10/15/2026
⚠️ Graphic medical image ⚠️
This is what a pyometra looks like. That swollen, purple organ is a uterus filled with infection, removed from a pet right here at Pet Savers. And it’s 100% preventable.
What is pyometra?
Pyometra is a life-threatening uterine infection in un-spayed females, both dogs and cats. Without surgery, it can lead to sepsis, kidney failure, uterine rupture, and death.
🤔How early can it happen?
Earlier than most people think. Pyometra usually shows up a few weeks to a couple of months after a heat cycle, and while it’s more common in middle-aged pets, it can strike young animals after just one or two heats.
⚠️Every heat cycle raises the risk.
Each cycle exposes the uterus to hormones that thicken and change the uterine lining, making infection more likely. The risk builds over time: nearly 1 in 4 unspayed female dogs will develop pyometra by age 10.
Know the signs:
🔸 Lethargy or “just not herself”
🔸 Loss of appetite
🔸 Drinking and urinating more than usual
🔸 Vomiting
🔸 Swollen or tender belly
🔸 Discharge from the v***a (pus or blood)
🔸 Excessive licking of the rear end
🚨Important: in a “closed” pyometra, there’s NO discharge. The infection is trapped inside, which makes it even more dangerous. If your un-spayed female seems off after a heat, call a vet right away.
The only way to prevent it? Spay.
Spaying removes the uterus and ovaries, which eliminates the risk. There’s no supplement, diet, or “wait and see” that does the same.
We’re here to help.
Emergency pyometra surgery at a full-service or ER hospital can cost thousands of dollars. Pet Savers performs pyometra surgeries for a fraction of that cost, and a routine spay costs even less. Prevention is always the kinder (and cheaper) choice.
📞 Book a spay online at www.petsaversspokane.org. All income levels welcome, with added assistance for those who need it.
