Asha was a bit off colour at the weekend, she vomited a couple of times, and had diarrhoea. We noticed that male dogs, even our neutered boy were very keen on sniffing her even though she'd finished her season 10+ days previously. Today she's worse. She didn't want breakfast, had been sick again, and was very lethargic, quiet and her poo still very loose and indoors, which she doesn't do. I wiped her vulva with a tissue, and there is a dry looking rusty coloured staining. It's not a wet discharge, just looks a bit like dried blood. She has had a bath since her season, so it's not leftover residue. Also her vulva is still swollen but that's probably normal.

This season she has been a nightmare - she has flirted outrageously with my neuter boy, and it went on for ages. She was almost nympho!

I took her to the vet, he's not convinced it's pyo, but he is going to treat as if it is, she had an antibiotic injection and tablets to start tomorrow. If she's any worse in the morning she has to go in and be put on a drip, have a scan etc. We want to avoid surgery if possible as she has a very bad heart (which is the only reason why she's not spayed).

She doesn't have the excessive thirst, in fact is hardly eating or drinking. She is only 3, and it is very soon after the end of the season, only around 10 days. Does this sound like it could be pyometra? What else should I look out for?

I've read the sticky, it seems like everyone has a slightly different experience so wonder what your thoughts are. Thanks.

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Stella, Louis and Asha

With Pyometra you can actually get two types open and closed. Open the pus and infection drains and you see a visible discharge, which can be anything from quite normal looking to various shades and thickness. The closed pyometra, the pus and infections gets sealed on the uterus so you dont get a discharge and often dont know until the dog is lethargic, not eating perhaps vomitting etc. Ive noticed with infections sometimes male dogs do sniff and show interest.

I was reading an article a few months ago now on pyometra, and apparently Alizin the mis mate injection is being used with closed pyometra in some cases. Instead of rushing in to operate on a full infected uterus, the Alizin injection causes the pus and infection to drain out, so antibiotics can be given and the infection cleared before spaying is done. If she did turn out to have pyometra especially a closed one, I dont know if this is something that maybe could help, you would need to discuss it wiith your vet. At least he has given her antibiotic cover now, which hopefully if there is an infection it will help keep it under control/start to work.

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Thanks, that is one of the possibilities the vet mentioned, to have the mismate injection, it sounds like a good alternative to surgery.

When I 'tissued' her bits and found the staining, I thought it was discharge and therefore open, but it isn't a wet discharge, more like dried brownish blood, which confuses me a bit. I'm so glad I took her and she's started antibiotics, just have to hope the morning brings some improvement. I'm not used to seeing her so poorly.

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Stella, Louis and Asha

I hope Asha is showing signs of improvement this morning, hopefully the anti-bios should be in her system and she'll start eating & drinking a bit more for you.

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Harvey - Beagle 5 years old
Willow - Old English Sheepdog x - 3 years old
Merlin - African Grey Parrot - 7 years old

RIP our Beautiful Girl : Zoe (Collie x) 1992 - 2006....Gone but never forgotten xx

Hope she is better today and the AB' are working . They work extremely quickly and Kali's anal gland abscess had improved after just two doses of her AB's recently.

As for spaying, my vet does a key hole spay where the op is much shorter and recovery very much faster. I am so glad my girls are all done, much better for them as well as the rest of the dogs. I wouldn't think a heart condition would prevent a spay as long as she is monitored closely throughout the op, human patients still have ops even with heart conditions and are always closely monitored during and post op. The key hole version may be an even safer option!

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Flynn - Kali - Marty - Britches - Bruce - T-Bo



"For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack"

She seems a lot brighter this evening, 2 more doses down her, and she wanted her tea tonight - always a good sign! Still has a discharge, but we'll go back on Thursday if it's still there.

The vet is reluctant to spay her, we also discussed it with the cardiologist who diagnosed her as well as our previous vet. I want to discuss it again though, as next time she might not be so lucky. One of her heart valves is very deformed, and if she has a sudden increase in blood pressure it could be catastrophic. Apparently it's more likely during surgery/recovery. She's on borrowed time as it is it is a very difficult decision to make. Obviously, if she ever needs emergency surgery that's a different matter, but for an elective op, I am really, really, really uncertain.

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Stella, Louis and Asha

I can see what a difficult decision it must be for you and the worry of pyo is always in our minds when they are not spayed. Saw a dog lost on here recently with it and all so quick!

Lovely to hear she is recovering at least enough to eat, always a good sign. Hope she continues to improve and gets back to her normal self very soon.

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Flynn - Kali - Marty - Britches - Bruce - T-Bo



"For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack"