Despite what is said about the multiple life of cats, the truth is that felines are extremely delicate animals, although they are resistant to viral and bacterial diseases, they can suffer certain pathologies if we do not pay attention to the health of our animals properly..
You’ve probably heard that if you have a cat and don’t sterilize it, it can eventually develop certain diseases related to your uterus and reproductive system, which sometimes have fatal consequences.
- That’s why at Animal Expert we want to talk to you about the pyometer in cats – symptoms and treatment.
- Because it is a disease that can affect your feline friend without you knowing it.
- Being potentially dangerous to her.
It is an infection that can develop in females of certain mammal species, such as cats, dogs, ferrets and guinea pigs; consists of a buildup of pus in the uterine matrix.
In cats, the pyometer appears to be old, starting at age 8, although it is also possible to develop in young cats that have received injections or pills to stop zeal, or other therapies with estrogen and progesterone.
The disease develops suddenly and can be fatal, as complications involve the onset of peritonitis and sepsis.
The cat can contract certain bacteria during the last part of the heat, whether Escherichia coli or not.During this heat period, progesterone levels are higher, which promotes infection.
When the cat is ready to receive the male mount, the bacteria take advantage of the opening of the vagina to pass through the animal’s body to the cervix; during mating, when the egg does not fertilize, the uterus is disstied and the unfertilized coating becomes a bacterial storage channel.
The disease can also develop from another bacteria already present in the animal’s blood, vulnerable to the use of hormones administered during treatment. Another possibility would be when it results from irregular thermal cycles, the uterus degenerates and causes a disease called endometrial cystic hyperplasia (HEC).), which makes bacteria prone to develop, resulting in a piometer.
In this way, cats that develop a pyometer are those who had a zeal during which fertilization did not occur and who received therapies with the use of progesterone.
The pyometer in cats has general symptoms, and some are related to the type of pyometer developed by the feline.General symptoms include:
On the other hand, the pyrometer can be opened or closed
Since the matrix is filled with pus and this organ is designed to accommodate garbage during pregnancy, its storage capacity is very large, so you can’t see the piometer, but when several weeks have passed, the infection cycle has started.
If the disease is detected early, as is often the case in the case of the closed pyometer, the pus found in the womb can eventually transmit the bacteria to the blood of the rest of the body, causing sepsis due to this widespread infection, which results in the death of the animal.
Peritonitis can also occur if the uterus stretches beyond its capacity or if the animal suffers a blow that, due to swelling, causes the uterus to rupture.
Considering the suspected pyometra in your cat, you should take it to your veterinarian for the necessary tests and to check or rule out the presence of the disease.
For complete diagnosis, ultrasound, x-rays, blood tests and complete chemistry will be required, only then can the type of piometer, the severity of the condition of the womb and uterus and the extent of the infection be determined., determining whether it has been complicated by damage to the liver, kidneys or other organs.
The most recommended in the case of the pyometer is to use surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries of the cat, which is called an ovariohysterectomy. Before operating, it will be necessary to evaluate the degree of influence of other organs and stabilize the animal’s body with antibiotics and plenty of fluids, to fight infection and dehydration.
With surgery the pyometer infection is completely eradicated because the organs in which the disease occurs are eliminated; however, if the cat has developed kidney problems as a result of the infection, healing can be complicated.
However, there is still a pharmacological treatment, which is chosen when the overall health of the animal does not allow an operation, or when the reproductive capacity of the feline is to be preserved, this treatment aims to expel the pus that has accumulated in the uterus and then attack the infection.After completely cleaning the uterus, ultrasounds will need to be done for several consecutive months to detect possible reinfection.
It will be up to the veterinarian who can suggest the most appropriate and safe method for the animal, depending on the complications of the case.
Cat sterilization prevents this and other problems related to the zeal cycles after which the gestation period does not begin, so this is the most recommended option, in addition, sterilization of a cat has a number of advantages.
Likewise, it is advisable to avoid the use of birth control pills to stop the heat, if you do not want the animal to have puppies only uses sterilization, the use of hormones, as we have already mentioned, can cause a piometer.
Finally, we remind you that it is important to maintain control of the cat’s reproductive system, in case you suspect any disease, going to the vet every 6 months is the best way to prevent and detect any disease in time.
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis, we suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Infectious Diseases section.