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Animal Spotlight - Bella
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Bella is a 4 lb. 5 year old female long-haired Chihuahua who came to our clinic in January. She had intermittent vomiting and diarrhea, was drinking a lot of water, eating less than normal, and was lethargic over the last week. On physical exam, she had a doughy, dilated upper abdomen. She had no vulvar discharge. Her temperature was normal.
A complete blood count (CBC) showed an elevated white blood cell count ( 47,000, N=6-17,000). X-rays indicated enlarged mammary glands and uterine enlargement consistent with pyometra, an accumulation of purulent material in the uterus. Pyometra involves an infection of the uterus. The uterus expands with the build-up of pus until eventually it will rupture.
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In this case, Bella’s uterus was quite large. It weighed 2 lbs. alone when resected. Because of her condition, Bella was spayed that day. She required intensive care for a few days to treat her dehydration, hypoglycemia, elevated liver values, and anorexia. Within 3-4 days she was back to normal.
Pyometra can lead to infections in the kidneys, liver, and heart valves. Dogs with pyometra often drink a lot of water because the e-coli bacteria in their system releases toxins preventing them from concentrating urine. These dogs often have a fever and vulvar discharge due to the uterine infection.
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Bella is a perfect example of why it is important to spay pets. Spaying your pet can help prevent many problems, including pyometra, mammary tumors, ovarian cancer, and polycystic ovaries. We recommend spaying at 6 months of age.
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Bella’s 2 lb. uterus after surgery, engorged
with purulent material from the infection
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Pyometra
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