How to prepare my dog safely for pyometra surgery and recovery?

Hello, sorry to hear about Laika. Success ratios for pyometras (infected uterus) may differ between regions. However, most pyometra surgeries are up to 90% successful. Complications associated with this surgery include bleeding, peritonitis, spread of infection and abnormal heart rhythms. In a paper published in 2014, they found that these complications can be seen post-operatively in about 25% of cases. Post surgery Laika should be exercise restricted for 2 weeks until her stitches (if any) are removed. She should wear a cone to avoid her licking at her own incision and your veterinarian will likely give you antibiotics and pain medications to give her at home. Not following strict exercise restriction and wearing a cone may lead to her incision re-opening up or becoming infected. Post the 2 week period, Laika may resume her normal lifestyle. The only way to avoid this disease is by spaying her in her early age. This is generally a big surgery, we are going into the abdomen to remove infected friable tissue. So therefore, it is no longer considered a routine spay and as previously discussed, there are some complications that can be associated wth this procedure. Unfortunately, the other option to treat medically has only been proven to be about 60% effective in one paper and 25% on most other papers with a high re-currence rate. Ultimately the complication for not treating the pyometra or failed medical treatment includes a widespread infection which could lead to death. I would recommend moving forward with the surgery as soon as possible as it is the best way to treat this disease. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! A pyometra in theory can result in tremors due to electrolyte imbalances. Regardless, this is a much more serious condition than anything else and one that warrants therapy as soon as possible as it is a surgical emergency. I highly recommend that you have Misty evaluated by a veterinarian for surgery. They can choose the safest anesthesia protocol for her. Best of luck!

First off, I'm sorry Maggie has a pyometra! Yes, you are correct that spaying her is the correct way to deal with it, and I do recommend having it done right away. The longer she has the pyometra, the sicker she will become, which will make the surgery more risky. Leaving it untreated is fatal, and in my opinion, it's better to have the surgery done and try to save her life even though you do take the chance she may not survive the surgery. I have seen numerous dogs and cats survive the surgery. One option you have is to euthanize her instead of doing the surgery. This will put her out of her suffering from the pyrometra, but it does mean you lose Maggie for sure. In same cases, such as with an open pyometra, medical treatment with antibiotics can be attempted, but that that often isn't successful and cannot be done with a closed pyometra. Only your vet can determine if medical treatment is an option for her. I would get her into a vet immediately, as the longer you delay treatment, the worse the prognosis is for her. You can discuss the options with the vet, and make the best choice for her and you. Best of luck!

Hi, sorry to hear about Daisy's troubles! Pyometra surgery in most cases is relatively uncomplicated. She should be on pain medication and antibiotics that your vet would have provided. many pain medications for dogs can make them sleepy. 60 hours post of she should be starting to feel back to herself within another day. If she is still lethargic and is having any problems like not eating diarrhea, a fever or acting dull, she should be rechecked by your vet. If she is not having any of these, she may just have hard a tough time with anesthesia. I would say by day 3 or 4 if she is not back to herself, call you vet and ask if it could be related to any medication she was sent home with. If she is on pain medication, you may also want to try to cut the dose in half to see if that helps. Good luck, wishing Daisy a speedy recovery!

In my opinion if she is not improving with medication after a few days I would do the operation. There is not another option if you've already tried antibiotics. She could die if you don't do the surgery. Anesthesia monitoring and giving fluids during the operation will decrease the risk for Kitty. Many senior dogs have surgeries without complications. Once the operation is done Kitty should recover quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Kitty.

You can wipe off Toodie's vulva with a damp, soft cloth. Do not clean or touch her incision. That area cannot get wet and should not be touched. It won't hurt her to have a bowel movement. Keep her rested at all times, she needs to stay quiet in order to heal properly.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. Poor Armoni. A pyometra makes a dog very sick, and it's a serious operation. I am concerned that she had the surgery Tuesday, and still isn't wanting to walk. She should be walking by now. I'd take her back into the vet first thing in the morning for a health check. Best of luck.