Pyometra is a serious, potentially fatal condition that is unfortunately extremely common in our beloved mill mamas: female dogs who have escaped a life of abuse and neglect producing puppies in puppy mills.
🦠What is it?
Pyometra is caused by a bacterial infection of the uterus that occurs secondary to hormonal changes in the female reproductive tract during heat cycles. After multiple heat cycles without pregnancy, the uterus can undergo changes that make it an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. If an infection develops, the uterus can become filled with pus, and the infection can progress to sepsis and become fatal very quickly.
🩺 How is it treated?
The treatment for pyometra is typically an emergency spay, but performing this surgery while a dog has an active infection can be much riskier than a routine spay. It is extremely important that pyometra is caught early and treated immediately to give the dog the best possible chance at recovery.
🥺 Why is it common for Mill Mamas to develop this?
Mill Mamas are used for their ability to reproduce, and once they are no longer profitable or able to produce puppies, they are discarded. The lucky ones make it to a rescue like ours.
These dogs arrive un-spayed and usually have recently gone through multiple heat cycles without becoming pregnant (the reason why they were given up!). Add in the enormous stress of leaving the only life they have ever known and entering a completely new and unfamiliar world, and you have a recipe for a potentially life-threatening infection.
🫶🏼The good news?
Pyometra is preventable. Spaying prevents this life-threatening infection and is one of the many reasons spaying your own pets is so important. There is no reason a dog should have to face the possibility of losing her life to a condition that can be so easily prevented.
🐾 How you can help!
This $5 Friday, we’re asking donations- the cost of a cup of coffee- to support our current and future mill mamas that will need our immediate attention to help them leave the puppy mill behind and finally have the happy life they deserve!
➡️ If you’d like to contribute, please DONATE today.
