Completely devestated. My Shih Tzu that we have only had a matter of months is seriously ill......
We adopted Kassi after her previous owners were unable to look after her. She was one of seven in her home and unfortunately the couple were in thier 70's and it was becoming too much for them. Anyways we gladly took this girl on board and she has settled in like one of the family. She brought the joy back to my mum especially. My father passed away and our beloved pet passes away the following day.... So five years on my mum was able to love this little bundle like it was hers from the start. We all do....
Anyways she has been off her food the last couple of days and she is sleeping all the time. She is often cleaning herself and has not moved her Bowels in four days. She was just so lethargic and you can tell she is out of sorts... Even though she is not showing any visable signs of pain (still jumping on to furniture etc) However this morning we took her straight to our vet, who is  fantastic... after giving her a lengthy observation he said that he feels something in the womb... like  fluid/puss possibly... He mentioned the name but we have been so upset. Basically he has said that if this bursts then we are going to lose her. We have had blood tests taking ot check the white blood cells and also given an injection to try and kill the infection.... What he has said that on Wednesday when he recieves the results if the white blood count is high he will have a better idea and she will be taken in for surgery the following day. BUT she is 7 years old and obviously very ill at the minute. there are no guarantees. Has anyone else ever experienced this?. Heart is breaking 

It sounds as though the vet suspects pyometra, which is an infection of the womb, and is a serious medical emergency. I'd be wondering why the vet isn't spaying her this afternoon, to be honest, becase the sooner the infected womb is removed, the better her chances.

This sound like pyometra- has she not been spayed? If it is pyometra she really needs to be spayed ASAP -if she is, then she has every chance of recovery.

I'm with you, JG. I'm astonished that he's waiting!

So am i.... What will i do

She has not been. We only got her at the end of August and since then we have treated ear infections so the spaying was going to be into the new year, this was before we knew about this. The vet has said to send the bloods away today to have them back on Wednesday and then to operate Thurs. He is an exceptional vet normally. I am fighting back tears writing this. I cant lose her

I'd ring him and ask what difference the blood results would make, and to suggest that he spays her as soon as possible.

thank you so much for your advice i rang him thier and i have to call back later today and he is going to try and have her in tomor. If we can juggle the operations. We have to see.
Fingers crossed for my girl

Hi Sparkles

I'd have her neutered asap - if it is a pyo then waiting for bloods or any other tests is IMO too dangerous and if that's your vet's suspicion I can't understand why s/he is delaying anyway. 

I'd suggest you phone now and get straight answers and, hopefully, immediate treatment.
Please let us know how things go.

Very best wishes, Teri

ETA:  posted at the same time as your response!  Glad things are moving on

Thanks Teri - I called and spoke to the nurse thier and I asked these questions. I said that if we are almost positive and after reading up myself on this condition I AM!! then why wait on blood tests to prove it. I dont want to risk losing her for the matter of hours. She asked me to call back and speak to vet at fourish. He has final decision.... I think if the outcome is the same for Thursday why the hell wait. She said he has operations all week and Thurs was the only available, but they will try and juggle around.

I hope so

Hi Sparkles, I am a vet nurse and in my 15yrs experience I have never known a pyometra to be booked in. Its an emergency op. It can even be seen on a routine xray. Did they at least give you antibiotics? I'd go to another vet that does in house bloods (most do these days) and don't let the vet bully you.
Good luck x

Thank you so much... I am really not going to accept anything other than tomor. At the latest. This dog needs his treatment now!. Simple as that. He has injected with anti biotics. Is tomor morning too late? I dont know what else to do?

Id a Collie once with a pyometra. She was admitted to the vets hospital on a Sat morning. He comfirmed pyometra and said he would spay on the Monday. He took her for the surgery after keeping her over the weekend. We lost her during the surgery. She didnt make it. If i knew then what i know now id have insisted on immediate surgery. Time is very prescious
Good Luck
Jean

she is moving so slow and not herself. I feel so helpless!!

ok she just seems to be getting worse... She is so lethargic. I know she has been given the antibiotic, but i think i am going to lose her and i cant bear it. i have to call back in an hour. But this is for tomor. do we have that time?

I would phone another vets and get her operated on today!!!!

Do not accept the wait -if necessary tell them if they will not operate NOW you will go elsewhere -and please do so. Genuine emergencies MUST be seen to at once, whether the vet has time or not. My mother in law's Labrador collapsed Thursday afternoon, turned out she had several tumours inside her that had burst -she was operated on within half an hour of collapsing.The other patients that had non-life threatening problems just had to wait!

