Pyometra Or Mammary Cancer

[YOLO]

Yes, this is another “desexing” thread. When we get another dog or puppy I am contemplating a bitch, and am in two minds.

Please, I don’t want another thread on the pros or cons of desexing. These two diseases are the most forceful arguments for early desexing of a bitch and I would like to know just how prevalent they really are.

One study I read said Pyometra occurs in 25% of entire bitches, which seems extraordinary??

[Podengo]

We had a retired breeding bitch from a breeder and spayed her at 4 years old, she developed urinary incontinence within 6 months, and at 7 years old we noticed a lump on her breasts... She had mammary cancer, was given a few months to live as it had spread all through her, she died 2 months after hee 8th birthday.

All the other dogs of this breed we have has were spayed at 6 months, never had incontinence issues.

[Poodle Mum]

I have had 4 bitches. 2 developed pyo's The 3rd was never bred. My current girl is 6yo and will be speyed before her next season!

[Poodle Mum]

I have had 4 bitches. 2 developed pyo's The 3rd was never bred. My current girl is 6yo and will be speyed before her next season!

[WreckitWhippet]

I've never had a bitch with pyo but it's something that you need to be mindfull of.

If you aren't going to breed your bitch then letting her have a couple of seasons to mature and then desexing would be an idea to think about.

As for mammary cancer, I'm yet to have one of those either but again it does happen and you need to know the signs

[Poodle Mum]

There's no point in a bitch having any seasons if you aren't going to breed her. Each time she has a cycle there is the possibility that she will have a pyo. It also increases the chances of mammary tumors.

[D'smum]

I had no idea how common the were until i started working at a vet clinic. Wow. I couldnt contemplate leaving a bitch entire after that, unless specifically for breeding (unlikely for me).

[Chezy]

only recently found out about pyo but now I know several people that have had it happen to their bitches, my brother being one, i now know it is quite common . I have mutts and they have always been desexed , so it has not been something i have had to deal with tg, after rushing my brothers bitch to vet I would never reccomend leaving a bitch undesexed .

[Marion 01]

I have unspeyed bitches here, there are 8 ( two of them are pups who will be desexed at 6 months, the others range in age from 10yrs, 12, & 13) at the moment, no sign of pyo but one had a mammory strip last year and now basically has no boobs at all. Pic below

[Dory the Doted One]

I've never had a pyo, had 1 mammary cancer in a bitch whose mother also developed them. We removed my bitches lump, it was only pea sized but I wanted it gone and thank god I did! (she was 4yrs when we found it)I checked her weekly and she died at the age of 11yrs for a non related issue. She was a Rottweiler.

I don't think you see a true picture of the problem in a Vet Clinic. Remember in a Vet Clinic we tend to see them when they are sick. I've seen plenty enough bitches who have not been desexed live long happy event free lives.

That all said. If you're not going to breed then desexing would certainly be something I recommend. As to what age? I'm still in two minds about that. I'm inclined to want my dogs to reach maturity before doing it. But as I currently have an already desexed, rescue dog...well...I haven't been in the position to have to make the decision.

[*Lolapalooza*]

As a kid we had a dog who was never desexed (never bred from, I have no idea why my parents didnt desex her)

she lived to 17 no pyo or breast tumours.

My sister had a rottweiler who was never desexed (never bred from, again dunno why she wasnt desexed) no pyo or issues. Lived to 11 died from abdo tumour.

My first showing female was never bred and was 6 before being spayed, no issues dies at 8 from osteosarcoma.

My first girl for breeding was bred at 2 did not get pregnant, bred at 2 1/2 didnt get pregnant (all done with prog's and semen checks) third time I tried frozen semen and pyo and spay....gah!!!!

I have a bitch who has just turned 7 and has lost a boob from mastitis but is fine otherwise. She will be spayed shortly.

my other sister had a pyo with the one stafford she left entire and she was spayed at 6 (she wasnt blue or bred from ;) )

I hope to hell I never have another pyo It was bloody awful.

[german_shep_fan]

I wonder if any research has ever been done to determine if a bitch's mother or grandmother suffered from Pyo if they have a increased risk of also contracting it? As it is different from cancer ect it could just be bad luck?

[persephone]

AS Pyometra is an infection ... I would think heredity plays little part in it?

We have had 3 bitches with pyo over the (many, many) years, a couple have had mammary tumours ..

while they may not be common , they are a life threatening problem ....

[Diva]

I have never had pyro or mammary cancers in my entire girls, the only one who got a mammary tumour was desexed as a young adult.

I am very alert for signs of pyro, especially in the higher risk period after a season. I am not particular concerned about mammary tumours, I have my hands on the dogs so frequently I pick up any lump or change very early. The risk of pyro to me the most compelling reason by far for desexing. I still choose not to though.

[stormie]

I got these stats on Mammary cancer from a Repro course I did recently...

Desexing:

before the first heat results in a 0.05% lifetime risk of developing mammary cancer.

