Pyometra, especially closed, can be very difficult to diagnose. My best advice to you is KNOW YOUR DOG! Sabrina was NOT "classic" and knowing her nuances probably saved her life.
A week ago Sunday, 6/14, Sabrina was "under the weather". Just "blah"... not her usual perky self. We thought it was a relapse of Lyme disease so I put her on
doxicycline. With Lyme, even though they need the
doxy for a month, they rebound in a day or two. Which she did… but then this past Sunday, 6/21, she was very
uncomfy again and lethargic. She wouldn't jump on our bed and when we tried to lift her, her abdomen felt tight and you could tell that touching it hurt. There was NO DISCHARGE. During all of this Sabrina still had her appetite, even eating breakfast Monday morning before I brought her to the vet. She was dehydrated.
Pyo usually occurs in older bitches, 2-3 months after they come in season. Sabrina is 6 years old and never had regular heat cycles. I have been waiting for her to come in season. She was due in March. Most of April was I was out of the house between staying with a friend and traveling to and from the National. Our nephew house sat during the week and Leonard was home on the weekends. During this time I did not leave an intact male at home as I did not need an accidental breeding to happen. A good move on my part as Leonard caught Chloe coming in season while I was away, but not Sabrina. Maybe Sabrina had a silent heat at the same time? One usually brings in others.
For diagnostics, blood work is one of the firsts tests done. The infection becomes wide spread that the white blood cell count sky rockets. Sabrina’s blood work was fine but she was also on the doxy for a week. Having her on the doxy probably kept the infection in check.
BTW she did test negative for Lyme. One less thing to worry about!
Open pyo, where the cervix is open and the pus is draining from the vulva, can be treated with prostoglandens so you can breed your bitch the next season, but not closed pyo. And I prefer to spay rather than go that route so I do not have to worry about it reocurring, which it usually does.
Sabrina's show career is over, I truly wanted to finish her, but as long as I have her I don't care! She is the champion of my heart, and that's what matters! Sabrina is the dam of some very special pups out there and they will carry on.
It is hard to show the basketball belly...
From either angle...
But Ben is very photogenic!! He kept getting in my way of photographing Snickers.
Sabrina is thinking: "So what is the big deal?"
But Ben said "Don't stop! I love having my picture taken!"
Star, Visions Dreams Come True, winning her first major. Yes this was back from November, but I was just given the photo. Yes, she is stark naked in this photo. No, the handler did not get a photo of her 2nd major won at Philadelphia.
Sabrina and Luther just taken with my cell phone this afternoon, looking very content on our bed. Luther and his littermates turned 5 on Saturday. I could not find it in me to celebrate his birthday as it is still very bittersweet for me, even though 5 years have past. I may just have to have a combo birthday party in April for both him and Sabrina.
She graduated obedience class last night! They did not do a CGC test this time so we must find an evaluator so we can add letters to her name.
CH Visions I Have A Dream CGC
He received lots of compliments and made many the new admirer. Next week we can start the club's rally & intermediate class. All I can say is I am having loads of fun as well.
I do need to keep her quiet for the next week until her staples come out so I set up the Royal Chambers in our bedroom. Anyone owned by a female Cardigan should realize that they are princesses.
Miss Sabrina resting her royal head on a plush pink pillow.
