MelodysMum Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) After several unsuccessful attempts to have a litter, including AIs during two seasons, we had not gotten around to desexing Brianna, who is now seven. In November 2011, for a couple of days she was off her food, even refusing her favourites - barbecued chicken and sausage. Thankfully that told me fairly early that she wasn't well, so I took her to the vet when she didn't improve. By this time she had a really high temperature, and as soon as our vet felt her tummy he said he wanted to do an ultrasound. He came back and said there was fluid in her uterus and he thought it was closed pyometra! He said that he could operate, but there would be no-one there over the weekend to look after her, so he recommended that we go to the Animal Referral Hospital (emergency vet) to have the surgery as someone would be there to care for her around the clock. So she was rushed to the Animal Referral Hospital for emergency surgery. It was awful, I really thought I was going to lose her. I was so afraid of her uterus rupturing during the surgery, that I was a complete mess, and I found it really hard to leave her. The vet there was amazing, and she said that we had caught it early so she hoped it would be all right. Brianna was in theatre for almost two hours. I had gone home, so the vet rang to say that the surgery had been a complete success; the uterus had come out intact with no leakage, and that she had managed to tie off all the blood vessels even though they were so enlarged but that it was lucky we had not waited any longer as the uterus was huge, and it would have ruptured if it had been left much longer! She said Brianna would not be out of the woods for at least 48 hours. Thankfully Brianna recovered quickly, and she was allowed to come home the next day because she was refusing to eat. We brought her home on trial, to see if she would eat, on the understanding that she had to go back if she didn't eat. She ate as soon as she got home, and she hasn't looked back. She saw our vet three days later (the wife, not the husband who had seen her the first time) and she could not believe how well she was. She said she was a 'miracle dog' and described her incision as 'magnificent'. The vet who operated did an amazing job, but it was an absolutely horrific ordeal, not only for Brianna, but for our entire family. We were absolutely devastated even at the thought of losing her. This is Brianna the day after her operation - It was an absolutely massive surgery, much more difficult than a routine desexing, and I never want to see another bitch of mine go through it. I still cannot believe how lucky we were not to lose her. Any girl that I have will be desexed if I do not plan to breed with her. Sorry for the long story, but I just wanted to convey how traumatic and terrifying pyo, especially closed pyo can be. Brianna is now fully recovered and doing really well. She just needs to grow some fur back on her tummy! :laugh: Edited January 13, 2012 by WendyH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 (edited) After several unsuccessful attempts to have a litter, including AIs during two seasons, we had not gotten around to desexing Brianna, who is now seven. In November 2011, for a couple of days she was off her food, even refusing her favourites - barbecued chicken and sausage. Thankfully that told me fairly early that she wasn't well, so I took her to the vet when she didn't improve. By this time she had a really high temperature, and as soon as our vet felt her tummy he said he wanted to do an ultrasound. He came back and said there was fluid in her uterus and he thought it was closed pyometra! He said that he could operate, but there would be no-one there over the weekend to look after her, so he recommended that we go to the Animal Referral Hospital (emergency vet) to have the surgery as someone would be there to care for her around the clock. So she was rushed to the Animal Referral Hospital for emergency surgery. It was awful, I really thought I was going to lose her. I was so afraid of her uterus rupturing during the surgery, that I was a complete mess, and I found it really hard to leave her. The vet there was amazing, and she said that we had caught it early so she hoped it would be all right. Brianna was in theatre for almost two hours. I had gone home, so the vet rang to say that the surgery had been a complete success; the uterus had come out intact with no leakage, and that she had managed to tie off all the blood vessels even though they were so enlarged but that it was lucky we had not waited any longer as the uterus was huge, and it would have ruptured if it had been left much longer! She said Brianna would not be out of the woods for at least 48 hours. Thankfully Brianna recovered quickly, and she was allowed to come home the next day because she was refusing to eat. We brought her home on trial, to see if she would eat, on the understanding that she had to go back if she didn't eat. She ate as soon as she got home, and she hasn't looked back. She saw our vet three days later (the wife, not the husband who had seen her the first time) and she could not believe how well she was. She said she was a 'miracle dog' and described her incision as 'magnificent'. The vet who operated did an amazing job, but it was an absolutely horrific ordeal, not only for Brianna, but for our entire family. We were absolutely devastated even at the thought of losing her. This is Brianna the day after her operation - It was an absolutely massive surgery, much more difficult than a routine desexing, and I never want to see another bitch of mine go through it. I still cannot believe how lucky we were not to lose her. Any girl that I have will be desexed if I do not plan to breed with her. Sorry for the long story, but I just wanted to convey how traumatic and terrifying pyo, especially closed pyo can be. Brianna is now fully recovered and doing really well. She just needs to grow some fur back on her tummy! :laugh: Thanks for your story WendyH, so glad your girl is on the mend now. Thanks to a very quick acting and observant friend (you). :) E.T.A. Also would be interested to know if Progesterone (or estrogen) treatment was used during your unsucessful mating attempts as I have read that it can increase the risk of Pyometra by up to 25%. Edited January 16, 2012 by LizT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilaryo Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 After