My bitch is almost 10, she started drinking excessively, so took her to the vet, who diagnosed she has pyo, she gave her some antibiotics etc, on Wednesday, and left us to decide whether to have her spayed, she brightened up, was great yesterday, today she is losing pinky red discharge, Is this a good or bad sign??
I have now phoned vet, to say to spay her, but she cant be done till monday..............Is that ok???

Very worried
Charm

One  word NO I would get the opinion of another vet, I had a bitch, same circumstances, only my son owned her, he left her for a few days before going to the vet, by the time she got there it was an emergency spay, done right away, luckily she survived, but we were told if he had left her any longer she would have died. Dont want to frighten you  but a pio is serious.  Also had an old mongrel who had a pio at 12yrs of agegot her spayed and she lived until she was 18.

Sounds as if it's an open Pyometria, although very serious, not so very instantly threatening as a closed pyo.     I would still want a girl of mine spayed like today, not Monday.....

I wonder what he has in the back of his mind by delaying - maybe hoping it's going to respond to antibiotics?

I would think an open pyo might turn into a closed one under certain circumstances, but haven't got experience of this.

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

Ditto. It sounds as if the antibiotics have converted a closed pyo to an open one, but if it was my bitch I'd want her spayed. I had a 12 yo (old for a giant breed) spayed for pyo some years ago and she sailed through it.

agree 100% .......... she needs to be spayed asap.

Have to say that I did the antibiotic route with one of my Spanish and didn't have her spayed and she came through it brilliantly.  Didn't know much about it at the time and trusted my vet.  It actually helped with a lot of other things being on the antibiotics too.  Have to say that I actually don't think it was a pyo. so maybe that's why she improved so much.

Sorry, change vets,  Pyo is life threaterning, there should be no question of "shall I sharn't I spay"  It should be done ASAP, not monday. 

Afriends vet lost one bitch to open pyo by leaving her till the next morning because of bitch having eaten.  Anti biotics brightn them up, but when course is over they go back down again (experiance of when vet couldn't find signs of pyo in our bitch)  Discharge is a good sign as it means the infection is coming out in the discharge, however it's not something to be left for a whole weekend.

I cant see how though 1) your vets gave you option to spey or not, and 2) you thought about it on a bitch of 10 who you won't be able to breed from and permission to show RE: pyo is easy to get, no questions asked.  I'm assuming you are not fully aware of pyo and you trusted your vets? :) (I'm not trying to get at you, if it comes across like that)

If you don't know about these things doesn't everyone think that their vets are right????

I know my vet wasn't into rushing into it and at the time I knew nothing about it!

You can't blame people can you?

Read the last line I wrote:) I didn't post on CD to get into another bloody argument but to give advice. 

Ice Queen.............In answer to your questions........No, I have never experienced PYOMETRA, having owned and bred for 30 years.......Of course I realise my bitch cannot be bred from, The reason for going away and thinking about it, was the risks associated with having her spayed, she is high risk, there is a chance she may not survive surgery, she has now been given Noroclav,metronidazole,norocarp tablets, to see her through till Monday. She will be admitted on Monday and placed on a drip to clear her of any toxins, and operated on Monday Afternoon. I had hoped she would be done today, but my vet is fully booked, and she is a practise on her own, ok, I could go elsewhere, but my vet knows her history (she had a torsion, 2 years ago) she has not had a season since the torsion by the way. I have just had her daughter spayed last week, because she need a C section on her 1st litter, but a pyo spay, comes with much more complications, than a normal spay.

Charm

Ice queen there is no need for language like.  Spanishwater dog has told you that her dog came through it fine so and I have heard of others taking this route sucessfully so saying they should change their vet is somewhat illogical.  Even when not preserving fertility, if an emergency operation when infection is present, with all the risks that involves, can be avoided that that is always worth exploring.  The only thing I would say is careful observation should be employed but that can be pretty straightforward as the temperature of the dog will be a very good indication that things are settling with a pyometra it is usually raging.

My bitch had a pyo 18months ago (open) It was detected at routine scan for pregnancy and because it was caught in time it was treated.  Although the drugs she was treated with were only 2 years into testing, and I had to sign a disclaimer, also very expensive. She visited the vets everyday, as vet wanted to make sure that at any time she was not responding to treatment she would be spayed immediately, Scans everysecond day showed the dissolving of the black mass and bitch was never actually ill and showed no other signs of pyo except the usual smelly green discharge. But for the scan and quick treatment we would have lost her.

I was only asking a simple question and just understanding how people, even those of us who have dogs for years do trust our vets.  God, I've been on here for 3 years but I think after all the abuse that new people are getting and now the disgusting language that regulars are giving I'll leave.

What a sad sorry time for this website as I think it's brilliant but I am totally and utterly disgusted with how it seems to be turning into a slanging website!

