Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Estriol treatment linked to uterine infection risk in spayed dog
By Schotanus, B A et al.·Published in Reproduction in domestic animals = Zuchthygiene·2008·Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Netherlands·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Estriolum treatment in the bitch: a risk for uterine infection?
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old Irish setter was brought in with a bloody vaginal discharge and hair loss after being treated with estriolum (a hormone medication) for urinary incontinence for 2.5 years. The vet found that the dog had inflammation in the remaining part of her uterus, known as the uterine stump, which was likely caused by the long-term use of estriolum. After surgery to remove the affected tissue, the dog's condition improved. This case highlights the importance of regular check-ups for dogs on estriolum to monitor for potential complications.
People also search for: dog bloody discharge after spay · Irish setter urinary incontinence treatment · estriolum side effects in dogs
Abstract
Purulent vaginal discharge in a bitch in which ovariohysterectomy has been performed is often caused by inflammation of the uterine stump. The inflammation is due to either cystic endometrial hyperplasia (CEH) induced primarily by progesterone from remnant ovarian tissue or exogenous progestagens, or it is due to the presence of unabsorbed suture material. This report describes a 9-year-old Irish setter with hemopurulent vaginal discharge and non-pruritic symmetrical alopecia, which had undergone ovariohysterectomy 3.5 years ago and which had been treated with estriolum daily for the past 2.5 years because of urinary incontinence. Vaginoscopy revealed hemopurulent discharge throughout the vagina and vestibule. Cytological examination of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsies of a large mass in the hypogastricum, which appeared to be the uterine cervical stump, revealed septic purulent inflammation. The concentration of plasma progesterone was low and the concentration of plasma 17-ss oestradiol did not increase after gonadotrophin-releasing hormone administration. No remnant ovarian tissue was found by abdominal ultrasonography, laparotomy, or histological examination of mesovarian pedicles. Laparotomy revealed uterine stump empyema. Histological examination of the surgically removed mass excluded both CEH and unabsorbed suture material as the cause of the stump empyema. Instead, it is hypothesized that the long-term treatment with estriolum was a causative factor. This suggests that bitches treated with estriolum should be examined regularly.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17986174/