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Case Reports
. 2023 Jan 15;10(1):60.
doi: 10.3390/vetsci10010060.

Treatment of a Recurrent Pyometra by Surgical Uterine Drainage in a Main Coon Cat

Gianluca Martini  1 , Roberta Bucci  2 , Salvatore Parrillo  2 , Augusto Carluccio  2 , Maria Carmela Pisu  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Treatment of a Recurrent Pyometra by Surgical Uterine Drainage in a Main Coon Cat

Gianluca Martini et al. Vet Sci. .

Abstract

Pyometra is a uterine disease typical of the luteal phase of the estrus cycle. For selected patients, such as breeding subjects, ovariohysterectomy is not a valid resolutive option. Medical treatments involving cloprostenol and aglepristone have been developed for the cats, but they can be ineffective in rare cases. Transcervical drainage and flushing have been described for the dogs, as well as for large wild cats. However, to the author's knowledge, there are no report of uterine drainage in cats. The present case describes an alternative treatment of pyometra in a 3-year-old Main Coon previously treated with aglepristone. The patient underwent a laparotomy: the uterus was exposed, and a sterile urinary catheter was inserted into each horn, through the wall of the uterus, to allow the drainage of pathological collection and a subsequent lavage with lukewarm sterile saline. Medical treatment with aglepristone and marbofloxacin was associated. After treatment, no recurrence was reported, and the cat had an uneventful pregnancy. Although it is a unique case report, the results presented are promising, as the technique appears to have provided healing and preserved fertility. Further studies are needed to confirm its efficacy in the long-term prevention of recurrence.

Keywords: conservative treatment; feline reproduction; fertility; pyometra; uterine drainage.

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Conflict of interest statement

None of the authors have any conflict of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Uterine collection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Recurrence of pyometra after medical treatment.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The uterus is externalized.
Figure 4
Figure 4
A sterile catheter is inserted into the uterus through a 2 mm incision in the apex of each horn.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Detail of the size difference between left drained horn (*), and right, still to be drained. The arrow indicates the connection between the catheter and the surgical aspirator.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Sample of the fluid drained from the uterus.
Figure 7
Figure 7
US appearance of the uterus three days after treatment. No collection was detected.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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