As already said - go to your vets NOW or take her to one that will see and operate on her now - you can not afford to wait with this.

stupid bloody vets. She should at least be admitted on i/v fluids overnight

One of our bitches had this, like your vet ours was holding off on the operation, 4 visits later over 2 days (to the annoyance of the vet) our girl had to be carried back in almost on her death bed it took both me and mum shouting at the vet and getting quite nasty before he would look, we wouldn't let him go over her as he was obviously rubbish. So we demanded the head vet who was coming round the corner because she had heard the commotion, she looked in horror at the state of the dog and had the bitch in the theater within the hour.

We had free check ups on all the dogs for months after and the said vet got sacked, so if your gut is saying she is ill don't take no for an answer as we would have lost our bitch this all happened within 2 days. As others have said speed is key

My old girl was just not herself just after Christmas last year - off her food which is unheard of!  Vet wasn't sure what was wrong but did suspect pyo - took bloods but I only had to wait until following day.  They were inconclusive - he then asked if we wanted to put her through surgery due to her age and potential life left afterwards (and did mention cost!) - we decided to give her the chance, if she died on the table at least it would be peaceful and we'd have given her every chance, but she pulled through and had a new lease of life.  She turned 14 in October and although a little stiff on her back legs is still enjoying life - albeit at a slower pace which is normal for a bitch of her age.
My thoughts are with you - I hope your vet can take her in tonight for at least monitoring if not surgery.

oh my goodness have read this and can only echo what has been said - you MUST get her in now!! I can't believe the vet suspects this condition yet still wants to wait to get her booked in!!

Please keep us updated - and all fingers and toes crossed she gets the treatment she needs and responds well

Please insist now she is operated on even to double check, i nearly lost my girl to a pyo and this does sound like one just in my opinion, she was within an hour or so as the vet said her blood was so full of poison, i know a closed pyo is worse than an open so he told us and ours was closed so not as many symptoms but he took her straight in to operate on mine none of this lets take bloods.

Is she drinking more than normal, are her eyes clear or cloudy has he done a scan on her as we could see the pockets of puss inside our girl, has she had a season since being with you?

Good luck be firm with the vets

I am so sorry you are having to go through this.  This is your baby, and the vet should operate right away, not wait.  Be forceful.  I hope everything works out ok

Friends just had their 8 year old bitch spayed because of Pyometra, either way spaying would be the best option as she isn't a breeding candidate.  Antibiotic and prostaglandin treatment is only used to preserve a bitch needed for breeding, and then only if she is vital for a breeding program.

time to change vet.
she needs surgery now. I can see no benefit to waiting. emergency surgery comes first-even if it bumps some routine planned opp off the list.

Ok thanks for everyones time in posting

I took her straight back to the vets... I broke down in front of him and begged him to help..... I told him we could not wait till Thursday and he agreed. (he honestly is a fantastic vet and we have used him for sooo long with our other 2 a shih tzu and a maltese. our maltese was very ill as a pup and had a very bad accident that caused 3 fractures in the skull, broken jaw, blind in one eye, could not walk and he took him into his family home and nursed him back to health. We do have every faith in him. He took her temp tonight which is low so advised us to keep her warm. He also gave a vitimin injection to soften cervix, he said her eyes are ok at the min and he really feels to start operating at 9pm tonight after clinic he would not do 100% and he wants to save her. He has given us his mobile number and said if her circumstances change we can call him and he will operate tonight, but to give her the best chance he has her on antibiotic injection plus the vitiman and will operate in the morning. I know everyone says do more, but i am in floods of tears writing. I have nothing more I can do. We have tried so hard to save her. She is wrapped up in her bed and we are taking in turns to lie with her and we will all night.
I want to do more but its all i can do.
Please keep her in your thoughts.....

Did you ask if he thought it could be a pyometra? mine was operated on late into the night just can't understand why he won't do more unless he thinks its not life threatening. Will be thinking of you and sending posivitve vibes x

Yes that what he thinks and he said that she is not critical at the minute. I have mixed feelings now... I am reading these and feel like I am failing her. And i really have tried. I have been to the vets twice today phoned 3 times and now its a waiting game till morning. He said she should be ok.... I am not so sure. She is very lifeless but has got up and down for a drink and ate 2 plates of meat earlier plus a treat, which made me feel a little bit more positive but.... I am worried sick

You do realise she shoudln't ahve anythign to eat for 12 hours before being operated on and no water for a couple of hours.

