Suspected Pyometra wwyd :(

[fairynick]

My Shar Pei will be 12 in November, but is the happiest most docile and still very playful dog. People still ask if she’s a puppy.
She had green discharge coming from her vagina and after going to the vets they have said it’s either some kind of infection or Pyometra. Been sent home with antibiotics for a couple of days so if they work it’s the infection and she’s fine but if not it’s pyometra and the only option would be a full ovariohysterectomy. A vet once told us she had emphysema so apparently because of that she can’t have the surgery, however she has never had any breathing problems. Although I know shar peis are prone and she does snore very loudly anyway. As well because of her age the increased risk in surgery is there plus the trauma and recovery etc. Also I don’t know how we’d afford the £2k surgery. The only other option would be putting her to sleep.
I really think it’s pyometra and don’t know what to do. On one hand I would want her to have the surgery but the vet doesn’t seem 100% about it and if it is successful is it worth it to put her through the trauma. She’s had such a happy life with no health problems, so maybe it is her time.
I’m sorry if this is ramble and a bit incoherent I’m just heartbroken. WWYD, go ahead with the surgery or accept that her lovely life needs to come to an end now?

Maybe it was just the infection after all. Sorry I forgot to update, she started to bleed a bit and she hasn’t had a season in over a year and the blood has gone from red to black. Told the vet this and they just said bring her in if she gets worse. I’m still scared that it is a pyo and we’ve just got to wait until she actually feels poorly which seems unfair but I suppose if it is and surgery is out of the question then there’s not more we could really do.

The infection? She had green vulval discharge, surely that's pyo?

I think she has had an extremely lucky escape and that you should seek a second opinion.

So do you reckon it definitely wasn’t an infection and was a pyo?

Well, green vulval discharge is indication of infection, uterine infection is pyo. So this is why I was asking about a 2nd opinion, as you don't seem clear.

Sorry I’m sure the vet said some kind of infection like vaginitis?? Or pyo??? She made out like they were two different things, have I got this wrong?

Op I have experienced 2 dogs with this and both different types of pyometra. My older dog had open pyometra so the discharge came out constantly and the smell was absolutely awful.

My younger dog, several years later, who was due to be spayed in that month had closed pyometra. It was only that some of it started to come out that we noticed. She wasnt unwell, no different in behaviour or eating ect. She was x-rayed immediately and blood tests showed her to be extremely unwell and have a severe case. We nearly lost her. Both had the surgery and recovered.

At both times we were told antibiotics can sometimes help but dont always work. Can you call another vet for another opinion on whether she can undergo surgery? I have everything crossed for your dog.

I did put my post into paragraphs, apparently the app decided not to.

Maybe I will ask another vet what they reckon, thanks for all the info! I’m just on the browser version and there are paragraphs so don’t worry

Yes, sound approach. Green discharge would mean pyo to me, and very dangerous especially if shes in estrus and closes with infection inside.

As pp says, its the closed one that can go so easily undetected thick and green wouldn't indicate vaginitis.

@fairynick how is your dog now? Did you stay with the same vet?

Because of her emphysema the operation wasn’t an option and we lost her on Tuesday. Just trying to remember that she had a long happy and healthy life and was only a bit poorly for a week :(

Sorry for your loss OP

Oh @fairynick I'm so sorry. Definitely remember the good times and how much she enjoyed her life. Losing a dog is so bloody awful and some people dont get it. I'm coming up to a year of my girl being gone and not a day goes by that I dont miss her.

Oh OP! . So sorry to hear this.

She was very poorly for a long time in the end then, as your OP was 21/09 after she was already poorly and only sent home with 2 days worth of AB's.

I am at a loss to understand your vets advice here. Why did your vet not follow up and advice pts, or know that this was pyo? Change vet before you take any other pets there.

Bloody awful.

God I worry for my pets when there are vets giving this kind of bad advice.

She was actually still happy and playful up until about three days before she was put to sleep, so she didn’t suffer for long at all.
She had a week of antibiotics which helped whilst she was on them but when she came off them the symptoms started again as the vet said would happen if it was pyometra.
I spoke to another vet who said they would’ve done the same. If it was pyometra then the only option is surgery which wasn’t an option with her emphysema so we tried the antibiotics just in case it was an infection and when it turned out it wasn’t and she became poorly then she was put to sleep. So I feel happy in saying that we did all we could and she didn’t suffer for long. I will always miss her though

Thats so sad. I'm glad she was PTS, hard as that is.

So sorry she's gone.

Thanks so much everyone, she was surrounded by the family of four and didn’t seem too distressed, we got her ashes back yesterday too so she’s back with us now x

and hugs OP, you did all you could.. Run free lovely girl 🌈

So sorry

So sorry for your loss op.It's so hard losing a much loved pet but you did everything you could.In 2 years I have lost both my girls,one to pyometra who was 16 years old and the other to cancer who was 13 years old,she left us in february.It does get easier with time but so so heartbreaking.Your girl had a good life and was loved very much,just like mine.