After 1 heat = 8% lifetime risk

After 2 heats = 25% lifetime risk

After 3 heats = 50% lifetime risk

After 4 heats = greater than 75% lifetime risk

[Diva]

Stormie, are they benign or malignant tumours you are talking about? Either way I must be 'winning the lotto level ' lucky, given all of mine who never had it and died entire, but I am interested what sort the stats are for.

Eduted: just did some googling and came up with a 25% risk after four years of age for entire bitches getting any sort, benign or malignant, with some breeds more prone than others. That fits much more with my experience. Obesity is listed as a risk factor, which might explain part of my girls' luck so far.

Edited March 1, 2013 by Diva

[espinay2]

Have not had a case of pyo yet, touch wood, but one bitch (never bred) speyed at around age 7 had a very spongy uterus when they did the op. Basically cystic endometrial hyperplasia (which is associated with an increased risk of pyometra)

This is what it looks like: http://research.vet.upenn.edu/SystemicPathology/Exam4/CommonSmallAnimalLesions/tabid/3649/galleryType/SlideShow/ItemID/591/AlbumID/56/Default.aspx

This in particular is some info very worth reading: http://www.vetnext.com/search.php?s=aandoening&id=73057642019%20318

Note the following: "Repeated exposure of the endometrium to high concentrations of estrogen followed by high concentrations of progesterone in the absence of pregnancy leads to cystic endometrial hyperplasia".

Some discussion of the issue in these links. It is in the context of breeding, but still relevant :

http://www.everythinggolden.com/new_page_195.htm

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1224

For those interested in this subject too, note the upcoming (free) course which should address just these sort of issues both for breeders and those considering the pros and cons of desexing or when to desex:

https://www.coursera.org/#course/theriogenology

[stormie]

Stormie, are they benign or malignant tumours you are talking about? Either way I must be 'winning the lotto level ' lucky, given all of mine who never had it and died entire, but I am interested what sort the stats are for.

Eduted: just did some googling and came up with a 25% risk after four years of age for entire bitches getting any sort, benign or malignant, with some breeds more prone than others. That fits much more with my experience. Obesity is listed as a risk factor, which might explain part of my girls' luck so far.

Just referred to tumours in general. Out of those though, they say that about 50% will be malignant.

[Diva]

Stormie, are they benign or malignant tumours you are talking about? Either way I must be 'winning the lotto level ' lucky, given all of mine who never had it and died entire, but I am interested what sort the stats are for.

Eduted: just did some googling and came up with a 25% risk after four years of age for entire bitches getting any sort, benign or malignant, with some breeds more prone than others. That fits much more with my experience. Obesity is listed as a risk factor, which might explain part of my girls' luck so far.

Just referred to tumours in general. Out of those though, they say that about 50% will be malignant.

Thanks, that split between malignant and benign seems fairly consistent across sources but the stats seem to vary quite a bit. Mostly I am reading one in four lifetime risk if never desexed. I am now deep in research into risk factors, didn't know it was breed related.

I have added them all up, lol, and I have owned 10 bitches across the years, of two breeds. One incidence of benign mammary cancer in a bitch desexed as a young adult. One other desexed at an older age for another issue, no cancer. None of the others desexed and no mammary cancer or pyo.

Edited March 1, 2013 by Diva

[Sandra777]

Pyo I have known :)

5 year old, had had one litter & missed on previous heat (to a dog with poor semen quality & count) had been mated (different dog) & scanned as pregnant. Speyed (1kg ueterus removed from a 14kg bitch so pretty serious). She's 9 next week and no tumors.

1 year old maiden bitch, treated with ABs, went on to have 6 litters. Had benign mammary tumours which developed when she was 9. PTS at 13 - stomach cancer.

11 year old, had had 4 litters. Treated with ABs. She was on one of the injections (probably Depovera, it was a while ago), increased the frequency of the injection to three times per year. No tumours. PTS at 14 after breaking her pelvis leaping to catch a sparrow (which she caught & ate)

8 year old had had 2 litters but only ever conceived 2 pups each time.... Speyed. Had mammary tumours removed at 9, one malignent, rest benign. PTS at 14 - lung cancer (we smoked)

8 year old had had 3 litters (lost the entire first litter "fading puppy"). Very mild infection, could have been treated with ABs but no reason to so was speyed. No tumours. PTS just before her 16th birthday, just generally unwell and life no longer good for her.

Other info....

The 1 year old was the grandmother of the sire of the first 8 year old.

The two 8 year old's had the same dam who cycled every 3 months and lost two complete litters to fading puppy syndrome.

The only daughter of the first 8 year old had three pups in her only litter, all fine.

The second 8 year old had 2 daughters who were bred, one lost part of two litters "fading puppy", the other had three litters all fine. The second of these bitches was speyed at 8 and is now just over 13 - no tumors, the first was speyed at 5 and last I heard (2 years ago @ 11) was fine - no tumors.

The only other bitch I have had with tumors was a daughter of the one who broken her pelvis. She was speyed after three litters (no issues at time of op) and developed very large but benign tumors when she was 11. PTS at 14 with fluid-retention issues.

These are all Staffords, which tend to be considered 'prone' to some types of cancers & growths.

Edited March 1, 2013 by Sandra777