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Uterine inflammation (pyometra) in dogs: Causes and treatment.

Uterine inflammation is common in female dogs. The medical term for inflammation of the uterus is pyometra. It is a potentially life-threatening emergency that you, as the owner, must take seriously and have treated by a vet.


Find out why uterine inflammation occurs in dogs, what symptoms it causes and how pyometra can be treated below.

What is uterine inflammation in dogs?

When dogs get pyometra, pus accumulates in the animal's uterus. In addition, bacteria in dogs with pyometra form toxins that spread throughout the quadruped's body, which in many cases results in blood poisoning.


The inflammation of the uterus can occur in dogs in two different forms. The open form of pyometra is characterised by an open cervix, which allows the pus to drain away, at least partially. In the closed form, on the other hand, the cervix is closed, so there is no way the pus can to drain out of the dog's inflamed uterus.

Causes of uterine inflammation in dogs

Hormones play a decisive role in uterine inflammation. For this reason, only unspayed bitches are normally affected by pyometra.


During heat, the body of the female quadruped produces the hormones progesterone and oestrogen. In preparation for a possible pregnancy of the bitch, their uterine mucosa builds up. If the bitch is not mated by a male dog, the mucous membrane normally regresses after the bitch is in heat.


The hormone level, however, remains elevated for a few weeks and then slowly decreases. Some bitches also experience a so-called false pregnancy during this time.


During heat, the bitch's uterus offers ideal conditions for bacteria to settle and multiply. If the bitch's hormones begin to fluctuate in the period after heat and the progesterone level becomes too high, it can happen that the uterine mucosa does not regress as planned. In combination with a possible bacterial infection of the uterus, this eventually leads to pyometra.

How often do uterine infections occur in dogs?

Uterine infections are common in dogs. A Swedish study in 1995 and 1996, which analysed insurance data from over 200,000 dogs, found that between 23 and 24 per cent of all female dogs developed pyometra by the time they were 10 years old. (1)

According to the study results, the following breeds were particularly frequently affected by uterine inflammation:

Hormonal contraception can promote uterine inflammation

A known risk factor that promotes uterine infections in dogs is hormone injections known as heat injections, which are used to suppress your four-legged friend's heat.


If you are considering this method of contraception for your bitch as an alternative to spaying, it is important to seek advice from your vet beforehand about the risks involved.

Symptoms of uterine inflammation in dogs

If a bitch suffers from uterine inflammation, this will be noticeable through various symptoms. The symptoms depend on the severity of the inflammation and the type of pyometra.

Uterine inflammation in dogs can cause the following symptoms, among others:

In the case of open uterine inflammation, affected dogs also experience foul-smelling vaginal discharge. However, many bitches lick themselves clean regularly in this case, which means that this symptom of pyometra often goes undetected for quite a while.


The non-specific symptoms sometimes make it difficult to notice an existing uterine inflammation in dogs promptly. The closed form of pyometra especially often goes undetected for quite a long time.

Diagnosis of uterine inflammation in dogs

Uteritis in dogs is a serious condition that requires prompt treatment. If you observe possible symptoms of pyometra in your bitch, you should therefore contact a veterinarian immediately.


To get to the bottom of your suspicions, the vet will most likely perform an ultrasound examination. This is usually a good way to detect any changes in your quadruped's uterus.


It is also common to do a blood test and check the dog's kidney and liver values. These tests help to detect possible damage to the organs and any sepsis (blood poisoning) that may already be present.

Treatment of uterine inflammation in dogs

If your vet has diagnosed your dog with uterine inflammation, there are basically two different approaches to treatment.


Conservative treatment involves antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs and hormone preparations. However, in this case there is a high probability that your dog will get pyometra again after a while.


As a rule, vets therefore advise an operation in which the inflamed uterus and the ovaries are removed from the dog. In principle, your bitch will be spayed to permanently prevent a recurrence of uterine inflammation. After the procedure, your dog will be given anti-inflammatory medication and antibiotics for a few days.

Prognosis for dogs with uterine inflammation

If your dog's uteritis is diagnosed and treated in time, the chances of a full recovery are very good.


However, it is of course quite possible that complications will occur after the operation. Your vet will discuss how this will affect the prognosis in detail with you if necessary.

How can you avoid pyometra in dogs?

If you want to prevent your dog from developing pyometra, you must have your four-legged friend neutered.


If the uterus is removed as well as the ovaries during spaying, the uterus can no longer become inflamed and you no longer have to worry about pyometra in your dog.

Uterine inflammation in dogs - our conclusion

As you can see, uterine inflammation in dogs is not something that you as an owner can simply ignore. After all, untreated pyometra is fatal in most cases. It is therefore essential that you take your dog to a vet promptly in case of suspicion so that he can initiate the necessary treatment measures.


Normally, with timely treatment, the chances are good that dogs affected by uterine inflammation will recover quickly and no permanent problems will remain. In order to reliably prevent pyometra, spaying, which includes removal of your bitch's uterus, is necessary.


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