Pyometra.. Advice Please!

[persephone]

Latoya -

hope the news is better this morning .

[The Spotted Devil]

Note the OP was posting about Open Pyo.

The vet said she had closed pyometra and needed surgery immediately

My mistake. Distracted by the distracting posts.

[Rebanne]

Note the OP was posting about Open Pyo.

...see 3rd link, e.g. 'Supportive Therapie' ....and the stats include open pyometra too.

ETA:..and of course the section wrt 'open pyometra' in the first link.

The OP asked for help from people who have experienced this, you haven't so disappear why don't you.

[Kavik]

One of my previous dogs got pyometra, I can't remember whether it was open or closed though, sorry. She was with my parents and it was over 10 years ago. She was an older dog (12 or older from memory), and recovered well after being speyed.

Edited April 2, 2016 by Kavik

[oakway]

So sorry for you and your lovely dog. I went through this last week with a friend although her dog had an open Pyro. The dog after a rather shaky start has now returned home.

I think this may serve as a warning to all those that have entire but non breeding bitches to think about having them de sexed as soon as possible, so, as to not have to go through all this with them. It is very costly and dreadful experience for the dog let alone in many cases may be fatal.

...do some reading first - you may trade one disease for another, and bone cancer, hypothyroidism, hemangiosarcoma (5 times higher risk!!!) etc. etc. is not a pleasant experience either.

Yes what would Oakway know? She's just an experienced breeder.

Pyometra has an incidence of 25% before the age of ten years in non-spayed females. While I understand there are reasons to keep bitches entire, 25% is fairly high odds to be playing with especially when you have no intentions of breeding.

Thank you raineth. :)

[*kirty*]

The uterus had burst, so she will have toxins in her body cavity. She is a very sick little girl and will need a long time to recover. I would ask about transferring her to your local vet for supportive care.

[_PL_]

Hi everyone,

I really need some advice from anyone who has gone through this with their dog or knows anything about it. My dog was ill on Tuesday night, I took her to the emergency vet at 10pm. The vet said she had closed pyometra and needed surgery immediately ( $6000 ). With a struggle to sort out funds as my partner told me to put her down I got it done right then and there. Unfortunately it had ruptured and was leaking through her stomach. She was cleaned out with 20 litres of saline which was the most the vet said he has ever had to use. Since then I have been quoted $1000 per night and she has been in for 3 nights. Day one was her resting unable to move and eat and she had 2 drainage lines in her, a drip and pain relief through another tube. Day 2 she stood up and came over to me ( took about 3 steps) and lay her head down. Still no food, bloods were okay but regurgitating kept happening. Today is day 3, she can move around,still draining about 250mls per day through the drainage lines. Ate maybe one teaspoon of chicken. Keeps regurgitating still which the doc said is bad. I'm running out of funds and I'm so scared. Can anyone tell me of any stories of surgery after closed pyometra or any advice on what I can do to help her or even how long it took your dog to get better. I'm clutching at straws and I'm so scared. Thank you xxxx

Firstly, I'm sorry you've had to learn the hard way. I hope you and your girl feel better soon.

Secondly; Willem just does that so don't feel obliged to take anything on board. In over 10 years of desexing females of all ages not once have we had hemangiosarcoma occur so scaremongering is less than helpful.

Thirdly, as a rescue;

We've had lots come in at all stages of pyo and despite many being in the life threatening stage we haven't lost one yet. We had six bitches in a row once!

The more advanced it is, the longer it will take before they feel better. They do get very very sick and miserable, sore and full of pain meds and antibiotics.

I think the worst one - a rotti cross- had 5 to 7 days in emergency hospital and was zipped up with staples. Went through litres and litres of fluids and flushes, drains, drugs; the lot. Looked and felt like crap for a while. And she went on to be a very happy pet.

Around 3/4 of those pyo dogs also had mammary tumours. Some requiring a mammary strip.

Some have had the trifecta of pyo, multiple mammary cancers and large hernias. Even they pull through and toddle off to new homes.

