Closed Pyometra

[MillicentWight]

I haven’t been on here with Willow for a couple of years but desperately needing advice please. She is only partially sighted now because of the damage caused with eye ulcers from an early age and  are still being treated long term with Maxitrol drops. More recently we have been told that she is losing her hearing due to thickening of her ear canals. For a long time we thought it was just normal ‘cocker deafness’.
Now I have to admit how reckless I have been by not making the decision to have Willow spayed. My excuse for not doing so was losing our last dog Millie to thrombocytopenia, a rare and fatal disease that usualy only occurs in middle aged spayed cocker spaniels. Six years on and I am still full of guilt for having her spayed as she may still be here now.
 
Willow had just finished her last season a few weeks ago and we were concerned because it was a season with very little blood this time.  About two weeks on we noticed that  she seemed to be lacking energy, not wanting to walk far at all and also that her toilet had changed to a dark colour and sometimes black but none of the symptoms listed for with pyometra. She had not been licking herself and there was no noticeable discharge. The vet said this is the difference between closed and open pyometra.
We took her to the vets for a check up last Tuesday and were horrified when after taking her temperature and asking about her thirst etc the vet decided that Willow probably had a closed pyometra.  This was about 9am, lunchtime the vet phoned and said that Willow had closed pyometra and asked our permission to operate and that the operation would be done immediately. Luckily all tuned out well and she stayed in the vet hospital until lunchtime on Wednesday.

When we collected Willow we were given Metacam and Synulox medication to bring home and we were warned that she
has a sore throat from the anaeshetic and tubes down her throat but it would clear up in a few days. That was last Wednesday and it is now Sunday and the coughing is so loud and the worst I have ever heard and she has awfull trouble trying to breath and seems to be gasping for breath and choking much of the night. We are really concerned for her and worry we are going to lose her but we have taken her back to the vet twice in the evenings and phoned again but they have checked her over and said there is nothing wrong.

Any advice please on what we should do?

[Mari]

Closed pyometra can be very scary and not always easy to catch in time. Well done for getting her to the vet and getting her treated in time! Feel good about that, you are clearly attentive owners 

I don't have any advice, just wanted to show some support as it must be very difficult. I remember from when my dog had kennel cough that she would cough until she gagged and snort until she sounded like she was choking. Scared me enough to go to an emergency hospital at night. Turned out to be a harmless sore throat. She was prescribed some cough medicine to give her throat a break since it was a dry cough. I know it's not comparable in any way, but if they can find nothing wrong except a sore throat, maybe you can ask if they have anything to calm her cough?

[MillicentWight]

Thank you for the reply. It means so much having support at this time when we are worrying so much.
The vet we have been seeing at our surgery has just retired and we now have to see whoever is available and are young people from other countries just here for a few months. They do seem to know their job but I just can't help hoping they are experienced enough. But then I guess they must be to have carried out such a major operation on Willow. I will ask if there is any medication they can give to relieve the coughing though.

Thanks

Bob

[bizzylizzy]

No experience whatsoever of this but just wanted to send some positive thoughts!
Don‘t chew yourself up about not having had her spayed, - the decision, whether it be for bitches or dogs,  is always a matter of weighing up the pro‘s and con‘s and it seems to me that we‘re  dammed if we do and dammed if we don‘t, we can only do what we feel is best for our dogs, which you clearly did!
We also have a very young foreign vet who has just taken over from our own who has retired so I understand your reservations but then I remind myself that he‘s been trained using the most up-to-date research and modern know how and he‘s also full of enthusiasm so although he might lack the practical experience, he‘s aware of the fact and is more likely to double check things.
Hope Willow‘s feeling better soon!!

[MillicentWight]

Thanks for the advice bizzylizzy. I will see how she goes tonight and decide on a trip to the vets or not in the morning.  Seems to have been a little better this afternoon but it changes so quickly.
Friday she has to go back and have her stitches out.