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Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #16: Canine Pyometra

Dog veterinary case - Easy - March 19, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. A 7-year-old entire female dog is presented for lethargy and reduced appetite.
  2. The owner reports increased drinking and urination over the past week.
  3. A malodorous vaginal discharge has recently been noticed at home.
  4. Physical examination reveals fever, depression, and abdominal discomfort.
  5. Bloodwork demonstrates leukocytosis with a left shift consistent with systemic inflammation.
  6. A hormonally primed uterus becomes infected, leading to accumulation of purulent material.

Diagnosis

Canine Pyometra

This case is most consistent with Canine Pyometra because the patient is an intact female dog with lethargy, polyuria-polydipsia, vaginal discharge, fever, and an inflammatory leukogram. The most important clues are the reproductive status, vaginal discharge, and systemic inflammatory changes, which strongly support uterine infection.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this dog case supports the provided diagnosis, Canine Pyometra, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: A 7-year-old entire female dog is presented for lethargy and reduced appetite.
  2. Clue 2: The owner reports increased drinking and urination over the past week.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: A malodorous vaginal discharge has recently been noticed at home.
  2. Clue 4: Physical examination reveals fever, depression, and abdominal discomfort.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: Bloodwork demonstrates leukocytosis with a left shift consistent with systemic inflammation.
  2. Clue 6: A hormonally primed uterus becomes infected, leading to accumulation of purulent material.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this dog case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Canine Pyometra?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Canine Pyometra?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.