Pet Care

Concept of Reproduction in the Canine and Feline: PRACTICAL TIPS

Team Pashudhan Praharee

December 7, 2020

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Concept of Reproduction in the Canine and Feline: PRACTICAL TIPS

Nutshell of Reproduction in the Canine and Feline

DR. RAKESH SINGH,TVO, MOTIHARI

The Canine

Bitch

Puberty – 6 mo.
Monoestrus
- One estrus during breeding season
Estrous Cycle
- Proestrus
- Estrus
- Metestrus or Diestrus
- Anestrus

Estrous Cylce (Non-Pregnant)

Proestrus (9 days)
- Vulva swollen
- Bloody discharge
- Attracted to male but does not mate
Estrus (9 days, ovulation day 2)
- Accepts male
- Straw-colored discharge
Metestrus or Diestrus (90 days)
- False pregnancy
Anestrus (5 months)
- Sexual inactivity

Estrous Cycle – Pregnant

Proestrus (9 days)
- Vulva swollen
- Bloody discharge
- Attracted to male but does not mate
Estrus (9 days, ovulation day 2)
- Accepts male
- Straw-colored discharge
Pregnant Metestrus/Diestrus (50 – 60 days)
- Pregnancy
- Parturition (63 days from ovulation)
Anestrus (5 months)
- Sexual inactivity

Mating

Occurs during estrus
Length of courtship by male is variable
- Licks vulva
- Bitch stands with tail to one side
Mounting
- Male mounts without erection and penetrates
- Os penis
- In vagina, male bulbus glandis engorges, thrusting
- Male dismounts and turns around but penis remains in vagina “the tie”
- Ejaculation
- Tie last 5 min to 1 hour

Canine Mating

Mate 2 times
- Days 11 and 13 after start of proestrus
  - Sperm lasts up to 7 days in female
- Infertility
  - Often from mating not at appropriate time
- Hormonal detection of ovulation
  - LH increase associated with progesterone >0.5 ng/ml
  - Ovulation progesterone 2-5 ng/ml

Pregnancy

63 days (58-68)
- Range due to dating from breeding not fertilization
Hormonal Changes
- Similar to not mated
- Progesterone maintained higher
- CL required to maintain pregnancy
- No placental progesterone
- Placental relaxin
- Drop in progesterone triggers parturition
Detection
- Adominal palpation at 3 – 4 weeks
- Ultrasound after day 16
Parturition
- Hormones similar to other farm animals

Parturition

Delayed Parturtion
- Primary inertia
  - Does not show signs of parturition
  - Does not progress from stage 1 – stage 2
  - If green fluid, Caesarian
  - Give oxytocin in several small doses
- Secondary inertia
  - Uterine exhaustion
  - Oxytocin

Estrus Control

Induction
- eCG
Prevention
- progestins

Disorders of the Bitch

Cystic endometrial hyperpalsia (pyometra)
- Uterus fills with fluid
  - Progesterone increases first
  - Contamination of uterus by vaginal bacteria
  - Toxemia results from absorption of fluid and endotoxins
- Thirst,vomiting, inappetence, shock, death
- 4-6 weeks after estrus
- Bitches >9 years that have not had a previous pregnancy
- Can be open or closed
- hysterectomy

Pyometria in a 10 year old bitch

Disorders of the Bitch

False pregnancy
- Normal to some extent
- 60 days after estrus
- May lactate, gain weight, nesting behavior
Mammary tummors
- Thought may be related to similarity to pregnancy and non-pregnancy

Disorders of the Male Dog

Hypersexuality
- Castrate
- Progesterone
Cryptorchidism
- Normal descent at days 7-10 after birth
- Should be removed if retained for >1 yr.

Artificial Insemination

Bitch does not accept the male
Shipment of semen
Minimize the number of breedings

Semen Collection in Dog

Insemination of the Bitch

Bitches ovulate around day 10 after they enter proestrus (discharge) or about 1 – 2 days of estrus.
- Ovulation can be detected by:
  - LH assay (peak LH value + one day)
  - Progesterone assay (>5 ng/ml)
  - Cytology of vaginal smear (>50% cornified cells)
Remember oocytes in the canine are ovulated as 1° oocytes and must mature in the oviduct to a 2° oocyte before fertilization.
Fresh or cooled semen, inseminate 2 days after ovulation detected and again 48 – 72 hr latter.
Frozen semen, inseminate on day 5 – 7 after ovulation
Uterine insemination better than cervical

Canine Breeding Management Practices Concept Note

Feline Reproduction

Domestication?
Female-Queen
Male – Tom
Puberty
- 6 – 9 months
Estrous Cycle
- Seasonal
  - January to September
  - House cats may cycle year round

Estrous Cycle

Pro-estrus
- 1 – 2 days
- Attracted to males
- Rubs head and neck on objects
- Vocalization, posturing and rolling
Estrus
- Accepts male
- 4 – 6 days if male present, 10 days if no male
- Ovulation 27 hours after mating (induced)
- Affectionate to aggressive towards owners

Estrous Cycle

Proestrus if queen did not ovulate
- 8 – 10 days
Diestrus after ovulation
- psuedopregnancy – 40 days
- pregnancy – 60 days
Anestrus 3 – 4 months

Hormonal Changes

Proestrus
- Estrogen increases due to follicular development
Estrus
- Estrogen high until ovulation
- Ovulation 27 hr after mating (vaginal stimulation)
Diestrus
- No Cl if mating does not occur, so no diestrus
- Cl produces progesterone (63 days, peak day 20)
- If pregnancy does not occur or fails, CL life only 1/2 that seen in pregnancy.

Mating

Queens call or vocalize (low moaning sound)
- Owners may think a sign of illness
During mating
- Tom bites neck female
- With erection penis faces forward

Mating

Queens call or vocalize (low moaning sound)
- Owners may think a sign of illness
During mating
- Tom bites neck female
- With erection penis faces forward
- Only lasts 30 seconds to 5 minutes
- As male dismounts female gives a loud copulatory call and Tom retreats
- Mating occurs 6 – 7 times until queen declines
- May occur for up to 4 days

Pregnancy

63 days
Diagnonsis
- Adominal palpation day 17 -25

Parturition

Similar to other species in events and hormonal control
Dystocia rare – caesarian
Uterine inertia – oxytocin

Control of Estrus

Ovariohysterectomy
Induction of Ovulation
- HCG
- Vaginal Stimulation
Prevention of estrus
- progestins

Disorders of the Queen

Psuedo-pregnancy
- Mating to sterile male
- Vaginal stimulation or hormonal stimulation
Cystic endometrial hyperplasia (Pyometra)
- Same as in bitch
Failure to cycle
- Stress, poor nutrition, disease, inadequate light, cystic follicles

Diseases of the Tom Cat