| Ask The Vet -
Q&A |
Question
My 3 year old bitch has had a vaginal discharge for 24
hours. It is lessening today but is still there. It doesn't smell.
It is greeny/brown/pale coloured. There is a lot of it although
as I say not as much today as yesterday. She just finished a season
3 weeks ago.
Lynne - West Lothian, Scotland, UK |
Answering questions:
Susie Samuel MA VetMB MRCVS from
Vet
Help Direct |
| Answer |
Hi
Lynne,
I
am quite concerned about your bitch, I am suspicious that she may
have an ‘Open Pyometra’. Pyometra means an infected
womb and ‘Open’ refers to the cervix being open, allowing
the pus to drain out. Pyometra, open or closed, is a serious condition
which can make bitches very ill. Bitches are usually more ill more
quickly in a ‘Closed Pyometra’, where the cervix is
closed; in this condition pus builds up inside the bitch making
her extremely poorly. An Open Pyometra is also dangerous and can
progress quickly if left untreated.
A
copious greeny-brown discharge is a classic sign of an ‘Open
Pyometra’. The timing of the appearance of the pus also fits
with Pyometra which is most common after a season. Usually the discharge
from a Pyometra is smelly but you should not be reassured by this,
you definitely need to get her to a vet to be checked out.
Pyometras
are usually treated surgically with an ‘ovario-hysterectomy’.
This involves removing the uterus and ovaries i.e. a spay. When
operating on a pyometra the bitch is ill and the uterus is full
of pus, this makes it a lot more complex than a routine spay. Patients
usually require fluids and antibiotics prior to the anaesthetic
to make it as safe as possible. Once recovered from the surgery
bitches will make a full recovery. Very occasionally vets will attempt
to treat an Open Pyometra medically, for example in a breeding dog,
but unfortunately this is not often successful.
A
Pyometra will not get better on its own and is very dangerous for
the bitch if left too long. You need to seek urgent veterinary attention
for your bitch to establish if she is suffering from this condition.
I do hope all goes well.
Kind regards,
Susie Samuel MA VetMB MRCVS www.vethelpdirect.com
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