When we returned from the woods Ella shivered a little but we thought that she was just feeling chilly. She stopped shivering when we went inside. We felt a little chilly ourselves also so we didn´t see anything abnormal with her behaviour.

The boys were quite excited about Ella but she had just ended her season. So she must have smelled quite good. And since there were lots of boys they got competitive and that made them even more excited. But that was also normal and we have seen that happen many many times. During the night Ella slept well...on her back and snoring loud. She also ate well. She didn´t pee more than normally and she didn´t drink more than she usually does. 

We took an urine sample from Ella on our way to vet clinic. It was analysed and the vet also took a blood sample from Ella. Then Ella was scanned and the diagnose was pyometra. There were two kind of treatments available. One was antibiotics and the other was surgery where infected uterus would be removed and antibiotics given after the operation. Since Ella is the most sweet and dear little one and we love her so very much her value in the breeding use was only secondary (ofcourse, how else could it be!!). We didn´t want to risk her life. We immediately ended up to a surgery as the only possibility. We didn´t hesitate this decision after we had heard about the blood test results. Ella had a very bad infection and it was already affecting the kidneys. So the sooner the operation could be done the better. After one hour Ella was on the operation table and we were sitting and waiting for the news in the vet surgery hall. Boy those hours went slowly!!!
  

We also heared her statement from Ella´s uterus and ovaries. I had asked her to check them incase she could find out any abnormalities or the possible cause of the pyometra. Ella´s uterus was normal and the vet gave us a theory about what it was in Ella´s case that had caused the problem.
   

At home Ella slept right next to me as long as she was completely awake and next morning I called to the vet and gave her a report about Ella´s condition. Ella was feeling a little sick when anesthetic remedies stopped working in her body. She perhaps felt some pain after surgery as well. She was occasionally squeeking very quietly. That did go on about three and half hours and then she calmed down and slept a little. When she woke up I gave her the antibiotics and other remedies and she had some cooked chicken which is her absolute favourite meal. After a while she clearly felt much better. Few hours later she jumped to the sofa and then later wanted to go out for a pee. During our short evening walk she was acting almost normally. The only thing she avoided was jumping downwards. Obviously it did hurt when her paws hit the ground and gave a shake to her body.
   

Several days later stitches were removed and blood and urine samples taken to find out how Ella´s kidneys were. The infection was gone, the wound healing very well and the kidneys were working almost normally. Amazing result and much better than any one of us could have dared to hope for!

We were (and still are!) very much aware of that not all have been as lucky as we were! Many people have lost their bitches in the cases just like Ella´s where uterus is closing normally after season and pus is blocked inside of it. We are still very grateful for every single moment we can spend together with Ella.

And her character then. First Ella didn´t know weather she was a "bird or a fish". She checked her own pees many many times and also boys thought that she was soon in season. So they were pretty much after her. But that did only last for a couple of months. Then it setteled down. Since then Ella has been in good mood all the time. When she had normal hormonal circulation she was sometimes up and sometimes down. Now she is only up. :-)

...on my very simple and plain english :-) If you want to read better writen or else scientific articles about pyometra just use google :-)
    

Pyometra can appear at any age after the bitch has got her first season. But usually it is more common among older bitches. 

Hormonal changes affect to the walls of uterus. After seasons the hormone called progesterone starts to work and there is lot of it in body about 8-10 weeks of time. At that time the walls of uterus grows thicker and prepare for the possible pregnancy. If bitch will not be pregnant and years go by the walls will grow thicker and thicker and there may be seen some cysts as well. Cysts and thick walls of uterus create an ideal place for bacteria to grow. But this kind of uterus wall thickening happens every time the bitch has been in season so that is why even very young bitches may get pyometra. Also high progesterone level keeps the uterus big incase of possible pregnancy and stops uterus to press the pus out of it.

Bacteria can get into uterus via cervix. Normally cervix is closed but during the seasons it opens to let the semen in. When it is open also bacteria can get into it and then into uterus. Some of these bacteria are not normal for the bitch but can cause problems which lead into infection. 

The symptoms of pyometra depend on the cervix - weather it stays open or else closes up. If it stays open pus can come out. In these cases pus is seen on bitche´s coat and under her tail. It is pale coloured and smells bad. It may also make the dog bed dirty so it is good to check the place where bitch sleeps. If cervix is closed pus stays inside of the uterus and makes it bigger and bigger and in the end, if the bitch is not treated, the uterus breaks. Infected uterus has the kind of bacteria in it which releases toxic poison to the blood circulation. It makes the dog very ill in very short time. Toxic poison affects to kidneys and that sometimes makes the bitch thirsty and naturally she needs to pee more often than usually as well. Other typical symptoms are fever, depression, diarrea, stomack upset and bitch may be very tired. Also enlarged stomack or else unusual bleeding from vulva may tell about pyometra. But the only way to get the right dignosis is to take a bitch to a vet and scann her. Also blood and urine samples are needed.

Most often pyometra is treated by surgery where uterus and overies are removed. If uterus is only slightly infected this operation may be just like spaying usually is. But when uterus is badly infected operation is big and complicated. If infection is mild also antibiotics may be used to treat the infection. If bitch is not treated and she has infection in her uterus she will die. 

Our finnish DDT Club made a health survey at year 2004 and according to it 19 of 77 bitches had got pyometra. In percents this means 14,6 % so it is about every sixth bitch who get it. If bitch will not be used into breeding the spaying will save her from pyometra and it will also stop the risk of unanted pregnancy.