Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Common uterus and ovary changes found in healthy cats during spaying
By Binder, Claudia et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2021·Department for Small Animals and Horses·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Histopathological findings in the uteri and ovaries of clinically healthy cats presented for routine spaying.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 106 healthy female cats were spayed, and their uteri and ovaries were examined for any hidden issues. It turned out that 29 of these cats had some abnormalities, including ovarian cysts and a condition called cystic endometrial hyperplasia (CEH), which was more common in older cats. While most of the cysts and mild cases of CEH aren't likely to cause problems, six cats had a serious infection in the uterus called endometritis, which needs veterinary treatment. Overall, the findings suggest that even healthy-looking cats can have underlying reproductive health issues that should be monitored.
People also search for: cat spaying complications · ovarian cysts in cats · cat endometritis treatment
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the histopathological findings in the uteri and ovaries from clinically healthy queens presented for elective spaying. METHODS: Ovaries and distal uterine horns or complete uteri from 106 female cats were evaluated for pathological alterations. RESULTS: Pathological alterations of the uterus and/or ovaries were evident in 29 cats; of these, corpora lutea were present on the ovaries of 15 cats. Ovarian cysts were found in 15 cats and were classified as cysts of the Wolffian or Muellerian ducts (n = 4), follicular cysts (n = 4), luteal cysts (n = 1), cystic rete ovarii (n = 2), combinations of different cysts (n = 2) and non-classifiable cysts (n = 2). In 21/106 cats, cystic endometrial hyperplasia (CEH) was present. The incidence of CEH increased with the age of the cat. Six cats had purulent endometritis with or without distension of the uterine lumen. Hyperplastic lesions of the endometrium were detected in two cats. In one cat, a uterine horn malformation with duplication of one uterine horn lumen was diagnosed. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Whereas the majority of ovarian cysts and slight-to-moderate CEH are unlikely to interfere with an animal's wellbeing, endometritis must be considered a serious health problem that requires veterinary attention.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33241965/