Publikationsdatenbank

Progesterone concentrations during canine pregnancy and parturition parameters (2022)

Art

Poster

Autoren

Hinderer, Janna (WE 19)

Luedeke, Julia (WE 19)

Riege, Lisa (WE 19)

Haimerl, Peggy (WE 19)

Bartel, Alexander (WE 16)

Kohn, Barbara (WE 20)

Weber, Corinna

Mueller, Elisabeth

Arlt, Sebastian P. (WE 19)

Kongress

23rd Congress of the European Veterinary Society for Small Animal Reproduction (EVSSAR)

Athens/online, 01. – 02.10.2021

Quelle

Reproduction in domestic animals = Zuchthygiene

Bandzählung: 57

Heftzählung: Supplement 2

Seiten: 32 – 33

ISSN: 0936-6768

Sprache

Englisch

Verweise

URL (Volltext): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/rda.14066

DOI: 10.1111/rda.14066

Kontakt

Klein- und Heimtierklinik

Oertzenweg 19 b
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 62422
kleintierklinik@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Introduction and objectives:
Pregnancy and lactation are amongst the most challenging phases of a bitch’s life due to significant endocrinological and metabolic changes. Most studies focusing on the endocrinological aspect of pregnancy consider only a small number of animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate progesterone (P4) concentrations in a large number of bitches in all trimesters of pregnancy and to compare certain parturition parameters to previously published results.

Materials and methods:
For this study, 123 healthy bitches of 65 different breeds were enrolled after ovulation timing. Each bitch was examined once in every trimester of pregnancy for clinical health and blood samples were taken to determine the P4 concentration (Immulite 2000 XPi, Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Erlangen, Germany). The first appointment, T1, took place 11– 19 days after ovulation, then second one, T2, which included an ultrasound, after 23– 32 days. The last appointment, T3, was scheduled shortly before parturition, 52–60 days after ovulation.

Results:
At the examinations during the first and second trimester, the mean serum P4 concentrations did not differ between the pregnant and the non- pregnant dogs (T1 30.95 ± 6.65 ng/ml pregnant vs. 27.20 ± 6.26 ng/ml non- pregnant; T2 21.85 ± 6.27 ng/ml pregnant vs. 22.90 ± 5.77 ng/ml non- pregnant). Only the last examination showed a significant ( p < 0.001) difference, with the pregnant bitches exhibiting higher P4 concentrations than the non- pregnant ones (6.59 ± 2.18 ng/ml pregnant; 2.80 ± 2.26 ng/ml non- pregnant). In context of a potential hypoluteoidism, a significant number of pregnant dogs did not meet the proposed minimum P4 concentrations suggested by Becher et al. 2010. At T1 six dogs had a P4 below 20 ng/ml (lowest 12.80 ng/ml), at T2 this number increased to 33 dogs (lowest 11.40 ng/ml). In addition, at T3 19 dogs had P4 concentrations lower than 5 ng/ml (lowest 2.39 ng/ml 7 days before birth). All these dogs came to term without supplementation and without complications.
In total, 83 bitches delivered naturally on days 59– 67 after ovulation (mean 63). Due to dystocia, 15 bitches delivered via C- section on days 61– 68 after ovulation (mean 63). The average litter consisted of six puppies. In this study litter size and gestation length and their influencing factors were also examined. The average litter size increased with body weight ( p < 0.001) and was also influenced by age ( p = 0.03; peak at 3– 4 years). Gestation length was significantly shorter in larger litters ( p = 0.03).

Conclusions:
The data presented in this study confirm the accepted progress of P4 concentrations during pregnancy and metestrus. Although some of the P4 concentrations fall below previously described minimum values (Becher, Wehrend et al. 2010), there were no pre- term labours or abortions in this study that could have been ascribed to hypoluteoidism.