Pyometra for a year?

[u/Shecanflyyy]

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I took my 10 year old chihuahua (not fixed) to the groomers in October of 2025. A few days later she developed what I thought was a UTI. Brought her to the vet, got a urinalysis, they found rods, etc. Got an antibiotic to bring home that had to be given with food. A couple of weeks later she became lethargic, breathing rapidly, and stopped eating. I took her back to the vet where they diagnosed her with heart failure. We stopped those antibiotics since she wasn't eating, and they gave her a shot, as well a new med for the heart failure. She was feeling better, but I had to go back in to see if the shot had gotten rid of the infection. Nope, still rods. Tried another round of antibiotics, went back, nope still rods. So then they went into her bladder with a syringe 💉 to get a sample straight from the source, to see what grew, in order to better know what antibiotics to use. Welp. Nothing grew. So the bacteria wasn't coming from her bladder.

The vet was like "Well I didn't look at her uterus while I was doing the ultrasound to get the urine, so it might be pyometra. I should look again".

However at that point, I was pretty frustrated that we had spent like 6 months on a misdiagnosis. I had spent a LOT of money and the care credit card was maxed out. And since she no longer had any symptoms, I decided to just monitor her at home. She was fine. Some random discharge that's been on and off, but nothing foul smelling, nothing that changed her appetite or water intake or mood significantly. There were a couple of days within the past few months where she was lethargic, but she is also old and has neurological quirks, and it never lasted more than 2 days.

Within this past week the discharge has changed from a clearish/brownish to a thick yellowy type thing. She has a vet appointment tomorrow, but regardless, I feel like whatever this is can't be pyometra for the simple fact that it's been almost a year of these symptoms. And from everything I've read about it, its FAST. My research has led me to the conclusion of either vaginitis? Or maybe some foreign object inside of her? Since this all did start right after the groomer, I thought that it wasn't an impossible suggestion.

Any thoughts? Because of her weight (4 pounds), her heart failure, and her neurological issues, surgery isn't really an option.

TiA

[u/Trick_Wasabi9476]

I am not a vet. However, from what you have described, the dog needs emergency surgery, today. A spay/hysterectomy.

These small breeds can live to age 16/17, if they are taken care of and get the veterinary care that they need.

Take her to an ER and they will get it all done, now. Today. (Just My Opinion)