Objective Various facultative pathogenic bacteria have been detected in the dog's prepuce. To prevent the transmission of these bacteria, some breeders flush the prepuce of their stud dogs before mating. The purpose of this study is to find out whether preputial flushing is medically useful before mating. Material and methods 20 male dogs participated in the study. Their prepuce was flushed with physiological saline and minimum 4 weeks later with Caniprevent. The effect of the different solutions was compared using microbiological examinations of swab samples taken before and after flushing. Results The most frequently identified bacterial species were Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus pseudintermedius , Streptococcus canis and mycoplasma. There was no significant difference in the number of bacteria detected in dogs with and without preputial discharge (p=0.878). After the flushing there was a significant decrease in bacterial growth. The bacterial reduction after preputial flushing with Caniprevent was 20.8% (p<0.001) and in that more pronounced than after flushing with NaCl (p=0.004). Conclusion Although a reduction in bacteria through preputial flushing could be detected in this study, the medical benefits of prophylactic flushing cannot yet be assessed.

Zusammenfassung Gegenstand und Ziel Im Präputium des Rüden können verschiedene fakultativ pathogene Bakterien nachgewiesen werden. Um diese zu reduzieren, spülen einige Züchter/-innen das Präputium ihrer Deckrüden vor dem Deckakt. Ziel dieser Studie ist es, herauszufinden, ob Präputialspülungen vor dem Deckakt medizinisch sinnvoll sind. Material und Methoden Bei 20 Rüden wurde das Präputium mit physiologischer Kochsalzlösung und im Abstand von mindestens 4 Wochen mit Caniprevent gespült. Der Effekt der unterschiedlichen Spüllösungen wurde mittels mikrobiologischer Untersuchungen von Tupferproben, die vor und nach der Spülung genommen wurden, verglichen. Ergebnisse Am häufigsten wurden Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, Streptococcus canis und Mykoplasmen identifiziert. Es konnte kein signifikanter Unterschied in der Anzahl der nachgewiesenen Bakterien bei Hunden mit und ohne Präputialkatarrh (p=0,878) ermittelt werden. Nach den Spülungen kam es zu einer signifikanten Abnahme des Bakterienwachstums, wobei die Bakterienreduktion nach Präputialspülung mit Caniprevent mit 20,8% (p<0,001) ausgeprägter war als nach einer Spülung mit NaCl (p=0,004). Schlussfolgerung Obwohl in dieser Studie eine Reduktion von Bakterien durch Präputialspülungen nachgewiesen wurde, können medizinische Vorteile einer prophylaktischen Spülung derzeit noch nicht eingeschätzt werden. Klinische Relevanz Im Hinblick auf den Präputialkatarrh und Präputialspüllösungen gibt es weiteren Forschungsbedarf, um die Tierhalter/-innen besser aufklären und beraten zu können.

In recent years several studies established the diagnostic value of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in companion animals. However, less is known about physiological AMH concentrations in young individuals highlighting the necessity to apply the diagnostic findings to this group. The aim of this study was to determine the AMH values of healthy male and female dogs between the age of 8 and 48 weeks, tomcats under 8 weeks and up to 48 weeks of age and queens between 2 to 12 weeks of age. In total, 96 blood samples were collected. Anti-Müllerian hormone was measured in all samples and testosterone was measured in the oldest age group of the males in both species. The hormones were analyzed using a human based chemiluminescence immune assay. Overall, AMH concentrations were higher in males than in females (p < 0.001). According to the AMH concentration there was no difference in males, but queens had significant higher AMH concentrations than bitches (p < 0.001). AMH remained high in males up to week 24 and decreased significantly thereafter (tomcats: p = 0.015; male dogs: p = 0.013), which correlated with an increase in testosterone levels for male dogs only. In bitches, AMH remained below the detection limit until the week 16 and slightly increased subsequently. In queens, AMH was detectable from the beginning with a significant increase in the older age group (p = 0.003). Half of the cats in the older age group even approached the chemiluminescence immune assay’s upper limit. The results show that female cats secrete AMH much earlier than female dogs in which AMH secretion begins just shortly before the start of the puberty. In the male animals, the decrease in AMH concentration around puberty was similar in dogs and cats, but a correlation with the increase of testosterone was only observed in dogs. Further research is required to determine the origin of the high AMH concentrations in female kittens and the lack of correlation between testosterone and AMH concentrations in male kittens.

OBJECTIVES:Ovarian remnant syndrome (ORS) is suspected when heat signs occur in spayed individuals, but further diagnostic procedures are necessary to exclude other possible oestrogen sources, such as the adrenal gland or exogenous supplementation. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), secreted by granulosa cells or Sertoli cells, serves to differentiate sexually intact from gonadectomised animals and has been described in dogs as a tool for diagnosing ORS. The aim of this study was to evaluate if AMH determination can be used to diagnose ORS in cats. METHODS:AMH was measured with a chemiluminescence immunoassay in serum samples of 15 sexually intact, 9 spayed and 16 cats with a history of heat signs after spaying. Abdominal ultrasound (n = 13), vaginal smears (n = 7), progesterone measurement (n = 5) and laparotomy (n = 14) were used to determine the presence of ovarian tissue. After surgery, a histological examination of the obtained tissue was performed in the cats with suspected ORS. RESULTS:In 15 cats with ORS the AMH serum concentrations were significantly higher than in spayed cats (n = 10; P = 0.025) and significantly lower than in sexually intact cats (n = 15; P = 0.001). Among the cats with ORS, the highest AMH serum concentrations were measured in the queens with cystic ovarian alterations and in one cat from which a whole ovary was obtained. The cat with the lowest AMH serum concentration had a simultaneous high progesterone serum concentration. Cats with ORS did not show any heat signs after surgical removal of the ovarian tissue. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:A single determination of AMH in blood serum is a useful diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of ORS in cats, regardless of the hormonal activity of the remnant ovarian tissue.

