TV4101 - SAM - Canine & Feline Oestrous and Management

Repro tract of bitch - What are each of the arrows?

External Genitalia - What is what?

Male Dog anatomy - what is what?

Features of note?

• Note testes are oriented horizontally and

the epididymis is located dorsally

• Large prostate gland which is palpable per

rectum

• Recall that dogs have an os penis

Tomcat - anatomy

What is what?

Features of note?

Testes are oriented horizontally to diagonally and the epididymis is located cranioventrally

What is this?

How does this structure work?

Features?

Feline penis: 120-150 spines on the glans of an intact male cat. Start to appear around 12 weeks of age and disappear about 6 weeks after castration, illustrating that their presence is testosterone dependent

Canine - Oestrous cycle stages and features?

What is each?

Features?

Stage?

What is each?

Features?

Stage?

What is each?

Features?

Stage?

Vaginoscopy: summary?

Vaginal cytology

Method to collect and examine?

Vaginal cytology

• Under the influence of oestrogen?

Result?

Clinical use: Used to determine?

The number of layers of cells within the epithelium increases, increasing the distance between the most superficial layers and the local blood supply

Cellular death of the most superficial cells

Stage of the oestrous cycle and as a very useful BIOASSAY for the presence (or recent presence) of oestrogen

Vaginal Cytology - Cell types and features?

Which is which?

Vaginal Cytology - What is SCI?

Vaginal Cyto - The different slides, stages and features?

Vaginal Cyto - What is this?

Defined as?

The first day of cytological dioestrus (D1)

• Defined as the first day that the SCI drops by more than 20% (with an increase of at least 10% small intermediate or parabasal cells)

Vaginal Cyto - why is D1 helpful?

Marks the end of the fertile period

• Stop further inseminations (an AI done on D1 has a very small chance of being successful. Beyond D1 – definitely too late!)

• Retrospectively, if you inseminated the bitch within the four days previous to D1, then your timing was GREAT

Why is D1 helpful - Whelping aspect?

The bottom line on vaginoscopy and vaginal cytology?

Fresh semen AI or natural breeding

Breed when?

How many matings/AIs?

Lifespan of fresh semen aspect?

How do we do a fresh semen AI:

Checking?

Dose?

Carefully?

Insertion?

Passage?

Lift bitch aspect?

After expelling semen?

Hormonal Assay

LH

Features?

Hormonal Assay

P4

Sample?

When to use?

LH surge?

Ovulation occurs around?

We like to see?

Aim to breed when?

Frozen and chilled semen aspects?

What this?

Features?

How use?

What this?

Banned where?

Frozen semen AI

Fresh semen AI or natural breeding

Breed when?

How many times?

Lifespan of semen when fresh?

Semen lifespan?

Sexual reflexes - aspects?

Vulvar consistency - aspects?

Vaginoscopy

How to do?

Role of oestrogen

Physical changes?

Behaviour changes?

• Oedema – swelling of the vulva and the

vaginal mucosal folds

• Thickening of the vaginal epithelium

• Bleeding from endometrium

Attracting the male and getting the bitch ready for mating

Role of progesterone

• Stimulate further development of endometrial glands

• Stimulate secretion by endometrial glands

• Suppress contractility of uterus

• Close the cervix

• Suppress the leukocyte response in the uterus

• Get the bitch mated

• Keep her pregnant (or thinking she is)

The bitch’s cycle is pretty unique

In what ways

• “Standing heat” (although variable) is associated with decreasing oestrogen and increasing progesterone levels

• Progesterone levels start to increase BEFORE ovulation

• The bitch ovulates primary oocytes (not immediately fertilizable)

• Primary oocytes undergo meiosis I to be ready for fertilization – process takes 48 to 72 hours

Monitoring the oestrous cycle of the bitch

What ways can we do this?

• Behaviour

• Sexual reflexes

• Vulvar consistency

• Vaginoscopy

• Vaginal cytology

• Hormone assays: Progesterone (and LH)

Non-preg bitch oestrous cycle diagram

Preg bitch oestrous cycle diagram

Take home messages: Progesterone

Feline

Puberty?

Oestrous behaviour?

Ovulation aspects?

Oestrous duration?

Gestation length?

Non-mated queen diagram

Queen - Ovulation without conception diagram

Queen - Ovulation followed by pregnancy diagram