ABSTRACT
AIM: This study was conducted with the objective of identifying and evaluating intrapartum fetal stress in connection with the type of delivery in bitches. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 26 bitches between 1 and 5 years, belonging to 10 different breeds were evaluated. Bitches were subjected to detailed clinico-gynecological examination based on history. Neonatal stress associated with spontaneous whelping (SW), assisted whelping (AW), and emergency cesarean section (EC) was evaluated using umbilical vein lactate (UL) estimation by collecting the blood from umbilical vein. RESULTS: A high umbilical vein lactate value was associated with fetal distress. The mean umbilical lactate value was highest in EC (12.54±0.8 mmol/L) followed by AW (8.86±0.9 mmol/L) and the lowest value was found in SW (7.56±0.58 mmol/L). A significant increase (p<0.05) in umbilical lactate level was observed in EC group of canine neonates compared with AW and SW groups. Overall mean umbilical lactate values of neonates which died within 24 h (13.31±1.08 mmol/L) and the neonates which survived beyond 24 h (8.87±0.55 mmol/L) differed significantly at 5% level. CONCLUSION: Immediate identification of neonatal distress by use of umbilical vein lactate estimation is helpful for the clinician to undertake resuscitation or medical therapy to ensure better neonatal survivability.
ABSTRACT
AIM: Sperm membrane cholesterol influences cryodamage during cryopreservation. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of varying cholesterol levels in Tris based extenders on the freezability of sexually healthy Malabari buck semen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 48 ejaculates from two adults healthy sexually healthy Malabari bucks were utilized for the study. The collected and pooled ejaculates were divided into four groups with Group I serving as Control - I, Group II and III were treated with 1 mg and 2 mg of cholesterol-loaded-cyclodextrin (CLC)/120 × 10(6) spermatozoa, respectively, and Group IV, treated with 1 mg methyl-ß-cyclodextrin (MßCD) served as Control - II. Manual freezing was carried out to cryopreserve the treated and control spermatozoa. RESULTS: Treatment of semen samples with CLC resulted in improved maintenance of sperm motility at pre-freeze and post-thaw stages of cryopreservation without affecting hypo-osmotic swelling response. Treatment of semen with 1 mg of CLC/120 × 10(6) spermatozoa was observed to be better than treatment with 2 mg of CLC/120 × 10(6) spermatozoa. In general, MßCD treatment was found to result in significantly lower sperm characteristics than those of Control - I and CLC treatment at pre-feeze and post-thaw stages and when incubated up to 4 h. CONCLUSION: Cholesterol treatment of sexually healthy Malabari buck semen was found to hold promise for improving cryopreservability of spermatozoa.
ABSTRACT
Forty bitches in anoestrus for more than six months from the last heat, with a serum progesterone level less than 1 ng/ml were subjected to oestrus induction trials using anti-prolactin drugs and levothyroxine, once daily orally for 20 consecutive days. The mean serum progesterone level among them was found to be 0.57 +/- 0.03 ng/ml. Out of 10 animals treated in each group, five (50%) in Group I (bromocriptine @ 50 microg/kg body weight), nine (90%) in Group II (cabergoline @ 5 microg/kg body weight), eight (80%) in Group III (thyroxine @10 microg/kg body weight) and seven (70%) in Group IV (thyroxine @ 5 microg/kg body weight) responded by evincing proestrual bleeding. The mean (+/-SEM) time taken from initiation of treatment to onset of proestrual bleeding in Groups I, II, III and IV was 28 +/- 3.39, 13.44 +/- 3.12 (P < 0.05), 24.50 +/- 3.18 and 33 +/- 2.21 days respectively. The mean (+/-SEM) duration of proestrus and oestrus in the treatment groups was 9.80 +/- 0.86, 10.11 +/- 0.68, 11.25 +/- 0.88 and 10.71 +/- 0.68 days and 7.60 +/- 0.24, 8 +/- 0.29, 8.5 +/- 0.63 and 7.85 +/- 0.46 days respectively. The conception rate in relation to the number of animals responding to oestrus induction in the treatment groups was 80%, 78%, 63% and 57%, respectively. The mean (+/-SEM) gestation length calculated from the last breeding date and litter size in the treatment groups varied from 60.50 +/- 1.55 to 64.00 +/- 0.82 days and 5.14 +/- 0.34 to 6.40 +/- 0.40 respectively.
