Zeitschrift für Tiergesundheit und Verhaltenswissenschaft

The clinical signs and cytological diagnosis of pyometra in bitches

Abstract

Martin Llazani

Pyometra is a common pathology of middle age and geriatric bitches and appears 1-3 month after last estrus. Clinical sign of pyometra are diverse and not specific and different among patients. Despite clinical signs are not typical for pyometra, early knowledge of them helps put diagnose and an efficient treatment to assure the welfare of the animal.

In our study the most common clinical signs are: vaginal discharge (86.4%), anorexia (81.3 %), 76.3% of the cases presented with vomit, 22.03% had polyuria, 38.9% showed polydipsia, 18.6% had diarrhea.

Studied parameters were rectal temperature, pulse and breathing, to have a full clinical evaluation of the animals with pyometra. Fifty-nine (62.7%) presented with normal body temperature, 22 animals (23.4%) manifested high temperature (> 40 °C) and 13 animals (13.8%) resulted hypothermic (less than 37.8 °C). In our study, from 94 animals of different breeds and ages, 66 animals (70.2%) resulted with normal arterial pulse and only 29.8% of them had increased heart beat (123 bpm). Breathing rate is increased in more than 50% of animals with pyometra. 46 animals (48.9%) did not show changes in breathing rate and 51.06% of them had increased breathing rate (33 breathing per minute).

Vaginal discharge found in bitches with open cervix pyometra helps in early discovery from the owner and also helps for a faster diagnose. These findings can be used to put a cytological diagnose. Cytological diagnose is a simple easy and cheap method that helps putting a preliminary diagnose together with anamnesis, clinical sign and laboratory findings.