Diagnosis of endometritis in the bitch

Endometritis refers to an inflammation of the uterine mucosa that does not extend beyond the stratum spongiosum. Recent studies indicate it is a common finding in 30-50% of bitches suffering from infertility/subfertility. This disorder is subclinical, and its diagnosis involves sampling the uterus, whether it is by performing a cytology from flushing the organ or histology on collected uterine biopsies. Its pathophysiology remains unclear in 2021. Some cases are associated with cystic endometrial hyperplasia, which leads to disruption in the uterine clearance mechanisms after breeding ; while other appear as a pure inflammatory process. While we don’t have all the answers yet, there is no doubt today that these disorders must be included in the differential diagnosis of infertility in the bitch. The work that has already been done on this topic already offers some idea on how to approach these cases in our veterinary clinics.