Ok, so it has been eerily quiet here on the blog, I know. It's not from lack of interest or falling behind - as it would normally be in my case (just kidding) - but for the need to type out bad news. No one likes bad news, especially the bringer of it, but nonetheless it needs to be done all the same.
My lovely Islay was admitted a week ago friday to the reproduction specialist with an open pyometria. Now if you are a breeder you just gasped. If you're not you're wondering what all the gasping is about. Pyometria is an infection of the uterus, a very serious and often life threatening condition which not only results in the loss of any pups concieved but the most often recommended treatment is to spay. - Now the rest of you can gasp along with us.
Luckily, if you can use that term in the case of pyometria, Islay's was open (meaning that the cervix was open allowing the infectious material to leave the body). Thankfully it was wide open; it allowed a great flow of infectious material and let us have a hope for treating her condition medically. We also caught it very early onset, which makes a massive difference in terms of survival - which thank God she did - and recovery of the uterus to go on to carry healthy pregnancies in the future.
Islay had been off her food for a week or so and, though unusual for her, I assumed it was morning sickness. All other signs of pregnancy were in place (enlarged nipples, tiredness, being extra cuddley, and a swelling belly) so the assumption seemed sound. It also seemed pretty normal as I was trying to switch her off of her beloved raw to a top of the line kibble as I lost a pup in my last litter to raw and vowed it would not ever happen again. Islay was not 100% on board with the idea as she had been on raw since about 5 months old when she came to us and LOVES it. Not to go off on a huge tangent here, but let it be said that if a love affair can happen with food - and if you have ever met chocolate, sour cream or potato chips in your life... or sirloin *drool* I think you know the validity of a food love affair - Islay had run off with raw in a mad passion and was not happy with mom's plan to settle her down with her realistic kibble suburban life. SO, all things considered I assumed upset tummy and mad at mom for yuck food covered the bases for me having to hand feed and finally break down and buy her off with one beautiful raw sirlion (hubby has still not forgiven me for that).
And so had she not been bred this heat I feel I would have caught it even earlier and feel like the better part of 'ass' of 'u' and'me' for assuming all was normal. If anyone on the planet should be suspect of things going 'normally' it should be the french bulldog breeder. Nothing is ever normal for these guys and when it is you really should stop and think through what is really going on!
So Friday last Islay woke up - with some prodding (also normal) as Bean needed to pee ("Uh oh, mum! PEE MUM! OUTSIDE MUM!!") first thing as all good 4 month pups do and I was determined to make Islay (aka just 5 more minutes of sleep, mum) join in the event. I noticed the discharge right away when I went into my daughter's room. The bed was wet and her back end was soaked in a slightly cloudy bright red liquid. Not good for a pregnant girl no matter the species. I took her out for her pee (and Bean's peeeeeeeeeeee) and then brought Islay inside for a bath and an exam.
Can I just interupt here to say that it is very frustrating to be and hour and a half before the vet's office opens (yes it's 24 hours but the answering service for the same time arrival is doubly frustrating) and have your eyes on google. I mean God bless google (or whatever search engine you use, of course) for .... well everything. Years ago when I worked in an office they dubbed me 'Google Eyes' as I cannot resist looking up the answer to something I do not know. I adore the internet and it's information. But man alive, when you have an hour on your hands (and an iphone) you can drive yourself bananas searching in a panic!!
Thankfully, there are other options as well, like the online forums for canine fertility. I knew that what was happening wasn't good, but there was no obvious sign of infection and no smell to the discharge (HUGE apologies to the non-breeders for mentioning that - *ICK*). I was given great advice on "how much should I be panicking?" and called my Repro Vet the minute they opened to let them know I was already on my way. Good Repro Vets can be worth their weight in gold, and though they are farther away even in emergencies - check that - ESPECIALLY in emergencies with my girls I would never do differently.
This trip definitely paid off (well the bill was pretty high, too, but don't get me started on 'why are french bulldog puppies SO expensve??!!??' we'll be here listening to me rant about my whopping '23 cents an hour' as my one friend puts it). I was given the option to try to treat my puppy loving, prize breeding bitch via spay or medical treatment and after realizing her chances were very good with medical (meaning we would know well in advance if the treatment was not working and could still opt to spay at that point without adding any danger to her life) I opted to treat medically.
Islay spent the next six days winning over the entire veterinary staff and twisting them around her little paw. When she came home the following Wednesday I was delayed at the office for an additional ten minutes while each staff member came out to give her a hug, wish her all the best, and comment on what a wonderful disposition she has.
And so my great Islay is home, resting up and on her antibiotics for 6-8 weeks. AND eating her kibble..... with much regret on her part. The cause of the pyometria? Hard to say exactly, of course, but a pyometria is an invasion of bacteria introduced the uterus via the vaginal opening and my raw food loving dog is the only one of my troop that reaches all the way around to clean herself (yes, another wonderful trait of the frenchie is that not only can they not usually reach to clean themselves, they feel that as one of the human children they deserve to be clean like the others!). Let it just be said that a RAW food diet is not on my happy list this spring!
Islay will be bred on her next heat and every following until retired as prescribed - to lower her chances of a repeat encounter with pyo and the veterinary team in charge of her case has had a great amount of good results from medical treatment: 50% - 75% have carrying happy healthy pregnancies after recovery. With Islay being the olympian she is we have high hopes.
The moral to the story? 'Don't count your puppies before they hatch'? 'A watched pot never boils'? Nope. 'An ounce of prevention'. I do everything I can to ensure my troop is in the very best of shape.... so when illness or accident occurs (God forbid) it allows them much better chances of being in the right percentage for survival and recovery. The vet team agree that it very well may have saved her life. And well, 'watching them like a hawk' probably fits in there somewhere too.
And there ends the saga of the Islay baby belly this time around. We're sad, yes, but thankful she's doing well and back to her old self again. The best ending is room for a new chapter.
