DogHealth1.com

You have heard people say that dogs and cats should be spayed and ask the question, what if I do not spay my dog? 

What if I want to breed the dog later but I am not sure right now?   While each state has a law or statutes on the books regarding spaying or neutering pets the fines are usually not enforced.  That is why the stray dog and cat population is now reaching epidemic proportions in cities today.

The consequences of not spaying your dog until its older can also lead to a condition called Pyometra in females that are not breeding during their lifetime.  It is very serious and can kill your dog due to an infection in the uterine cavity.  The meaning of Pyometra is ” pus in the uterus” and causes the uterus to balloon with swelling.  It is similar to a woman who has endometriosis which also has a swelling component to it during a cycle.

The reason this is such a life threatening condition is that by the time a dog gets Pyometra the swelling of the reproductive system is so great, that surgery is very complicated.

Signs of Pyometra:

The signs are: lack of energy, poor appetite, vaginal discharge and swelling of the lower abdomen or distension.  Discharge will be pinkish red, and look like mucus, or grey in color.   Other symptoms include: vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, depression or increased thirst and frequent urination.

The uterus is literally filled with poisonous pus and surgery is a very delicate procedure due to the swelling of all the tissue and ovaries.

  If your dog has not been spayed and is experiencing these symptoms, take the dog to the vet immediately and do not wait for this is a dangerous condition.  In some cases, vets have removed a uterus that should have weighed eight ounces but weighed just less than nine pounds. 

Recovery from Surgery:

You will probably be given pain pills for your dog which the dog will probably reject because they don’t like taking pills too much.

Try rolling a pill up in a slice of cheese, or bury the pill in a meatball of raw turkey meat or beef.  Feed your dog one meatball without the pill and then put the pill in the following meatball.   You can also try hiding it in some peanut butter on a tablespoon and plop it in their mouth.

  Or, put the pill as far back as you can in the dogs mouth and close the mouth, holding it shut.  Rub the throat gently in a down ward motion until the dog swallows, and then you can be assured it has gone down the hatch.   My dog gets a little cranky about pills, but I always reward her with a biscuit so she knows she has to swallow the pill.  

Your dog has basically had a hysterectomy and it will take time for the hormones to balance out to normal again.  The dog will be also very sore and the best thing is to spoil them and let them sleep in a quiet area.   You don’t want them moving around too much and get distracted.   Bring them water and food bowls so they do not have to jump up and down stairs for instance and pop a stitch.   You could also add some vitamins especially Vitamin E and C for healing and ward off infection.

  After a few days you could disinfect the wound with hydrogen peroxide very gently cleaning the area to prevent infection.  If you know of anyone who has not spayed their pet, or is not aware of the dangers of not spaying , please take a copy of this article and give it to them as soon as possible, you could save a pet’s life. 

Written By:  Teri Salvador

Tags:  Pyometra in dogs, pyometra infection, dogs not spayed, veterinarian, what if you don’t spay your dog, spaying your dog, spaying.  dog poisonous pyometra, pyometra surgery. signs of pyometra,