11/01/2025
This is great information for any of our lovely dog squad who have entire females.
Recently my sisters dog Mini (Maxies mumma) had to go through an emergency spay operation as a result of pyometra and unfortunately she had a few complications afterwards as well but she’s alive and well now because my sister knew the signs to look out for.
So if you choose not to spay your girlies, please do familiarise yourselves with the signs of pyometra so that you can get your dog to the vet asap. ❤️🐶
🤕🤢 Symptom Saturday! 🤧🤒
🌟 Vaginal discharge 🌟
🐾 Vaginal discharge can be normal in entire female dogs. When they start the proestrus stage of their reproductive cycle (coming into season), a bloody discharge is normal. The volume of discharge produced varies between individuals, from a significant amount to so little that it may be missed by the owner completely.
🐾 Most species do not produce a bloody discharge as part of their reproductive cycle, reabsorbing the uterine lining instead, so any discharge seen is always significant in our cats, rabbits and small furries.
🐾 Vaginal discharge is normal while an animal is giving birth. This is normally clear, bloody or brown but in dogs can also be dark green! During labour it is worth noting the colours of discharge seen and when as it may help the vet determine if intervention is needed if things don't progress totally smoothly.
🐾 At all other times vaginal discharge should be investigated by a vet
🐾 Inflammation of the area (vaginosis) can result in a discharge. This can sometimes occur in quite young puppies.
🐾 A purulent (with pus) discharge is often a sign of pyometra, an infection of the uterus. If discharge is seen the condition is generally less of an emergency than if the cervix is closed and the pus is building up internally, but all animals with pyometra should be seen quickly by a vet as they can become very poorly quickly.
🐾 Entire female dogs commonly get pyometras a short while after their seasons and preventing the condition is one of the important reasons that we recommend neutering. Hormones from the ovaries are involved in pyometras arising and so removing the ovaries alone still prevents pyometras.
🐾 Pyometras are also actually common in guinea pigs and Syrian hamsters, but can also occur less frequently in cats, rabbits, ferrets and other small animals too, so any vaginal discharge, particular if it appears to be pus, should be assessed.
🐾 As always if you have any questions or concerns about your pet, or would like to book their spay surgery to reduce the likelihood of them developing a vaginal discharge, please give us a call ☎️
