Despite what is said about the multiple lives of cats, the truth is that felines are extremely delicate animals, that although they have resistance to contracting viral and bacterial diseases, they can suffer certain ailments if you don't pay attention to your he alth as it should.
Surely you have heard that if you have a cat and you do not sterilize it, it can develop, in the long run, some diseases related to its uterus and its reproductive system, which sometimes have fatal consequences.
That is why on our site we want to talk to you about pyometra in cats – symptoms and treatment, because it is a disease that can affect your feline friend without your knowledge, being potentially dangerous for her.
What is pyometra?
This is a infection that can develop in females of some species of mammals, such as cats, dogs, ferrets and the guinea pigs. It consists of the accumulation of pus in the womb of the uterus.
In female cats it usually appears later in life, usually after the age of 8, although it can also be developed by young female cats who have been given injections or pills to stop heat or other therapies with estrogens and progestins.
The disease manifests suddenly and can be fatal, since complications involve the appearance of septicemia and peritonitis.
How do you contract?
The cat can contract some bacteria during the last part of the heat cycle, be it Escherichia coli or another. During this stage of heat the progesterone levels are higher, leading to infection.
When the female cat is ready to be mated by the male, bacteria take advantage of the opening of the vagina to cross the animal's body up to the cervix. When mating occurs in which fertilization of the ovum is not achieved, the uterus distends and the mucosa that has not been fertilized becomes a channel for the storage of bacteria.
The disease can also develop from other bacteria that are already in the animal's blood, vulnerable to the use of hormones administered during some treatment. Or when, as a result of irregular heat cycles, the uterus degenerates and causes a condition called Cystic Endometrial Hyperplasia (CEH), which favors the development bacteria, leading to pyometra.
Thus, the cats that can develop pyometra are those that have had a heat during which fertilization has not occurred, and those that have received therapies that involve the use of progesterone.
Pyometra symptoms
Pyometra in cats has some general symptoms, and some related to the type of pyometra that the feline has developed. Among the general symptoms it is possible to mention:
- Threw up
- Lethargy
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Polydipsia, increased water intake
- Polyuria, frequent urination
- Dehydration
On the other hand, the pyometra can be open or closed:
- Open Pyometra: The pet's abdomen is distended due to the accumulation of pus within the body. The cat expels foul-smelling secretions, either pus or blood, through the vagina.
- Closed pyometra: When the cat suffers from this variation of the disease, the discomfort is even greater, since the abdomen is distended but not no discharge is expelled from the vulva. As a result, the womb can burst and cause peritonitis, which is fatal.
As what is filled with pus is the womb, and this organ is designed to accommodate the litter during gestation, its storage capacity is quite large, causing pyometra to be perceived only when Several weeks have passed since the infection cycle began.
If the disease is not detected early, as is often the case in cases of closed pyometra, the pus found in the womb can end up transmitting the bacteria to the blood of the rest of the body, causing septicemia due to this general infection, which leads to the death of the animal.
peritonitis can also occur if the uterus becomes distended beyond its capacity, or if the animal suffers a blow that, due to swelling, burst the uterus.
Diagnosis
If you suspect pyometra in your cat, you should take her to her veterinarian to carry out the necessary tests to check or rule out the presence of the disease.
In order for the diagnosis to be complete, it will be necessary to perform ultrasound scans, X-rays, blood tests and complete chemistry Only in this way can determine the type of pyometra, the severity of the condition of the womb and uterus, and the extent of the infection, determining whether it has been complicated by damage to the liver, kidneys, or other organs.
Pyometra treatment
In case of pyometra, it is best to resort to surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries of the cat, which It is called ovarohysterectomy Before surgery it will be necessary to assess how affected other organs are, and stabilize the animal's body with antibiotics and plenty of fluids to combat infection and dehydration.
With surgery, the pyometra infection is completely eradicated, since the organs in which the disease occurs are eliminated. However, if the cat has developed kidney problems as a result of the infection, recovery can be difficult.
However, there is also a treatment with drugs, which is chosen when the general he alth of the animal does not allow an operation, or when you want to preserve the reproductive capacities of the feline. This treatment seeks to expel the pus that has accumulated inside the uterus and then attack the infection. After cleaning the uterus completely, ultrasound scans will be necessary for several months in a row to detect possible reinfection.
It will be the veterinarian who can suggest the most appropriate and safe method for the animal, according to the complications of the case.
Prevention
Neutering the cat avoids this and any other problem related to heat cycles after which a gestation period does not start, so it is the most recommended option. In addition, there are a number of advantages of sterilizing a cat.
Likewise, it is advisable to avoid the use of birth control pills to interrupt the oestrus. If you do not want the animal to have offspring, simply resort to sterilization. The use of hormones, as we have mentioned, can cause pyometra.
Finally, we remind you that it is important to carry out a control over the cat's reproductive system, in case any disease is suspected. Going to the vet approximately every 6 months is the best way to prevent and detect any disease in time.
