Canine Uterine Infections

One of the most common forms of canine uterine infections is pyometra. This is when the dog's uterus is filled with puss and in most instances, requires surgery. A lot of dogs die from pyometra, which mostly occurs in unspayed dogs and other animals. It is a very dangerous infection and symptoms and signs of it should be reported to a veterinarian as soon as possible. Read on to learn about the symptoms, causes and treatments available for canine uterine infections.

  1. Pyometra

    • Pyometra is a form of a canine uterine infection that is found in unspayed animals. When female dogs enter into the heat cycle, also known as the estrus cycle, her cervix becomes relaxed and begins to open up a little and bacteria is able to get inside; then once the cervix closes, the bacteria becomes trapped. Dogs with a healthy immune system are able to fight off infections, but when the body has pyometra, the immune system isn't as strong and can't fight off infection. Pyometra is known to have E. Coli among other bacterium within it. Most of the dogs found with pyometra are middle aged or older and are within 60 days of their last estrus cycle.

    Open and Closed Uterine Infection

    • There are two forms of the canine uterine infection--open and closed. When the cervix is still open, there is a foul smelling discharge that comes out of the vagina. Then with the closed cervix, there is no discharge. When the cervix is closed, it is harder to diagnose and usually the dog is sicker due to the trapped infection in the uterus.

    Symptoms

    • The signs associated with the pyometra canine uterine infection are: smelly vaginal discharge, frequent urination, increased thirst, pus in uterus that enlarges the abdomen, vomiting, dehydration, lethargy and loss of appetite.

    Treatment

    • Once the dog is showing one or more signs of canine uterine infection, it is a good idea to take the dog to see a vet. Most likely, blood work and an X-ray of the abdomen will be done. The blood taken will show if the organs are functioning and show how severe the infection is.

    Spayed vs Unspayed

    • One of the main reasons why dogs obtain uterine infections is due to the dog being unspayed. When a dog isn't spayed, it is easy for her to get infection because of the uterus, which is where the infections take place. In the spaying process, the uterus is removed, so it is impossible for the infection to get inside.