Ohh, by the way I'm perrodeagua too.  Leigh, I don't envy you, you do a brilliant job with this site.  Is there something in the air this year that is turning people.

Goodbye.

Hi SWD,

Please don't let the occasionally poorly worded post spoil your enjoyment of the forum in general - if you've been a member for 3 years you obviously like it :)  There seems to have been a spell of fairly regular unrest with a lot of people - just try and ride it out or take a break for a couple of weeks.  Seems a shame to let a minority spoil things for you or anyone else.

Regards, Teri :)

I agree, there was nothing wrong in what you said SWD, you were just musing :)

Email can be so easily misconstrued!

Lindsay
X

Interesting Kayc, having never experienced Pyo before, and only read other peoples experiences, I believed a smelly discharge to be a sign, but my bitch doesnt have that, I have 3 intact males here, who are taking no notice of her, her discharge is a pink colour. She is happy as larry right now, running around, not showing any signs of illness, or distress, I can only assume I saw it in very early stage.
Charm

Hi Charm, My bitch was not drinking excessivley or showing any sumptoms of illness whatsoever. It was on a routing scan for pregnancy that the pyo showed up on the scan. Medication was started immediately, but two days later she started to discharge smelly green pus.  This also cleared up very quickly because of the antibiotics.  But if, and only if, I had not had the scan, it may have been 3or4 more days before any pyo symptoms emerged, so who knows.  I have to admit, I place my trust in my vets, they listen to my needs, do any research on questions I ask, and they know my dogs.  They are typical country and farming vets and put as much into my dogs as they do looking after £50,000.00 Belgian Blue Stud Bulls :D 

It is difficult to give advice over the net on this particular infection. All I can say is, you know your dogs and if you trust your vet then be guided by them :)

My precious Belgian Shepherd bitch had this at 10 and a half years of age; she was my dream dog and it was a terrible decision to be made as to whether to spay or not, mainly because at that time, I was still under the impression that BSDs were having problems with anaesthetic.

I was terrified she would die and it would be at my instigation. My vet said without the op. she would die anyway :( but i was also concerned her last moments would be spent with a stranger. I half wondered whether to have her put to sleep anyway and not risk her dying without me and possibly her last thing on this earth to be fear).

I did decide to have her spayed, they used isoflurane, and i spoke to the practice manager about my fears; she was very good and kept an eye on proceedings unknown to me until after!

My girl came round and lived until she was nearly 16, so i was very glad I made the decision to spay, but it wasn't easy. I wish you luck and hope things go well.

Lindsay
X

I also have had a problem with pyo in a Gsd bitch, she had only been out of season a few days when I noticed the gunk, I telephoned my vet immediately and took her through, she was put on antibiotics as he said in his own words he would rather spay her when the infection had cleared up, which it did and she is now booked in to be spayed, my girl did not drink anymore than normal and showed no signs of illness at all, like I say I did notice the discharge but because she was started on antibiotics immediately she responded well to the treatment

Janines Gsds

Two of my bitches had to be spayed in the past due to pyo. What is the difference between open and closed pyo's I haven't heard this term before?
Ange

Hya an open pyo is serious enough but the gunk can drain away a closed pyo is when it cant and one of the very first signs is an extremely ill dog, both are serious in there own rites but closed is far worse as the gunk builds up inside the uterus

Janinesgsds

Thanks Janine,I guess mine had closed as it was life threatening and had to done quickly.
ange

Hi everyone, I too have had experience of open pyo. 2 years ago my bitch was scanned to see if she was pregnant, the vets told me either she was reabsorbing or she had the early signs of pyo she was given antibiotics straight away. 2 days later the discharge started it lasted a while but she came through and is perfect now.  She had a litter last year as I was advised she would be fine, wev`e had no problems at all.  saying that , looking back I could have easily lost her, if we hadnt been looking for pups we wouldnt have known about the pyo until it was too late imo.

Charm

How is your bitch today, I hope she is getting better, please keep us posted  of her progress in the next few days.

"Anna" has been very happy and herself over the weekend, she has certainly decreased the drinking and urinating, so have our fingers crossed she will be ok with her op tomorrow, thanks for asking, I will let you know how she gets on.

Charm

Current thinking is that with an open pyometra treatment with antibiotics & particular hormones can be successful but should only be attempted in a well dog and must be an informed decision (e.g. old dog/anaesthetic risk or valuable breeding bitch). However the condition may well recurr. If surgery is opted for then it should be done promptly, but the importance of stabalising the bitch (e.g. antibiotics, intravenous fluids) for 12-48hrs cannot be understated.

Charm ,

Hope everything goes well today.

