My dog’s usual vet is a 30 minute drive out and is already closing by then so we take a chance on a closer vet. With X-rays and blood work, the vet diagnoses my dog with a life-threatening infection— pyometra, and will need surgery. Typically, a dog with sepsis will require three to five days in the hospital, sometimes more, with IV fluids, antibiotics, and nutritional support that may include a feeding tube. Even with intensive care, the survival rate is typically around 50%. Pyometra is a common reproductive disease in female intact dogs. 1 This chronic uterine inflammation often is accompanied by glomerular, or tubular dysfunction, or both. 2,3 Clinically, dogs with pyometra benefit from prompt ovariohysterectomy. 4 In follow-up studies from our group, resolution of renal dysfunction has been found in most dogs with pyometra several months after surgery. 2,3,5 Pyometra is extremely serious and can be life-threatening if left untreated. The sooner your dog receives treatment the better their chance of survival. The good news is many dogs will make a full recovery after treatment if the condition is caught early , so don’t delay in taking them to the vet if you are concerned. Pyometra is a common disease of sexually intact female dogs 1,2 and has been studied extensively as a model for sepsis and systemic inflammation. 3–7 Ovariohysterectomy (OHE) is well established as the recommended treatment for all cases of pyometra except in the most valuable breeding dogs. 1,2 The prognosis for pyometra treated by OHE is good, with mortality rates reported to be low, with Classically, the patient is an older female dog. Usually, she has finished a heat cycle in the previous 1-2 months. She has a poor appetite and may be vomiting or drinking an excessive amount of water. The most common form of pyometra is called the "open pyometra" because the cervix is open allowing vaginal discharge of pus to be noticeable. fnICBPK. Prevention. Pyometra is a term that describes a pus-filled, infected uterus. It is a life threatening condition that requires emergency stabilization and surgery for treatment. Since pyometra is an infection of the uterus, all unspayed dogs are susceptible. There are multiple factors that can lead to the development of a uterine infection. Isn’t pyometra a dog thing? As vets, we do see this condition significantly more frequently in dogs than in cats, occurring in approximately 25% of intact female dogs by the age of 10. Unfortunately, cats are not immune to this condition, with approximately 2.2% of intact female cats developing a pyometra before the age of 13. Pyometra in dogs is a dangerous infection that intact females can get. While the word might be very medical sounding, it boils down to being an infection of the uterus. When most of us hear the word infection, we think, “antibiotics will fix this!”, and while that can be true in some cases, pyometra in dogs is much more serious than your They taught us in school to “never let the sun set on a pyometra” or you might just lose that patient. Send questions for Dr. Alison Dascoli to “Ask the Vet,” Charleston Gazette-Mail, 1001 Pyometra can be 'open' or 'closed.' In an open pyometra, the uterus’ entry remains open, and you can see pus or blood coming out of your dog's vulva. In closed pyometra, the uterus is shut, and She was like a completely different dog once the infected uterus was removed, way more active, happy, and healthy. Find a way to get the surgery or have her euthanized. Antibiotics will only work for so long, she will become resistant to them over time, and each time she comes in heat the situation is only going to get worse.

how long can a dog live with open pyometra