Fertility. Mating, Breeding and Whelping
Angelika von Heimendahl
Pro oestrus Luteal Hormone
Peak 2 days
Oesteus Ovulation + 2 days
Fertilisation
Period + 3 days
Di oestrus End
Fertile period 10 days (sperm survives over 7 days)
Time when eggs can be fertilised 3 days
(Alpha bitches)
Ideal mating days 11 and 13 (min 7, max 28)
Vaginal swabs of questionable value
Antibiotics also destroy healthy bacteria, it is normal to have limited mixed strep, staph etc
Brucella is the only venereal disease and is not present in UK.
The wrong time of mating is the most common cause of infertility
Optimum mating time
Vaginal cytology
Blood progesterone
Endoscopy to see cervix as far in.
Measuring hormones
Oestradiol
LH
Progesterone (most useful)
Progesterone tests:-
Predict and confirm ovulation
Silent heats
Monitor luteal function
Predict parturition
Once progesterone starts to rise, it doubles approx every 2 days.
Mate bitch 1 4 days post ovulation
Progesterone, down. Temp, down.
Semen evaluation
Morphology
Primary defects spermatogenesis
Secondary defects maturation
Tertiary defects ejaculation
Male fertility is age related
5 yrs of age onwards, sperm defects not uncommon
Chilled semen can travel on pet passport
AI with dogs in UK only permitted when dog is over 15 years or dead.
Cryptorchidism
Hereditary recessive gene
Most are genetic
Herpes Caninum
Contact disease, not venereal
Vaccination now available 10 days after mating and 10 days before whelping
Recommended for bitches who have had reabsorption and dying puppies
Noisy screaming puppies. (brain)
May cause abortions in last 3 weeks of pregnancy
Dam has to be immunologically naοve at time of infection during pregnancy.
Pups are infected in utero or during birth
Species specific
? More common in Europe, not Scandanavia.
Do not move pregnant bitches to new environment and try to not introduce new animals into the household.
Neo natology
10 20% mortality in UK, even when supervised. This is high
5% in other countries
Many litters lose 1 or 2 pups
Complications can predispose pups to certain complications
Neonates have no temperature regulation for 2 weeks
Heart rate 200 250 beats per min
Mucous membrane check for hydration.
Check for cleft palates - ?folic acid in some breeds
Coat
Discharge
Abdomen should be well rounded (check for inperforate anus)
Response to stimuli and sucking reflex
Hypothermia mild = restlessness, crying, cold to touch
- Severe = quiet, sleepy
Causes decrease in gut motility. If overfed, the diaphragm will move up due to abdominal distention, causing further respiratory embarrassment.
What to do
Warm up pup first slowly
Check frequently
Fluids should be no more than 2 degrees warmer
If done too quickly cyanosis, diarrhoea and fitting
Immunology
90% passive immunity through colostrums
Do not move dams in last trimester, before or after whelping.
Permeability of gut for immunoglobulins starts to fall after 8 hours and not possible after 48 hours
Passive immunity can last 6 16 weeks and may interfere with vaccination.
Change disinfectant used every 2 years (DEFRA website)
1st vaccination ? 8 weeks
Fading Puppies
Sudden onset
Starts 24 hours - ?2 weeks
Immediate treatment:- antibiotics, warmth, fluids.
Treat whole litter, not just those who are symptomatic.
Complications can be due to poor care and attention, reluctance to consult a vet (costs, results)
Drugs in Reproduction
Alizin primary use, mis mating. Can be used in pyometra in bitches too old for surgery or to stabilise. Can also be used in younger bitches with pyo where surgery not 1st choice. It is expensive. Has good efficacy. Can also be used to induce parturition.
Suprelorin implant. Used for chemical castration of dogs. To treat incontinence
Ypozane for prostate hyperplasia. Quick acting
UK has the highest neutering rate in the world
7% Norway 80% UK
Elective surgery on a healthy animal.
Neutering is prohibited in Scandanavia and Germany except for medical reasons.
Dogs are the only species with man to develop enlarged prostate or prostatitis.
Neutered
Less mammary tumours Higher rate of urinary incontinence
Less ovarian and prostate cancers Higher rate of some cancers
Less hernias and adenomas More diabetes and obesity
Genetics Dr Jeff Sampson
Jeff Sampson is a molecular biologist
20 -30 000 years ago, man started to domesticate dogs in the Far East.
Most breeds 2-300 years old
Pointers and setters were used as hunting dogs before guns were in use.
1856 1st dog show
1873 KC formed
Developing a new breed
1 Start with relatively few founders, eg Golden retrievers (1856) 6 founder dogs.
Shallow gene pool.
2 Intense line (in) breeding and selection to fix the new type.
Immediate reduction in gene pool as some offspring are discarded.
3 Early establishment of breed register the breeds gene pool is effectively closed to the introduction of extra genetic variation
4 Continued line breeding.
Overuse of popular sires
Natural disasters eg World War 2
Leads to even further assault on the breeds genetic variation
1990 no knowledge of DNA
20 000 different genes
Each dog has 2 copies (alleles) of every gene (DNA)
Complete set from each parent
Changes by mutation. Alleles derived by mutation natural, chemical, radiation
Number of different alleles of same gene, commonly 2 dominant and recessive
PRA is recessive
Heterozygote = carrier
Homozygote = has mutant
(Homozygous to fix type)
38 autosomes dog
22 autosomes human
Inbreeding
Gets to target as quick as possible
Line breeding gets you there eventually
100 000 dogs in 2005
Rough collies
4 650
Mean f = 0.073
% > 0.1 = 29
Max f = 0.38
Effective population size = 33, reduction generation on generation
Slow down escalation/process
Risk increase chance of new genetic diseases
Homozygous lower immune system
In breeding reduced litter sizes, increased infertility, increased failure to thrive
Suggestion
Appropriate mating pairs web based
Data base (?KC) to help with decision
Inbreeding co efficient + estimated breeding value for diseases = managing risk
< 2 great grandparents maximum
(Temperament separate)
Inherited Diseases
Health surveillance need info from those who know:
Vets (pilot lasted 2 weeks)
RSPCA
Owners
Kennel Club
?Health data post box
Health co ordinators questionnaires (2 yearly) breed clubs data base (same as data post box)
This would minimise risk when choosing mates