Fertility following successful treatment of canine pyometra

Canine pyometra is a potentially life-threatening condition characterized by pus accumulation in the uterus, often triggered by hormonal changes during the estrous cycle. It commonly affects intact female dogs over five years old due to prolonged progesterone exposure post-estrus during each estrous cycle. The present study discusses the fertility outcome of a six-year-old female Labrador Retriever treated for open cervix pyometra. The dog was presented to the Veterinary Clinical Complex, RIVER, Puducherry, with foul-smelling mucopurulent vulvar discharge for a week. The dog had whelped four times, with the last pregnancy ending in abortion, and had shown proestral bleeding two and a half months earlier. Clinical examination revealed a distended abdomen, inappetence, dullness and purulent discharge from vulva. Ultrasonography showed anechoic sacculations in the uterus, and haematology indicated severe leucocytosis, monocytosis, thrombocytopenia, and elevated creatinine. Based on the clinical, haematological and ultrasonographic examinations, the case was diagnosed as open cervix pyometra. The dog was treated with Tab. Mifepristone (5 mg/kg for 3 days) orally and per-vaginal misoprostol (3 mcg/kg) until uterine evacuation, alongside intravenous ceftriaxone-tazobactam (30 mg/kg) for 14 days and supportive fluids for 7 days. Probiotics (Tab. Renodis- One tablet a day PO) was prescribed for 10 days. Seven days after the treatment, ultrasonography revealed a significant reduction in uterine size, the animal regained feed intake indicating full recovery. The dog was followed another 6 months. It showed proestral bleeding 4 months after treatment, became pregnant and delivered 5 healthy puppies.