Ages range from around 6 to 14 yrs. I find it frustrating that it's so common but so avoidable, and I'm in total agreement with Oakaway more people need to be desexing their girls if they are either a) not breeding from them or b) unable to detect or treat related conditions.

No offence to you personally because I wouldn't wish this on anyone nor their dog. I hope you can sort out an extra credit card or loan. You've come this far, she will get better and eventually you'll have your gorgeous girl up on her feet again. :) If she gets well enough to be moved to your regular vet then I'd go for it.

[Scottsmum]

Hi everyone,

I really need some advice from anyone who has gone through this with their dog or knows anything about it. My dog was ill on Tuesday night, I took her to the emergency vet at 10pm. The vet said she had closed pyometra and needed surgery immediately ( $6000 ). With a struggle to sort out funds as my partner told me to put her down I got it done right then and there. Unfortunately it had ruptured and was leaking through her stomach. She was cleaned out with 20 litres of saline which was the most the vet said he has ever had to use. Since then I have been quoted $1000 per night and she has been in for 3 nights. Day one was her resting unable to move and eat and she had 2 drainage lines in her, a drip and pain relief through another tube. Day 2 she stood up and came over to me ( took about 3 steps) and lay her head down. Still no food, bloods were okay but regurgitating kept happening. Today is day 3, she can move around,still draining about 250mls per day through the drainage lines. Ate maybe one teaspoon of chicken. Keeps regurgitating still which the doc said is bad. I'm running out of funds and I'm so scared. Can anyone tell me of any stories of surgery after closed pyometra or any advice on what I can do to help her or even how long it took your dog to get better. I'm clutching at straws and I'm so scared. Thank you xxxx

Firstly, I'm sorry you've had to learn the hard way. I hope you and your girl feel better soon.

Secondly; Willem just does that so don't feel obliged to take anything on board. In over 10 years of desexing females of all ages not once have we had hemangiosarcoma occur so scaremongering is less than helpful.

Thirdly, as a rescue;

We've had lots come in at all stages of pyo and despite many being in the life threatening stage we haven't lost one yet. We had six bitches in a row once!

The more advanced it is, the longer it will take before they feel better. They do get very very sick and miserable, sore and full of pain meds and antibiotics.

I think the worst one - a rotti cross- had 5 to 7 days in emergency hospital and was zipped up with staples. Went through litres and litres of fluids and flushes, drains, drugs; the lot. Looked and felt like crap for a while. And she went on to be a very happy pet.

Around 3/4 of those pyo dogs also had mammary tumours. Some requiring a mammary strip.

Some have had the trifecta of pyo, multiple mammary cancers and large hernias. Even they pull through and toddle off to new homes.

Ages range from around 6 to 14 yrs. I find it frustrating that it's so common but so avoidable, and I'm in total agreement with Oakaway more people need to be desexing their girls if they are either a) not breeding from them or b) unable to detect or treat related conditions.

No offence to you personally because I wouldn't wish this on anyone nor their dog. I hope you can sort out an extra credit card or loan. You've come this far, she will get better and eventually you'll have your gorgeous girl up on her feet again. :) If she gets well enough to be moved to your regular vet then I'd go for it.

Great post Powerlegs.

[persephone]

powerlegs . Excellent post .

[Dame Aussie]

So sorry to hear this. I agree with others that maybe she can be taken to your regular vet for supportive care now? That would cost less than staying in emergency at least. All the best, I hope she's feeling a lot better soon.

[Salukifan]

How is your girl doing Latoya?

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

As a rescuer i've also had many dogs come in with pyometra, luckily the first thing i do is take them to the vets to be desexed so it's been caught. I'm sure there are far too many dogs out there who die from this, either in their owner's homes or in pound environments as it's a bit of a silent killer.

My family rescued a German Shepherd cross in the UK aged 11, strangely enough the organisation that housed her (a UK equivalent of the RSPCA) said she was too old to be desexed. I know now that this isn't right as i rescue many old dogs too who recover beautifully from the surgery and go on to live long lives. My mother had to cope with the messy seasons until she was 14 when she suddenly got pyometra and nearly died. Mum had to spend a huge amount of money to save her, it was worth it of course, she lived another year but it shouldn't have happened.

