This is a sad story.    A bitch came to one of our boys on Sunday - apparently in full season, although still with quite a red discharge.    She had visited him 5 months ago, but did not hold to service then.      She stood very well for the boy this time.   She stayed with us until Tuesday, but was very fretful and wouldn't eat.   We served her again Tuesday morning, and then asked her owners to take her home, as I was worried she wasn't settling or eating.   No apparent temperature.

Today (Friday) we have a very sad  phone call  to say the owners have lost her, in the vets,  to pyometra.     Of course we are all devastated.

I have never come across this in an in season  bitch.     Common sense tells me to put our boy on antibiotic.

If anyone else has had this problem , I would appreciate feedback.

Jo

Hi, I took my bitch for a mating and about 10 days later I noticed signs of pyomerta, . Luckly we caught it in time and she had an emergency spay.
The stud dog owner was informed and I believe the stud dog was put on antibiotics.
Now I use a different stud (not because of this I must stress!) and my bitch has a swob done prior to a mating as does the stud dog to make sure there are no infections etc.

I've never come across the problem, but it does sounds as if the bitch already had something brewing when she came to you.  If she was fretful and not eating, it doesn't seem right. 

I do understand that it has upset you.  I have bitches here to stay for my boys, and would be upset too.  I wanted you to know that any owner of a stud dog would really empathise with you.

That is so sad. I am sure your lad had nothing to do with the infection but I would get him swabbed and antibiotics if needs be, you don't want him becoming sterile.

Steve Dean is covering Pyometra in dog world this week http://www.dogworld.co.uk/Features/03-Dean-(2)?year=2012&month=01

Thanks folks!  

It has occurred to me that they might have been 'fiddling' (for want of a better word) with her before she came to check she was open, but of course you can't ask them now.      Dead only 4 days post service beggars belief.     By co-incidence. my boy had only just had his fertility check up over the weekend anyhow, and was fine. 
      
I'll go and have a look at the article now, Barbara.

Jo

My sister's Pug went straight from her season to a pyo. The young vets she saw at the practice said she was just having a long season but the blood had clots through it and on my insistence she took her back and saw the head vet who admitted her in straightaway to spay her.    She had a pyometra, thankfully she is ok now.

I nearly lost a bitch years ago, who went downhill very fast and had to be spayed mid season due to a pyo.

how very, very, sad, my heart goes out to the owners of the bitch. not nice for you either Jo.