Plasma samples were obtained from seven bitches during 10 oestrous periods. Progestogen concentrations were determined in 182 samples by radioimmunoassay and by both quantitative and qualitative enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) commercial kits. The concentrations determined by the quantitative ELISA were consistently higher than those measured by radioimmunoassay although the values were highly and significantly correlated. The qualitative ELISA readily distinguished between low and high progestogen concentrations, ie, less than 1.0 ng/ml and greater than 2.6 ng/ml measured by radioimmunoassay. Sequential evaluation with either kit, especially when combined with vaginal cytology, should be useful in determining the optimum time for mating.
Ten bitches were examined daily from pro-oestrus until metoestrus to correlate endocrine, vaginoscopic and cytological assessments of stage of the oestrous cycle. It was considered that oocytes were fertile by 4 days after the LH peak assuming a 2 day lag before ovulation and a further 2 days for oocyte maturation. Eight bitches showed a plasma LH peak and five bitches showed a peak in urinary LH, which corresponded to the plasma LH peak. Plasma concentration of progesterone increased in all bitches. Initially, this coincided with the preovulatory LH peak and reached values of 7.7 +/- 0.6 ng ml-1 4 days later. The peak in number of a nuclear vaginal epithelial cells and the onset and peak of vaginal mucosal shrinkage with angulation occurred on average 2.4 +/- 1.5, 2.1 +/- 2.4, and 6.1 +/- 1.1 days after the plasma LH peak, respectively, giving sufficient precision to be of practical value in estimating the fertile period. However, the onset of vulval softening, changes in rectal temperature and colour of the vulval discharge varied considerably. Nine of the bitches were mated at the time of highest percentage of a nuclear cells, coinciding with the onset of the period of vaginal mucosal shrinkage with angulation. Eight became pregnant. Selected clinical parameters are therefore useful in predicting the optimal mating time of bitches, as is detection of plasma progesterone concentration higher than about 8 ng ml-1, but the latter appears to be the most reliable method. Detection of the urinary LH peak was more difficult and as yet offers no practical advantages except from the point of view of easy sample collection.
Three previously fertile dogs were examined with a history of recent infertility. Semen evaluation revealed marked spermatozoal abnormalities, including lesions of the mid-piece region, poor spermatozoal motility and a low total spermatozoal output. The mean number of live normal spermatozoa was 21.1 +/- 17.4 x 10(6) spermatozoa. Examination of the testes with diagnostic B-mode ultrasound demonstrated solitary mass lesions which in each case were not palpable. Plasma oestrogen concentrations were elevated (mean, 43.0 +/- 8.5 pg/ml), and histologically the masses were shown to be Sertoli cell tumours. Several months after unilateral orchidectomy there was an increase in the percentage of normal spermatozoa and an increase in the spermatozoal motility and total spermatozoal output. The mean number of live normal spermatozoa was 149.8 +/- 22.9 x 10(6) spermatozoa and all the dogs subsequently returned to fertility. Ultrasonographic examination of the testes should be considered part of the routine investigation of the male reproductive tract.
In mammalian species there are significant physiological responses of the female reproductive tract to the deposition of sperm. These are particularly notable in species where sperm are deposited directly into the uterus, and function both to facilitate sperm transport to the sperm reservoir, and to eliminate introduced contaminants. In the bitch, sperm are deposited into the vagina and are rapidly transported through the open cervix. Sperm are then distributed around the uterus by uterine contractions such that transportation to the tip of the uterine horns occurs within 1 min of the start of mating. The main sperm reservoir appears to be the distal part of the utero-tubal junction which forms a pre-uterine tube reservoir. Sperm remain attached here by their heads to uterine epithelium and remain viable. In non-capacitating conditions sperm slowly detach from this site and this seems important to replenish the uterine tube reservoir, where sperm may re-attach to the epithelium. Post-ovulatory signals trigger capacitation changes and subsequent hyperactivated motility that is associated with detachment of sperm from both reservoirs; thus facilitating fertilization. After mating, a physiological post-mating uterine inflammatory response occurs, evidenced by an influx of polymorphonuclear neutrophils, increased uterine contractions, an increased uterine artery blood flow and a decrease of the resistance index indicating a short-duration vasodilation. Disturbance of this tightly regulated system has the potential to impact fertility by a failure of elimination of the introduced contaminants (such that a clinically-significant post-breeding endometritis ensues) but also by impairing sperm transport.
The sedative effects of a new α 2 ‐adrenoceptor agonist, romifidine, were compared with those of xylazine and detomidine. Five horses were treated with two doses of romifidine (40 μg/kg body weight and 80 μg/kg body weight), two doses of detomidine (10 μg/kg body weight and 20 μg/kg body weight) and one dose of xylazine (1 mg/kg body weight) given by intravenous injection using a Latin‐square design. The dose of 80 μg/kg romifidine appeared equipotent to 1 mg/kg xylazine and 20 μg/kg detornidine, although at these doses both xylazine and detomidine had a shorter action. Detomidine 20 μglkg and xylazine both produced greater lowering of the head and a greater degree of ataxia than romifidine at either dose. Romifidine produced sedation similar to that of the other drug regimes. The effect upon imposed stimuli was similar.
Working dog organisations regularly assess the behaviour of puppies to monitor progression. Here, we tested the predictive validity (for predicting success in guide dog training) of a shortened version of a previously developed juvenile dog behaviour questionnaire (the refined puppy walker questionnaire, r-PWQ) and compared it with the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ). The r-PWQ is used by Guide Dogs UK, whereas the C-BARQ was designed for pet dogs and is used by some other guide dog schools internationally. A cohort of dogs aged eight months (n = 359) were scored concurrently on the r-PWQ and C-BARQ. Analogous traits between the questionnaires were evaluated for internal consistency and association with training outcome and compared for concurrent validity. The r-PWQ was associated with training outcome for five scales (r-Excitability, Trainability, Animal Chase, r-Attachment and attention seeking and Distractibility) and the C-BARQ for two scales (Excitability and Separation-related behaviour). There were significant correlations between analogous C-BARQ and r-PWQ trait scores (p < 0.001) except for Separation-related behaviour and questionnaire scales had similar internal consistencies. The r-PWQ may be more suitable to use with guide dog schools. However, due to the correlation between analogous scales (except for “Distractibility”) some scales could be substituted for one another when reviewing the behaviour of dogs between guide dog schools using different questionnaires.
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