Blood test helps tell dog uterine infection from cystic changes

Abstract

Canine pyometra is a dioestrus period disease in which systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is a common outcome due to the response of the body to the bacterial infection. The purpose of this study was i) to differentiate canine pyometra and cystic endometrial hyperplasia (CEH)/mucometra by measuring serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and prostaglandin F2&#x3b1; metabolite (PGFM) concentrations in blood and ii) to compare serum concentrations of CRP and PGFM in bitches with a pathological uterus (pyometra or CEH/mucometra) to concentrations in bitches with a healthy uterus. Mean CRP concentrations were found significantly higher (p < 0.001) in dogs with pyometra compared to those with CEH/mucometra or healthy uterus. However, no statistical difference could be detected between the groups for mean PGFM concentrations. Mean white blood cell count (WBC), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total protein concentrations were found significantly higher (p < 0.001) in dogs with pyometra. Escherichia coli was the most frequently isolated microorganism from dogs with pyometra (64.3%). Edwardsiella spp. was detected in a single case of pyometra for the first time. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that serum CRP concentrations were increased in dogs with pyometra and thus we conclude that serum CRP concentration but not PGFM might be useful as a marker to differentiate a case of CEH/mucometra from pyometra in female dogs. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report in which Edwardsiella spp. has been isolated in the canine uterus.