EVALUATION OF CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY OF BLOOD IN BITCHES AFFECTED WITH PYOMETRA

Abstract

Nine pyometric and eight healthy bitches were included to evaluate their plasma biochemical, enzymatic
and sex steroid profile before and after ovario-hysterectomy. The pre-operative levels of plasma urea nitrogen
(PUN), creatinine and total cholesterol were significantly (P<0.01) higher in pyometric bitches than the normal
ones (60.78±10.03 vs 16.75±1.58 mg/di; 2.71±0.51 vs 0.85±0.10 mg/di and 256.52±25.19 vs 189.00±8.91 mg/di,
respectively). The post-operative levels of all three constituents, particularly PUN and creatinine, declined in cases
of pyometra. Plasma total protein (7.67±0.61 vs 5.70±0.28 g/dl) and globulin (5.29±0.41 vs 2.30±0.13 g/dl)
concentrations were significantly (P<0.01) higher and albumin (2.38±0.22 vs 3.40±0.28 g/dl) concentration was
lower in pyometric bitches than the healthy ones, thus significantly (P<0.01) reducing the albumin-globulin ratio
(0.45±0.02 vs 1.52± 0.15) in pyometra affected bitches. The pre-operative mean aspartate and alanine
aminotransferase (AST, ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were significantly higher (P<0.01) in bitches
affected with pyometra (66.33 ± 9.84 and 73.78 ± 8.78 IU/I, and 86.78 ± 13.20 KAU %, respectively) as compared
to healthy ones (32.50 ± 1. 70, 31.25 ± 1.46 IU/1 and 40.13 ± 2.59 KAU %). The levels of ALP were insignificantly
higher in cases of closed pyometra than the open ones, but not of AST or ALT. The levels of all 3 enzymes dropped
a little by 8-15 days following surgery in affected animals. Plasma progesterone profile was three times elevated
(11.20 ± 2.88 vs 4.1 O ± 0.91 ng/ml) and oestradiol-17b was insignificantly reduced (623.78 ± 235.75 vs 777.38 ±
174.02 pg/ml) in pyometric bitches than the normal ones. Moreover, the mean progesterone concentration was
significantly higher in cases of closed pyometra than the open ones (19.97 ± 2.88 vs 6.81 ± 2.59 ng/ml), and it
declined significantly within 8-15 days following ovario-hysterectomy. It was concluded that significant elevation in
serum biochemical and enzymatic profile together with progesterone in pyometric bitches as compared to normal
ones with the drop in their levels post-operatively is of diagnostic and prognostic value in canine pyometra.