I have a bitch being spayed at this very moment with PYO.  She has been on a drip for fluid , antibiotics & extra potassium etc for 24 hours solid to ensure she is in the best condition possible considering her illness before they embark on the surgery.  Sadly she is the best bitch I have ever owned, but for me I couldn't take the risk of waiting  just in case. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened.

I am pacing the floor and can't wait till I hear she is out of the op but I know she is in the best possible hands.

Will keep my fingers crossed for your girl.

Pam

Pam
So sorry to hear of your bitch, just when you were getting everything right with breeding stock etc, we are all aware of pio its our worst nightmare,.  How did you get on at the show on saturday, did you manage to go, was trying to find results with no luck. Speak soon.

Hi Irene,

I luckily came right back home after the show rather than stay over again , as the bitch took ill during the night. I count my lucky stars for that. I will send you the link to the results .  They are being done just now.

It is sad that I have to spayed at this stage but I don't like to mess around with anything to do with their health. I know you would be the same as I, and would rather have her as a healthy pet and alive than risk prolonging anything and losing her. I may not have had another litter from her anyway as I to be honest I am more interested in showing and she gave me (and I count myself lucky)  2 bitches from her one and only litter, 1 of which I kept who is a lovely bitch who I think is equally, if not better than her mother, I am bringing her out at Border Union.  The second bitch puppy who was also very nice I own in partnership , not something I was fussy on doing but the line was so critical to me.  I am so so glad I did now.  I am a great believer things happen for reasons so I try not to look back to much. 

Re the show We got 2nd in puppy dog which was pretty good for the club show. 220 ish entry..  The first 3 are all ones who have been doing a fair bit of winning.  In fact the puppy dogs were all quite nice I thought.  Best puppy was Jock's little dog who is a good bit maturer than mine. Lines behind my little dog is a bit slower at maturing so hopefully he wil come.  His sire's breeder says it is like looking at his sire in the ring a few years ago.  I have been doing quite well with him  2 BPIS and 2 x 2nds at the last 2 champshows.

Will update on my girl later on..keep you fingers crossed.

Any news on your girl Blue?  Sincerely hope everything's OK.

Good luck, Teri :)

Thanks for asking Teri,

I was going to post but couldn't make my mind up where to stick it in without taken over a thread :-)

I think it was very much a case of getting her there in time ( thank God)  she was spayed yesterday but they kept her in yesterday and are doing so again today as her potassium levels are too low.They seem to think the kidney hasn't suffered with the PYO but the vet is still concerned about the levels and she hasn't been eating. ( not like her).

You cant express enough how this is so easily missed as she had been in season and was just really coming out of season. I just thank above I got her there in time. 

All my toes are all crossed she will make a full recovery infact I look like a pretzel just now I am so crossed ;-) She is just like a child to me.

Will update when I hear anything.  The vet called a while ago to say he send the nurse to Asda for a cooked chicken to see if she would eat :-).. waiting on update on this

BFN Pam

PS trying to keep light hearted about it but worried sick :-(

Everything crossed here for you too Pam :P  I know it sounds like a cliche but she's in the best place and if your vet's anything like mine he'll know all TOO well how special your girl is to you ;)

Try to keep positive and busy meantime.
Will say one to "the man upstairs" that you get a good report soon.

best wishes, Teri x

Thanks Teri,

I am the same glad she is in the best place for sure.  I would rather they keep her safe for a few days longer than any risk her coming home.  I just hope nothing else has been affected.

Will up date when I hear.

BFN Pam

Quick update..

Just picked up my little girl from the vets she has been there since Sunday early hours.  I think I was very very lucky..  The pyo was huge at one side and the vet said it was only probably hours from bursting..  So scary. 

She is home and safe thankfully.  She went down hill in hours.

BFn Pam

Hi Pam,

I'm delighted your girl's home and thank God you had her seen to on time - it's so scary to think how quickly this illness turns in a matter of hours.
So relieved for you both :)

Regards, Teri

"Anna" recovered very well from her operation today, the vet showed us the uterus, which I can only describe as horrendous, she also had quite a few cysts on her ovaries. I wish to Thank everyone on here for their concern and best wishes, I belong to quite a few groups, and Candles were burning for "Anna" today, and the prayers were answered.
She is looking very bright, and the relief is so enormous, I feel like sleeping for a week !!!!!!!!!!

Charm

I'm so pleased for you, Charm

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

Glad you bitch is recovering well, she will be fine, its amazing how quickly they recover from being spayed, not like us humans that can take weeks and weeks to get back on our feet.

Great news Charm - you must have been going out of your mind with worry.
Glad all's gone well.

Best wishes, Teri :)

Really pleased, good news she is OK.

Lindsay
X

I'm glad to hear your dog is now doing well as I went through the same experience 3 years ago with my goldie who is now 11 and going strong .
At the time I had never heard of a pyo so researched it on the net where it was described as "dead dog walking" makes me shiver to think about it.
Ros