Good reasons to neuter your pet

By Alyssa Mages, BS, CVT, Education and Development Coordinator

The month of May recalls visions of spring flowers and subsequently those same flowers are given honoring or in memory of our mothers on Mother’s Day. Many of us are also pet parents, and it’s not an uncommon thought, “Do our cats & dogs miss motherhood if they don’t experience it?” Anthropomorphizing is something we all do with our furry family members, but in this instance it can potentially be harmful.

There is a potentially life-threatening condition called pyometra which is defined as a severe uterine infection and can occur in intact female cats or dogs that have not been spayed.  According to the ACVS (American College of Veterinary Surgeons), “While the true disease process has still not been completely understood, it is generally recognized that progesterone and estrogen and their receptors have a role in the development of pyometra; however, the infection is triggered by bacterial involvement.” 

This infection can become advanced very quickly, and the symptoms your pet may exhibit are not necessarily contained within the genital tract. A pet’s entire system can become compromised by the accompanying inflammation, leading to a potentially life-threatening situation. The signs – and please be forewarned, these can be graphic! – most commonly associated with pyometra in cats & dogs are:
Drinking & urinating excessively
Lethargy and/or depression
Lack of appetite progressing to anorexia
Gums, conjunctiva, vulva (all mucous membranes) are pale
Bloody and/or yellowish vaginal discharge

Other symptoms that occur less often are either GI upset (vomiting/diarrhea), or a swollen abdomen. Some pets may have no symptoms other than purulent (yellow/green) or bloody vaginal discharge, but there are also those pets that will not have this occurrence, but ALL the other symptoms listed above. For that reason, a veterinarian will want to rule pyometra out as a potential diagnosis in ANY intact female dog or cat that is sick.

CLICK HERE to read the full article on the Metropolitan Veterinary Associates website.

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