Pyometra in charity hospitals
This project was conceived and led by Andy Gibson, a veterinary surgeon at the RSPCA Greater Manchester Animal Hospital. It was supported by the hospital director, David Yates.
The aim of the study was to document the changes in the incidence of canine pyometra at five RSPCA hospitals over the economic downturn, and compare them with concurrent trends in uptake of elective neutering.
Key Results:
• The incidence of pyometra rose from 1.8% in 2006 to 2.9% in 2011, whilst simultaneously the uptake of prophylactic neutering decreased.
• Bullmastiffs, Golden Retrievers, and Dogue de Bordeaux were over-represented in the pyometra population when compared with the female dog outpatient caseload.
• The mean age at presentation was 7.7 years, although some breeds presented at a significantly lower age, including Dogue de Bordeaux (mean age 3.3 years) and Bullmastiffs (mean age 5.4 years), whilst Yorkshire Terriers (mean age 9.4 years) and Border Collies (mean age 10.3 years) presented as older dogs.
• These findings have implications for both animal welfare and the way in which charities face increased pressure on their resources.
The results of this work have been published:
Gibson A, Dean RS, Yates D and Stavisky J A retrospective study of pyometra at five RSPCA hospitals in the United Kingdom: 1,728 cases from 2006-2011. Veterinary Record 2013; 173:396. To access the full content free, click here.
Contacts: Jenny Stavisky and Rachel Dean