Studies in cats and dogs have proven the usefulness of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) as a diagnostic tool to determine the castration status or to diagnose ovarian remnant syn-drome. Yet the secretion pattern of AMH over the estrous cycle in queens has not been investigated so far. Seven healthy sexually intact female cats were examined daily for signs of estrous behavior over a trial period of 4 months. Five queens showed regular estrous behavior, 1 queen was mated in her first heat and 1 queen never showed any signs of heat. To distinguish between inter-estrus and metestrus progesterone levels were determined. Serum samples for AMH and progesterone measurement were collected from the regular cycling queens in late anestrus, at several times during heat, inter-estrus and metestrus, from the mated queen during her first heat and during pregnancy, and in the acycling queen at various times during the trial period. The measured AMH values in anestrus were significantly ( P < 0.05) higher than in heat ( P < 0.001), metestrus ( P = 0.12) and inter- estrus ( P = 0.449). In anestrus the median AMH levels were 10.26 ng/ml (range 4.96 to 22.90 ng/ml), in heat 5.97 ng/ml (range 3.32- 22.96 ng/ml), in inter-estrus 10.47 (range 3.35-22.96 ng/ml) and in metestrus 6.38 ng/ml (range 4.50-10.75 ng/ml. The pregnant cat showed median AMH concentrations of 6.47 ng/ml (range 5.60-9.80 ng/ml) during her pregnancy. The acycling queen had solely low AMH values with a median concentration of 0.39 ng/ml. In conclusion there were high variations of the AMH levels among and within the individual cats and between heat cycles in the single cat. Remarkable high AMH con-centrations were measured in the younger queens of the study in their first estrous cycles and also in anestrus, when less ovarian activity is expected. Further studies are necessary to emphasize the reasons for these high AMH concentrations especially in young queens.(c) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An 8-year-old primiparous Labrador Retriever bitch was presented to the clinic 46 hours following the delivery of 2 vital and one stillborn puppy due to an increase of vaginal discharge. At the veterinary clinic, the dog spontaneously delivered an additional healthy puppy without any obstetric support. The findings of the general and gynaecological examinations as well as results of blood analyses were within normal limits. This case shows that extremely prolonged whelping process may be a rare but possible phenomenon in bitches. However, it is recommended to re-evaluate dam and fetuses regularly in case the inter-whelping interval exceeds the normal time span in order to recognize further signs of dystocia and induce obstetric support when clinically indicated.

ZusammenfassungEine 8-jährige erstgebärende Labrador-Retriever-Hündin wurde aufgrund von verstärktem Vaginalausfluss 46 Stunden nach der Geburt von 2 lebenden und einem toten Welpen vorgestellt. Kurz nach ihrer Ankunft gebar die Hündin spontan einen weiteren lebenden Welpen. Die allgemeine und gynäkologische Untersuchung der Mutterhündin ergaben ebenso wie eine vollständige Blutuntersuchung unauffällige Befunde. Dieser Fall zeigt, dass in Ausnahmefällen auch bei der Hündin eine extrem verlängerte Austreibungsphase möglich ist. Grundsätzlich wird jedoch empfohlen, die Hündin sowie die Feten während einer verlängerten Austreibungsphase regelmäßig zu untersuchen, um eine Veränderung der Vitalparameter rechtzeitig zu erkennen und gegebenenfalls geburtshilfliche Maßnahmen einzuleiten.

Because of few available data on semen parameters in small breed dogs, the study aimed to analyse semen and measure testes of dogs < 10.0 kg bodyweight. Semen was collected from 41 fertile stud dogs which were divided based on bodyweight: group 1 < 5.0 kg, and group 2 between 5.1 and 10.0 kg. Median values for ejaculate volume (group 1: x ̃ 1.2 mL; group 2: x ̃ 2.2 mL), total sperm output (group 1: x ̃ 110.7 x 106; group 2: x ̃ 215.1 x 106) and testicular volume (group 1: left testicle x ̃ 2.8 mL, right testicle x ̃ 2.7 mL ; group 2: left testicle x ̃ 5.5 mL, right testicle x ̃ 5.0 mL) were lower in group 1 compared to dogs of group 2 (P = 0.001; P = 0.001; both testes: P < 0.001). There was no difference in sperm concentration (P = 0.985). Based on these results introduction of an additional weight group to the commonly used reference values is recommended, since values for ejaculate volume, total sperm output and testicular dimensions for dogs < 5.0 kg bodyweight differed significantly from values of dogs with a bodyweight from 5.1 to 10.0 kg.