Pip is an old lady at 12 years old, but you wouldn't know it from looking at her. She came into our Stratford surgery as she hadn't been right for the last few days. She was quiet and sleeping a lot, although still eating and drinking normally.
Vet Katie examined her and found that she also had a discharge from her back end. Pip had a condition called a pyometra. This is where the womb becomes infected and can fill up with pus. This condition can be life threatening.
Pip was admitted straight away and started on a drip. This started to make her feel better and once she was stable she was given an anaesthetic and taken into our operating theatre. There she underwent the same operation that female dogs have when they are spayed (her ovaries and womb were removed). The difference is that when dogs are sick, like Pip was, this operation has a much higher risk than when spaying young, fit and healthy dogs.
Luckily Pip came through the operation well. She was kept in our at our Warwick hospital overnight as she was still very sleepy but by the next morning she was back to her normal self again and went home. She is now completely recovered and back to playing with Dachshund puppy friend Flora.
