spayed rat bleeding rom vagina

Question
QUESTION: My 2+ year old rat, who was spayed a year ago today started bleeding from her vagina.  Last week, she was also showing signs of heat, but because her abdomen was distended and swollen, we thought it was a bladder infection and treated her with antibiotics.

what is wrong with my rat?  Did the vet miss an ovary or something during the spay?  Can she be saved?  Thanks, Jo

ANSWER: Hi Jo

Is there any way you can find out how the rat was spayed? The reason I ask is because there is one way that some vets spay that only allows for the removal of the ovaries but leaves the uterus intact.
If that is the case, she still has a uterus and can still get infections in the uterus as well as tumors.  

If you can remember where the surgical site was on your rat, this would help alot.

Let me know...I will be on stand by waiting to hear from you!


Sandra

PS- From just this little bit of info I will say YES she can be saved with treatment (antibiotics)

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for such a quick reply.  Snap Pea bled trough the antibiotics, and my new vet was not going to be in town till Thursday, to I took her to the old vet.  Exploratory surgery found a stump pyometra, which was removed.  But it does not look good for ratty.  She is having a hard time recovering from the surgery, despite a hot water bottle and metacam.  She was eating and drinking, but is no longer interested.  Do you know how a spayed rat can go into heat 7 months later?  Is it the new vet's fault, or just something that happens because rats are small and harder to spay?

ANSWER: Thats a shame....it appears to be the fault of the Vet, although I hate to blame the vet.

I must ask though, is the vet an real certified exotic specialist? So many vets say they treat exotics but if they are not part of the AEMV they are NOT real exotic vets. Is she home already after surgery?
She should be kept under strict nursing supervision and in a very warm enclosure with narcotic pain medications, not just metacam.
Metacam is not much better than motrin and due to the possibility of bleeding should not be given the first 48 hrs after surgery.

I am hoping she is on aggressive antibiotic treatment right now too.

If you want me to find out the vets credentials let me know...but this should never had occured.

Uterine stump pyometra may occur after incomplete ovariohysterectomy (spay) which allows a segment of the uterine body or horn to become infected. This means that the vet did not properly spay your girl. A skilled vet should have gotten ALL of the uterus.

I would be raising hell.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: My rat died a few minutes ago, maybe 6 hours following surgery.  The thought of raising hell is heartbreaking, though I will think about it.  Is there any chance this is not the vet's fault?  I would have to ask one vet to stand against another.

Answer
Ohhhhhhhh my gosh no!!!!  That is just terrible. I am so sorry. My heart just aches for you!

I just have to ask you if the vet is experienced with rats and if he is an exotic vet.  A real exotic vet has all the proper implements to perform surgery like a routine spay and no contents of the uterus should be left. THis is a grave error on the vets part. If the vet misled you into thinking he or she was a real exotic specialist, you have every reason to be angry, but if you understood he was not a real exotic vet but treated them without claiming to be a specialist, its not his fault because he did not have the proper continued education to really be qualified in treating exotics.

Your rat should have not even have been home with you just 6 hours after surgery. Rats lose body heat fast and need to be kept in a warmed enclosure with narcotic pain medication and fluids given and total supportive nursing care, not sent home with the keeper. I am glad she was with you but she did not belong home. This is not proper post operative care.  How long after surgery did they send that little girl home?  
I am just totally shaken by the lack of professonalism here. Its NOT your fault, but it is someone elses fault here, and its not just one mistake but several.

You may not want to make waves and I understand that, but I would never ever step foot in the vets office that did the spay previously and whoever did her today and allowed her to be sent home in critcal condition should not be operating on rats. SHe had a serious infection going through her and it probably caused sepsis on top of everything. SHe should have been heavily sedated and should have been given IVs of aggressive antibiotics to prevent spread of infection after surgery. 30 gage needles are used in this case and only exotic vets carry that size. In fact I can almost bet my left arm a regular vet doesnt even realize a rat can have an IV !
I am just so sorry and wish I could change things for you and your sweet old girl.  You did the right thing by spaying her, to spare her from having any problems with her reproductive organs that afflict our females and you trusted the vet that it was all ok, and now....this.

Its not right.....