Pyometra?

Have you ever heard the word ‘pyometra’? I didn’t before I worked with animals. I thought the only reason to spay a dog or cat was to prevent them from getting pregnant. A pyometra is an infected uterus and it is a life-threatening condition. When we (here at Helping Hands) get a phone call from a client who has a pet with a pyometra we move quickly to get the necessary paper work from the diagnosing veterinarian and urge the client to come directly, so we may be able to perform the life-saving surgery (removal of the infected uterus). A pyometra can be what is called ‘open’ or ‘closed’. An open pyometra means that the cervix is open, allowing fluid and debris from the uterus to drain out. A closed pyometra means that the cervix is closed, trapping all of the fluid in the uterus. It is important to note that BOTH open and closed pyometras are life-threatening and require immediate action. A closed pyometra is even more time sensitive as the uterus is at risk of bursting. Below is an x-ray of a closed pyometra. You can see the uterus is enlarged and distended.

Since we opened until the writing of this post (March 2017), we have been able to perform 290 of these life-saving surgeries. We performed 10 pyometra surgeries in February of 2017 alone, which was a record for us! We have some even better news for you. This condition is 100% preventable. Spaying your female pet guarantees she will never develops this life-threatening condition!

We sure hope you are never in need of this procedure, but if you or someone you know does, Helping Hands performs it for $455 which includes the post-operative take home medications.