A Pyometra or Womb infection

03/03/2008 by Arielle.

Sadie is an overweight 13 year old Collie cross Shepherd who has not been neutered and is suffering from a womb infection called a pyometra. The owners have opted not to have her spayed (the treatment for this horrible infection where we remove the whole infected womb and ovaries) as she is so old and the quote for the full operation and aftercare was almost £500.

I sympathised hugely with the client as Sadie is very old and so we have started her on a relatively new treatemnt procedure which involves an injection on day 1, 2 and 8.

The injection is called Alizin and it is a drug that contracts the muscle of the womb to clean out all the pus that is there. Sadie is obviously also having antibiotics.

So far it is successful and she is still bright although she is off her food and still drinking a lot of water. The drug company says that there is a 95% success rate with these injections.

The biggest side effect that I can see is the terrible mess for the owner. Sadie has long fur and she has a bottom covered in smelly pus and just leaves a trail of pus wherever she goes (including at the surgery). The owner is very patient and has put towels all over the house but it must be so unpleasant.

It is also quite a sore injection and not cheap on its own so has some drawbacks there too, but hopefully we will see a result with Sadie as she is a sweet old lady.

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