Pregnancy and spontaneous partial abortion associated with salmonella in a dog

Abstract

A 2-year mixed breed dog was presented on day 50 after breeding for an emergency condition (greenish brown vulvar discharge and abortion). The patient was underweight (lower body condition score), had nonfetid vulvar discharge, and was negative for Ferguson reflux. Patient had 10 premature fetuses (determined via transabdominal ultrasonography and radiography). Serum progesterone concentration was 1.25 ng/ml. Overnight hospitalization therapies included intravenous fluids, terbutaline, fenbendazole, altrenogest, progesterone, and antibiotics. Based on vaginal discharge culture results (salmonella), antibiotics treatment was altered. Three days later, neutrophilia with left shift and a fetal death were observed. Because cesarean surgery with ovariohysterectomy was declined by the owner, altrenogest and terbutaline treatments were discontinued to permit whelping. Patient was in dystocia after delivering 2 stillborn and 2 live pups. One pup was delivered medically and 1 necrotic pup via cesarean surgery. Intrauterine culture (collected during surgery) was negative. On day 7 postpartum, the patient and 3 remaining pups were healthy. This case demonstrated the difficulties of managing fetal-placental infections.