also had closed pyo, she got it at the time of her season. Didn't suspect it at all until she started to bleed heavily. Had to do an emergency operation, she was in pretty bad shape. But to our luck she made it and is now as happy as ever.
I don't think I would get a bitch spayed just to prevent pyo. But with any little sign of problems with seasons etc I will surely do it in the future. I've learned my lesson...
I also had a rough collie bitch who got pyo aged 9, she didn't get much problems but we spayed her anyway.
My English setters has never had that problems though.

[Gayle Sheridan]

In 35 years of Irish I have had three bitches who have developed pyometra and if not picked up quickly there would have been fatal outcomes. The symptons are quite hard to pick and the resulting operation is high risk. Fortunately I had immediate access to my usual vet for the surgerys but shudder to think if this happened out of business hours as most vets in NZ refer you to an emergency clinic after hours. I much prefer to spey my girls at around 8 years to avoid the risk of pyometra happening.

[mrs dee farndell]

Hi Kristina There are 2 types of Pyometra one is closed so there is no discharge you may see a swelling of the abdomen the bitch will go off her food and be very lethargic
The other type is open much easier to detect a very smelly,gunky discharge.
Both types can be fatal our vet offers a regular check up for my dogs at little cost

Hope this helps if you have any more questions please do not hesitate to ask Dee

[Kristina]

Thank you all for your replays.

I am also interested in statistics. Dee, you have owned setters for 35 years. Did you ever had a bitch with Pyometra? Do you do those check ups in regular bases (how often) or only if you suspect Pyometra?

[mrs dee farndell]

I have had 2 with Pyometra one open one closed out of many bitches so the stats are low
My vet will check on anything but if I have a bitch that keeps on mounting other bitches he will always scan in case of pyo or cystic ovaries

[Barbara]

Hi Kristina! Thank you for this interesting topic.
Hi Dee! Please can you tell me what your vet is doing at the regular check? Ultrasound?
Thank you! Barbara

[mrs dee farndell]

Only ultrasound if I suspect pyo but having had Paige so ill over the years I asked for regular checks they have had such an enormous amount of money out of me over the years, they do it very cheaply.
They do eye check,weight,nails[Paige will not have her nails cut by us], blood count check[Paige only] and anything else which might be appropriate Hope this helps Dee

[Barbara]

Thank you Dee!