Kira, an English Bulldog/Pit Bull mix 9 months old who had been surrendered in distress to our Pet Health Centers team, was a case that sparked immediate action. Kira had not only been in heat for a while, but was also suffering from a painful prolapse of the rectum as well as a hernia. Our veterinary staff had to sedate her to examine her.
WARNING – Some images are likely to be disturbing.
Kira was not spayed. Dr. Mark Verdino, the Chief of Veterinary Staff, performed the procedure and also gave her a thorough exam. He discovered that her medical condition differed from what he expected. Kira had a nodular tumor near her back end, not a hernia. “It’s very tender, a bit ulcerated on the surface and likely the result of hormonal changes due to her intact status,” Dr. Verdino noted. Kira’s spay revealed that she had a serious uterine infection called pyometra. This condition can be life-threatening if not treated.
“Not spaying and neutering your animals can lead to serious issues and growths like Kira’s. And had we not found her infection as a result of the spay, it would have gone on to make her very sick,” he…
