The influence of breed and age on appearing of pyometra in bitches

Abstract

Pyometra (chronic purulent inflammation of the uterus) is a frequent reproductive disorder in sexually mature bitches that usually occurs between the 4th week and the 4th month following estrus when the animal is not pregnant. The objective of this investigation was to examine the influence of the breed of bitch on the age when pyometra is diagnozed, and in the territory of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The average age of 321 examined bitches with diagnozed pyometra was 8.4 years. A statistically significant (P≤0.05) difference was established in the average age of bitches of big breeds (7.3 years) in comparison with the age of bitches of small breeds, at the time of pyometra occurrence (9.8 years). Bitches of mixed breeds were aged 8.8 years on the average when they were diagnozed with pyometra. Pyometra was diagnozed at the age between 7 and 9 years in 52% of the examined bitches of big breeds, while 51% bitches of small breeds were diagnozed with pyometra when they were considerably older (≥10 years). On the grounds of the results of these investigations, it can be concluded that the risk of pyometra occurring increases significantly after 5 years of age, but that breed has a significant effect on the age at which pyometra occurs in bitches.

Keywords

• pyometra
• age
• breed
• bitch