Yes he explained it all to us. She ate this afternoon about 3pm. We are not to give her anything from 9pm onwards. No water from about 6am...

Sparkles, try not to get too upset and worried. Try and get as much fluids into her as you can. You have the vets mobile number so even if your a little worried you ring him. If you still don't get anywhere then call another emergency vets number.

plus, you may well have caught in it the early stages. A friend of mines mum had a 17 yr old whippet. She had symptoms for a while. She had the op, which was a huge risk given her age, and is now fine and dandy, just a bit senile!

What a nightmare night for you.I suppose the vet must know what he is doing.I have everything crossed for your girl x

Thanks for your kind words,

I think I am making myself so ill just thinking about it. I wish I could do more....
Do you think its positive she is eating a bit? she is still urinating and was out for a walk today.... Although much slower tonight. Could this be the injections...?

Thanks everyone

I couldn't get mine to eat anything and she normally is not fussy what she eats, she wouldn't walk i had to lift all 9 stone of her into the car so its more positive than mine was.

Trouble is as soon as one of our dogs is ill we worry you can't help it and its so hard, but if tomorrow it has to be it will soon come round, but ring his mobile if you get the slighest change for the worse don't wait till morning.

i agree. I most certainly will..

Also i just read because her cervix is closed there is only 25% chance of survival. He never mentioned this. I refuse to read anymore. I am worrying myself sick. He gave her an injection to help sofen the cervix....

I pray she pulls through

Have you tried phoning round other vets to try and get a 2nd opinion?

I think we think the worst we can't help it they are family members, if he thought it was seriously bad i believe if he was a good vet he would have her in and be operating, well i would like to think that would be the case.

My dog had a closed one and when he took her off me to go to the opertating room he said to say goodbye as she had a 10% chance of survival, that still haunts me what do you say to your dog in a situation like that, had a tense wait but she pulled through and she was 9 yrs old so not a young gal for a big breed.

Hopefully she'll just sleep have a good night and before long it will be morning, but remember the no food and water part you don't want them to put off operating if needed.

No i will most defo not give food and drink. He said from nine for food, and i am sure few hours for water. Do you think I should stop that too?? at nine? My vet is far more optimistic than 10%. Goodness, He said to me tonight i am sure she will be ok, I have done this before... and yes it is a risk, but i will do my best for her. He looked at gums, checked heart, looked in eyes, checked spine, tummy, walking etc and said tomor morning we will open her up and get her better. I asked if he thinks she will last till then as she is very poor and he said looking at this dog she is not critically ill at the minute, however if this changes call me and i will operate. He is normally an exeptional vet, people travel to use him. I do have faith, but for the first time I have questioned the decision and the only peace of mind i have is that I have tried. The worst feeling is that we have not helped her quick enough.... We only have had her 4 months and we were only starting to know her little cheeky ways.. IF we HAD known her longer maybe this would have been picked up sooner. We have never seen her ill before. And she never made a sound in pain.... I just feel so guilty.

Don't withhold the water - she can have water until 6am - the risk of dehydration with an anaesthetic is higher than usual, so it's important that she has water available during the night.

ok thanks for all your help.

Thanks

I do hope your baby girl pulls through.  Myself and my dogs have every available finger (and paw) crossed for you and your little one. 

I really do appreciate all your comments! Hopefully someone is listening somewhere and gives us a fighting chance.

Thanks so much. I will be keeping this updated

I cannot believe what I have just read!!!

My thoughts are with you and your little girl x

Thanks so much! i know it is heartbreaking.

You know if I manage to have my girl saved I owe all you people soo much, If I had not posted on here I would have waited till Thursday thinking we had time.. I would have waited on the blood results. Thanks to everyone here, I was given great advise to get her over and although I am devestated i am having to wait till morning it is much better than Thursday.. I think I would have lost her then.

I know we have a battle ahead, but even now I appreciate your information and well wishes.

Thanks

I would not have waited and should have insisted that she is operated on tonight.

The symptoms she is showing are quite acute and so they should not be left.

The vets should do a 24 hour emergency cover if they don't go to another vet. x

I have taken her twice. I have had the rest of my family screaming at me because I am not a vet and I am demanding this and the other, I fully understand what you are saying. I want her to have this right now! This is ultimately my mothers decision and no one is listening. We have one other vet in this area. He has not got the best reputation. You think I phone them and see?

Ok... So i called for a second opinion only to be told because my own vet does out of hours i need to contact him...I dont know what else i can do... I feel like no one is helping me vet wise...

Good luck for tomorrow .
Jean xx