Endometritis in dogs: signs, symptoms, treatment

Endometritis in dogs is inflammation of the uterus. As a rule, this phenomenon is caused by pathogenic microorganisms. In some cases, the disease proceeds in conjunction with other serious illnesses, then the dog's life is at risk, urgent medical intervention is necessary. To avoid unpleasant consequences, the owner must monitor the changes in the health of his pet, because the first symptoms of the disease can be suspected.

Causes of endometritis

Veterinarians believe that the most common cause of endometrial inflammation in a dog is hormonal imbalance. An imbalance negatively affects the entire body as a whole, because of it the walls of the uterus thicken, an excessive amount of secretion accumulates. Often against this background, purulent endometritis is diagnosed, the secret leaves the dog's body along with serous secretions.

Hormonal disorders are possible for many reasons. In dogs, quite often it is caused by the phenomenon of false pregnancy . An animal is diagnosed with all the signs of an “interesting” position: swelling of the nipples, an increase in the abdomen, weight gain, and the appearance of milk. False pregnancy is found in individuals who have given birth and do not give birth. Hormonal disruptions are possible during puberty of the dog, as well as due to heredity.

Endometritis appears after infection from the vagina penetrates the uterus. Various vaginitis , diseases of the genital organs, genitourinary system - all this can cause endometrial inflammation.

Endometritis often occurs on the background of childbirth. A dog can get sick of him if he carries very large puppies, because in this case there is a great chance of tears and erosion on the walls of the uterus.

If the puppy dies at the time of childbirth or else in the womb, then the dog usually gets sick. There is a decomposition of the tissues of the fetus, resulting in proliferation of bacteria that cause inflammation. In most cases, endometritis on this background is difficult, with purulent secretions.

Then, when a person helps a dog to give birth, you need to remember about hygiene. Sometimes there is no time to wait for the vet, then the owner decides to pull the puppies out with his hands. Infection will occur if such procedures are carried out without antiseptic or hygienic gloves. Bacteria can get inside the body in case of ruptures or microtraumas of the vagina, they can also arise through the fault of the owner, who does not know the basics of obstetrics.

Symptoms of endometritis in dogs

The first signs that a dog develops endometritis are not immediately apparent. Symptoms usually appear after 3-5 days, in some cases the incubation period lasts longer, can reach up to 7 days. Sometimes endometritis is characterized by mild symptoms, its manifestation can be completely ignored for a long time.

The disease has 2 forms of flow:

Ostrum.
Chronic.

In most cases, the acute form of endometritis appears after childbirth, during which infection has occurred by bacteria. This form is characterized by pronounced symptoms that are difficult not to notice:

The general condition and mood of the animal changes, lethargy, apathy, unwillingness to move.
Serous masses are secreted from the genital organs, in some cases, purulent impurities are possible.
Body temperature is elevated.
The dog often (without much need) sits in the pose in which urination occurs.
In some cases, the animal suffers from bouts of vomiting .
Because of vomiting, the dog's body loses a lot of fluid, so an uncharacteristic thirst can torment the animal.
Perhaps frequent urination, the dog begins to urinate in the apartment.
The owner can independently fix the heartbeat of the dog by putting his ear to the animal's chest.
Due to the load of the heart muscle, breathing difficulties are possible, it becomes heavy.
If the treatment of acute endometritis is delayed, the dog begins to lose hair, hyperpigmentation occurs - all this is a consequence of hormonal disorders.

Chronic endometritis is possible in the case when the dog is not recovered from the acute form of the disease, it also occurs against the background of an imbalance of hormones. The main symptoms include:

Violation of estrus - its duration, time intervals from one to another.
Reduced body weight.
Weak puppies that often die after giving birth.
It is extremely difficult to get pregnant, it is impossible in the future, sterility develops.

These symptoms may indicate not only chronic endometritis, but also many other gynecological diseases in dogs. Therefore, it is important to contact the veterinary clinic for help, where extensive diagnostics will be carried out and subsequent treatment prescribed.

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Diagnosis and treatment of endometritis in dogs

After contacting the clinic, the veterinarian will collect anamnesis. He will be interested in the following points:

Symptoms of the disease.
Flow estrus and pregnancy.
The number of births, their course and outcome.

First of all, the veterinarian will be interested in the nature of the dog's discharge, it is necessary to tell about it in more detail - to clarify their frequency, color, consistency.

After the conversation, the animal is examined. The veterinarian will record the temperature of the body of the dog, examine the condition of the mucous membranes, probe the abdominal cavity. Check the condition of the vaginal walls, discharge.

At this stage, the veterinarian is already able to make a preliminary diagnosis, to confirm which the dog is sent for further research. First of all, they diagnose ultrasound, they check the state of the uterus and its walls with a sensor, they detect the presence of tumors - cysts and tumors.

Blood and urine sampling is required to assess the general condition, these tests will immediately reveal a possible inflammatory process in the body, will evaluate the work of the urinary system.

If the doctor detects a heart rhythm disturbance during the examination, the dog will be sent to an EHC, where a clear diagnosis will be identified. In some cases, ultrasound and chest x-rays are necessary.

Based on these data, the veterinarian makes the final diagnosis and prescribes a pet treatment regimen.

First of all, drugs are assigned to restore the water-salt balance; this is necessary if the dog has been tormented by vomiting. At elevated temperatures, antipyretic drugs are used.

Treatment of inflammation of the walls of the uterus takes place with the participation of antibiotics and lasts at least 10 days. If the selected drug does not act on the pet's organism properly, bacteriological seeding is prescribed.

In advanced cases, surgical intervention may be unavoidable, during which the uterus and sometimes the appendages are removed. The operation is performed when there is a high risk of rupture due to accumulated pus, because in this case the dog will be fatal.

After surgery, the animal stays in the clinic for some time, where health is monitored, and the heart is evaluated. The doctor will also prescribe antibiotics , their use will reduce the risk of postoperative infection.

Prevention of dog endometritis

Prophylactic measures can in many cases prevent the development of inflammation of the endometrium. Since the disease often occurs amid hormonal imbalance, it is important to show attention to your pet. For anxiety symptoms, you should contact the veterinary clinic, where drugs will be prescribed that normalize the level of hormones in the body.

It is important to control the pregnancy in the dog, it is desirable to conduct an ultrasound diagnosis of the pelvis in the early stages, in order to eliminate the possibility of a false state. False pregnancies should be treated, otherwise the risk of endometritis increases several times.

It is recommended to periodically inspect the dog if the state of its genital organs or secretions has changed, it is necessary to contact a veterinarian to rule out vaginitis and other infectious diseases.

The issue of dog hygiene is often not taken into account by many owners, however, you should regularly wash your pet , watch it - do not allow walking around garbage cans, limit communication with other individuals who have an unhealthy appearance, and take care of wool.

Particular attention should be paid to the generic process of the dog. It is best to call the house of a veterinarian who will help your pet. If the owner has to provide emergency obstetric care, you should definitely use hygienic gloves, as well as antiseptic agents, which will suit Miramistin or Chlorhexidin.

It is necessary to act extremely carefully to avoid ruptures of the cervix or vagina. If the owner had to provide independent assistance, it is necessary in the near future to show the dog to the doctor in order to make sure that the generic process proceeded without consequences.

With careful attention to the pet, the chance of serious consequences is minimal, therefore the basis for preventing the disease is comprehensive control over the dog.