Laboratory Diagnosis of Canine Pyometra

Abstract

The principal laboratory test used to confirm the pyometra diagnosis in the bitch has been the determination of the total white blood cell count in venous blood. A marked elevation is known to be a characteristic of the disease. In the present study, the white blood cell count was determined as well as the γ-globulin level. An elevation of the γ-globulin level and the total white blood cell count was very characteristic to the pyometra patients. The increase in the number of white blood cells nor the high γ-globulin level cannot be regarded specific for pyometra, therefore it was regarded important to find out a more specific test for pyometra. When sonicated E. coli bacteria were tested against sera from pyometra patients in electroimmunodiffusion, the precipitation was almost always detected when E. coli had been isolated from the uterus. This technique provides a quick method in detecting the causative E. coli infection. The present study suggests that whenever laboratory tests are used to confirm the pyometra diagnosis by the total white blood cell count, it is advantageous to analyze the total γ-globulin level in the serum as well as specific antibodies against a common E. coli antigen. Because of the reliability of the glutaraldehyde coagulation test and the simple technique, this can be suggested as the method of choice for an average small animal practice.