PROGNOSTIC EVALUATION OF CANINE PYOMETRA BASED ON SERUM PROSTAGLANDIN METABOLITE CONCENTRATION AND HAEMATOLOGICAL CHANGES

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Date
2019
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College of Veterinary and animal Science,Mannuthy
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A study was undertaken for prognostic evaluation of canine pyometra, based on serum prostaglandin metabolite (PGFM) concentration and haemato-biochemical changes. Female dogs presented to University Veterinary Hospitals, Kokkalai and Mannuthy, with history and clinical signs suggestive of pyometra were utilised for the study. Sixteen dogs were selected after detailed clinico-gynaecological and sonographical examination for confirmation of pyometra and treated with mifepristone @ 3.5 mg/kg body weight bid for five days and cabergoline @ 5g/kg body weight once daily orally for five days, along with supportive fluid and antibiotic therapy. Detailed clinical, haemato-biochemical, hormonal and sonographic studies were conducted on day 0, 3, 7 and 14 of treatment. Six apparently healthy dogs in diestrus were selected as control group and same combination of mifepristone and cabergoline was administered to all dogs. Clinical, haemato-biochemical and hormonal studies were conducted on day 0 and 14. Among the dogs selected for study, proportion of nulliparous dogs and those belonging to the age group of six years and above were 56 per cent each; all dogs were in the luteal phase of oestrous cycle. The symptoms and clinical signs exhibited by the pyometra affected dogs were suggestive of the systemic involvement of the disease, more prominent being anorexia, dullness, vaginal discharge, vomiting, polyuria and dehydration. Of the total pyometra cases, 25 per cent were closed-cervix type. Physiological parameters were not altered due to pyometra. B-mode ultrasonography revealed enlarged uterus, filled with fluids of varying consistency, ranging from anechoic to hyper-echoic; significant reduction in uterine horn diameter (36.60 ± 3.20 to 12.20 ± 1.40 mm) and uterine wall thickness (6.00 ± 0.44 to 3.98 ± 0.23 mm) during the course of treatment was recorded among pyometra affected dogs. Uterine contents were present in all the cases on the day of admission; complete uterine content evacuation was achieved by day 14 in 87.50 per cent of treated dogs. Majority of bacteria (76.00 per cent) isolated from the anterior vaginal swab of pyometra affected dogs was Gram negative bacteria, sensitive to gentamicin and resistant to cefotaxime. Haematology recorded anaemia (TEC, Hb, VPRC values were 4.09 ± 0.28×106 /mm3 , 9.89 ± 0.66 g/dL and 25.43 ± 1.66 %), leucocytosis (36.46 ± 4.51×103 /mm3 ) with neutrophilia (76.64 ± 1.95 %) and increased band cell per cent (5.38 ± 0.75 %) in dogs with pyometra. The BUN and creatinine values as well as platelet counts were found to be within normal range. Serum PGFM concentration in pyometra affected dogs was not significantly different from control animals, either before (35.52 ± 6.79 vs 19.41 ± 3.62 pg/mL) or after treatment (22.62 ± 3.52 vs 21.89 ± 3.83 pg/mL). Serum progesterone concentration was indicative of dioestrus in all dogs, irrespective of groups and didn’t vary significantly between pyometric and normal, dioestrous dogs (25.13 ± 3.47 vs 22.27 ± 3.59 ng/mL). After treatment, the values significantly reduced in both the groups (7.95±1.04 vs 8.21±1.20 ng/mL). Mean duration required for initiation and completion of uterine evacuation, clinical recovery and duration of treatment were 2.60 ± 0.22, 12.30 ± 0.95, 12.60 ± 0.96 and 19.60 ± 1.25 days, respectively. Cystic structures in the ovary as well as permanent damage in the endometrium were noticed after OHE, among the dogs which were refractory to medical treatment (12.5%). Oophoritis, caused by leakage of uterine contents into ovarian bursa was also recorded in the study. Recurrence was recorded among 25 per cent of medically treated cases, during the period of surveillance of six months. Changes in TLC, band cell per cent, lymphocyte per cent, thrombocyte count, TEC, Hb and VPRC could be useful diagnostic or prognostic markers in canine pyometra. Feasibility of serum PGFM measurement as a tool for diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of canine pyometra needs further studies involving more number of dogs.
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