To compare the efficacy and safety of two protocols using a combination of
aglepristone and
cloprostenol for the treatment of open cervix
pyometra in the bitch and to describe the
progesterone (P4) serum profiles before and during treatments, 15 bitches were randomly allocated into two treatment groups: I (n = 8):
aglepristone was administered at 10mg/kg, s.c., on Days 1, 3, 8, and 15 (if not cured), combined with
cloprostenol at the dose of 1 microg/kg, s.c., on Days 3 and 8, and II (n = 7): received the same treatment with
aglepristone as Treatment I but
cloprostenol on Days 3, 5, 8 10, 12, and 15 (if not cured). Before the beginning of the treatments and then on Days 8, 15, and 29 all bitches were evaluated for clinical signs, side effects, hemogram, serum P4 concentrations, and uterus diameters. Bitches in both treatment groups, with (n = 6) or without (n = 9; > or =1.2 ng/ml) initial basal P4 serum concentrations, achieved treatment success without side effects and no significant differences, either on Day 15 (6/8 for Treatment I and 4/7 for Treatment II) or on Day 29 (2/8 for Treatment I and 3/7 for Treatment II). In both treatments groups, clinical signs, blood parameters, and uterine diameters improved to normal values throughout the experiments. A significant interaction between day and treatment was found for percentage change in P4 when all bitches were considered together. Redevelopment of
pyometra in the next estrous cycle occurred in 20% of the bitches. One nonrecurrent bitch was mated and whelped a normal litter. It is concluded that these two combined protocols proved to be efficient and safe in reversing clinical signs of open cervix
pyometra independently of initial P4 concentrations and that the number of
cloprostenol administrations seemed to have an effect on P4 serum changes throughout treatments.