several unsuccessful attempts to have a litter, including AIs during two seasons, we had not gotten around to desexing Brianna, who is now seven. In November 2011, for a couple of days she was off her food, even refusing her favourites - barbecued chicken and sausage. Thankfully that told me fairly early that she wasn't well, so I took her to the vet when she didn't improve. By this time she had a really high temperature, and as soon as our vet felt her tummy he said he wanted to do an ultrasound. He came back and said there was fluid in her uterus and he thought it was closed pyometra! He said that he could operate, but there would be no-one there over the weekend to look after her, so he recommended that we go to the Animal Referral Hospital (emergency vet) to have the surgery as someone would be there to care for her around the clock. So she was rushed to the Animal Referral Hospital for emergency surgery. It was awful, I really thought I was going to lose her. I was so afraid of her uterus rupturing during the surgery, that I was a complete mess, and I found it really hard to leave her. The vet there was amazing, and she said that we had caught it early so she hoped it would be all right. Brianna was in theatre for almost two hours. I had gone home, so the vet rang to say that the surgery had been a complete success; the uterus had come out intact with no leakage, and that she had managed to tie off all the blood vessels even though they were so enlarged but that it was lucky we had not waited any longer as the uterus was huge, and it would have ruptured if it had been left much longer! She said Brianna would not be out of the woods for at least 48 hours. Thankfully Brianna recovered quickly, and she was allowed to come home the next day because she was refusing to eat. We brought her home on trial, to see if she would eat, on the understanding that she had to go back if she didn't eat. She ate as soon as she got home, and she hasn't looked back. She saw our vet three days later (the wife, not the husband who had seen her the first time) and she could not believe how well she was. She said she was a 'miracle dog' and described her incision as 'magnificent'. The vet who operated did an amazing job, but it was an absolutely horrific ordeal, not only for Brianna, but for our entire family. We were absolutely devastated even at the thought of losing her. This is Brianna the day after her operation - It was an absolutely massive surgery, much more difficult than a routine desexing, and I never want to see another bitch of mine go through it. I still cannot believe how lucky we were not to lose her. Any girl that I have will be desexed if I do not plan to breed with her. Sorry for the long story, but I just wanted to convey how traumatic and terrifying pyo, especially closed pyo can be. Brianna is now fully recovered and doing really well. She just needs to grow some fur back on her tummy! :laugh: So scary for you Wendy Thank goodness Brianna is OK!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelodysMum Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Yes, it was very scary. I thought I was going to lose my girl, and I was devastated. Her operation cost $1800 and it was worth every cent. In spite of the fact that the incision was huge, there is almost no scar visible now and she is doing really well. I really cannot believe how well she is after we came so close to losing her. :) Liz, no, there was no progesterone or oestrogen treatment. The first time she went to the dog's home and was boarded there for a couple of days. A progesterone test had indicated she was about to ovulate, but while she was there she refused to let the dog service her. The dog's owner took them both to the vet and another prog test indicated she had come out of season. We think she was fretting because she was a two hour drive away from me. The second time we tested her again, got there and we waited to see if she would let him near her. She was flagging, but as soon as he tried to mount her she was screaming and refusing to let him. We left her there, and the next day she was taken to the other breeder's vet again to have an AI. A second one was performed the next day. She did not conceive. The third time the breeder let me have the dog for a few days. I decided to try Karen Hedberg to see if she could manage to get a pregnancy. She prog tested Brianna and we took both dogs over to her twice for Brianna to be AI'd. Once again there were no puppies. So we don't know what happened. After all the tests etc. we decided that was enough and didn't put her through it again. I was really disappointed and it took me a while to get used to the idea of no puppies, which is why I delayed having her desexed. A few weeks before she got sick I had said to my husband that I wanted to have her desexed in the new year. Brianna had false pregnancies after each season, and I think this contributed to her getting pyometra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 (edited) Well It's great she is recovering so well. :) Edited January 17, 2012 by LizT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaffy Magee Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 I will spay any bitch that is no longer to be bred from or shown. I'd probably keep the boys entire but would base my decision on the individual dog. I have a 4 year old bitch ( has had one litter) here now who I don't " plan" to breed again but I'm keeping her entire until i have bred her sister successfully. It would be just my luck to have her desexed and then something bad happen to her sister so I'm not risking it, since they are my only bitches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mini girl Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Also really glad your story had a happy ending - hope all continues to go well for your girl - but certainly a big worry for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelodysMum Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Thanks mini girl! :) She is doing really well and is even starting to have fur grow back on her tummy. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weiz4eva Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 We desex our bitches & dogs if not avail as stud. We desex them when they are around 6-7yrs depending if we have finished showing. Younger if they dont turn out as breeders or show dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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