Unless a dog is being bred or shown, i cannot see why this wouldn't be an owner's first responsibility. Of course there will be people that will argue with this standpoint but from years of rescue experience and literally hundreds of dogs, that's my opinion.

I hope your girl is feeling better very soon.

Edited April 2, 2016 by Her Majesty Dogmad

[Rappie]

Note the OP was posting about Open Pyo.

It was a closed, ruptured pyometra with subsequent peritonitis as I read it.

Edit: Have just finished reading the thread, I replied too early and just realised there were more replies.

Unfortunately with peritonitis and sepsis it will have widespread effects on multiple body systems and recovery can take some time. She has had a high level of care from the sounds of it and it is unfortunate that it comes at such a cost.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Rappie

[The Spotted Devil]

Note the OP was posting about Open Pyo.

It was a closed, ruptured pyometra with subsequent peritonitis as I read it?

Yep - already noted. Just distracted by distracting posts.

[Rappie]

Note the OP was posting about Open Pyo.

It was a closed, ruptured pyometra with subsequent peritonitis as I read it?

Yep - already noted. Just distracted by distracting posts.

See my edit on post above - I replied while distracted feeding a baby and didn't read the thread in its entirety

[persephone]

..and I am hoping to read a positive update post soon ...

Edited April 3, 2016 by persephone

[Steve]

In these sort of cases the problem is mainly about the blood poisoning which really is something that makes them very very sick. Antibiotics should eventually kick in enough to shift the infection but if she is still vomiting thats not good as there is also a concern regarding dehydration.

The only thing I have to offer is that it may be possible for you to bring her home and continue her treatment rather than pay the extra hospital expenses. You may need the vet to teach you how to give an injection [ antibiotics,anti vomit, and pain ] as she is vomiting and wont keep them in orally yet and its a pretty simple thing to learn how to give fluids under the skin as well to keep her hydrated. Have a chat to the vet as this may be a viable way to bring the costs down and still ensure she is getting what she needs.

It is true that there are potential side effects of desexing but over all in my opinion better to risk these than keep an entire bitch unless she is intended for breeding. I have known of one girl which developed hemangiosarcoma but I have known of many more which had mammary cancer and or Pyro.

[Latoya]

Thank you everyone! She is stable. They are currently worried about respiration pneumonia. So much regurgitation is causing possible oesophagus problems. Such a stress. I had never even heard of pyo. She was meant to be bred after having got my breeders prefix I had no luck with a mating last season so my partner was fuming at the money we had to spend to only desex her nothing worse than when a partner doesn't support you! He comes from a farm and says you should just shoot them if they are sick. Could never ever in my life, they're like children!!. The total is at $12,500 now. The vet has her in the hospital tonight again but hopefully tomorrow she can go to a normal vet as I don't know how much more I can afford/borrow. The vet saw how distressed I was and had heard my partner tell me to put her down and get very angry so he was so kind to keep her in for free tonight for me. fingers crossed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Scottsmum]

Thank you everyone! She is stable. They are currently worried about respiration pneumonia. So much regurgitation is causing possible oesophagus problems. Such a stress. I had never even heard of pyo. She was meant to be bred after having got my breeders prefix I had no luck with a mating last season so my partner was fuming at the money we had to spend to only desex her nothing worse than when a partner doesn't support you! He comes from a farm and says you should just shoot them if they are sick. Could never ever in my life, they're like children!!. The total is at $12,500 now. The vet has her in the hospital tonight again but hopefully tomorrow she can go to a normal vet as I don't know how much more I can afford/borrow. The vet saw how distressed I was and had heard my partner tell me to put her down and get very angry so he was so kind to keep her in for free tonight for me. fingers crossed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good to hear you've got a good vet there.

Sending positive vibes to you & her.

[JulesP]

Sending healing vibes for her.