Culture of intrauterine secretion of female dogs during ovary hysterectomy for empirical choice of antimicrobials

Abstract

Pyometra occurs mainly in older animals; however, the use of progestogens contributes for the younger females to be affected as well. Its treatment consists of fluid therapy, antibiotic therapy and ovariohysterectomy, and the choice of antimicrobial, generally, is based on the knowledge of the agents most commonly isolated in this type of infection and to which active principles they are sensitive. Nevertheless, it is known that over time bacteria acquire natural resistance to antibiotics and that this resistance is usually accelerated by their indiscriminate use. In that sense, studies that update which antimicrobials are efficient to fight bacterial infections are important and necessary, especially, because when diagnosing an animal with pyometra, the antibiotic therapy should be initiated immediately and the choice of the active principle, at least, in the first moment, is empirical. Therefore, the objective of this work was to determine the microbiological profile, through culture and antibiogram, of the intrauterine content of bitches submitted to elective ovary hysterectomy, thus contributing to a more conscious and effective empirical choice in the treatment of these infections.