Assessment of the optimal age for a preventive ultrasonographic screening of the uterine health in bitches

Neonatal-Maternal Bodyweight Ratio at Birth: An Indicator for First-Week Survival Prognosis in Canine Newborns

Objectives. In dogs, neonatal bodyweight (NBW) varies at birth. Size-specific reference values for NBW are essential to correctly manage newborns. The present study aimed to define a new tool to evaluate NBW that could be routinely applied in canine neonatology, promptly identifying puppies requiring more care. Methods. The records of 89 litters were retrospectively evaluated. Data were grouped according to maternal bodyweight (MBW) in five categories: toy (≤5 kg), small (5.1-9.9 kg), medium (10-24.9 kg), large (25-39.9 kg), and giant (≥40 kg) dogs. At birth, the NBW of 412 puppies, alongside their litter size (LS) and gender (G), were recorded. Neonatal mortality within the first week was considered. The influence of MBW, LS, and G on NBW and the effect of NBW on the 1-week outcome were evaluated using ANOVA (p < 0.05). The ratio between NBW and MBW expressed as a percentage (N-MBW%), was assessed for each puppy. Through Receiver-Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves, N-MBW% thresholds between puppies alive or dead at one week of age were calculated in each group. Results. The LS was different among groups, except for small vs. medium dogs. In small litters, N-MBW% was lower in medium-, large- and giant-sized dogs than in toy and small dogs. In medium and large litters, N-MBW% differed among the five groups. Male and female N-MBW% differed among the five groups. Only in large and giant sizes did LS affect N-MBW%, which was lower in a large LS. The N-MBW% was higher in healthy puppies than in those who died within one week. The ROC-derived N-MBW% thresholds were as follows: 4.5% in toy-, 3.2% in small-, 1.5% in medium-, 1.2% in large-, and 1% in giant dogs. Clinical significance. The ROC-derived N-MBW% thresholds can be used to cautiously identify puppies at increased risk for one-week mortality and may be helpful in clinical practice, representing a suitable parameter to give a prognosis on 1-week survival immediately at birth.

Pre- and Probiotics to Increase the Immune Power of Colostrum in Dogs

Wide differences in Ig concentration in canine colostrum have been reported. Thus, some litters can be at risk of passive immune transfer failure. Present study evaluated if supplementation with MOS, FOS, E. faecium and L. acidophilus along pregnancy increases colostrum quality. Twenty Great Dane bitches were divided into 4 groups. Control group (CG) received standard diet, only. Diet was supplemented with pre- and probiotics in other 3 study groups during: the last (1WG), last 2 (2WG), and last 4 (4WG) weeks of pregnancy, until parturition. Serum samples were collected at estrous (T0), supplementation beginning (T1), and parturition (T2). Colostrum was collected at C-section end. The IgG, IgM, and IgA were assayed on both matrices. In serum, IgG were higher at T0 than at parturition in all study groups and they significantly lowered from T0 to T1 in all groups. In colostrum, IgG and IgM were significantly higher in 4WG, while IgA already increased in 2WG group. Four-week pre- and probiotic supplementation resulted in the best immune properties of colostrum, as by the higher IgG, IgM, and IgA colostrum levels found in 4WG. Further studies would verify the exact mechanisms involved: pre-partum IgG mammary accumulation and B-cells GALT proliferation and mammary transfer. Further trials would verify whether these beneficial effects of pre- and probiotics on colostrum also lead to improved clinical conditions and immunological functions of newborns and puppies.

Highlights on the Canine Prostatic Specific Esterase (CPSE): A diagnostic and screening tool in veterinary andrology

In the last years, the need to look for an accurate and precise diagnosis of prostatic diseases in dogs has grown. Among other diagnostic tools, the seric CPSE has been studied and identified as a valid and specific biomarker for prostatic disorders, since it can result significantly more elevated in dogs affected by several prostatic abnormalities, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, bacterial prostatitis and prostatic carcinoma. Therefore, dosing CPSE in serum represents a new diagnostic and screening tool. Dosing CPSE in everyday clinical practice has three objectives: (a) the diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia; (b) the preventive screening of prostatic disorders in healthy dogs; (c) the medical follow‐up in subjects with prostatic disorders during and after medical therapy. Neither circadian rhythms nor transrectal palpation performed during the andrological examination do affect CPSE. A sexual rest of at least 24 hr before dosing CPSE is recommended as it is affected by ejaculation.

A Biotic Support During Pregnancy to Strengthen the Gastrointestinal Performance in Puppies

Up to 60% of neonates can be affected by gastroenteritis due to specific pathogens or aspecific polymicrobial interactions. The present study evaluated if a dietary supplementation with MOS, FOS, E. faecium and L. acidophilus in pregnancy may reduce gastroenteritis in puppies. Fifteen Great Danes were divided in 3 groups. The control group (CG) ate a standard diet. In 2 study groups, the diet was supplemented with pre- and probiotics during the last (1WG) and the last 4 pregnancy weeks (4WG). Up to 9 weeks, puppies were checked daily to identify first- or second- presentation gastroenteritis. Data were processed by χ² (P < 0.05). First-presentation gastroenteritis was more frequent in CG than in 1WG than in 4WG. Second-presentation gastroenteritis was more frequent in CG than in 1 and 4WG. Puppies from pre- and probiotics supplemented bitches were less prone to gastroenteritis. 1 or 4WG equally reduced second-presentation gastroenteritis in puppies, but 4WG was better than 1WG on first-presentation gastroenteritis. By entero-mammary link, supplemented bitches produced higher immune quality colostrum, thus puppies faced immunitary challenges better; moreover, maternal microbiota, positively altered by supplementation, was transferred to newborns, becoming more resistant to gastroenteritis. This information can be useful in clinical practice with the goal of preventing gastroenteritis in puppies and reducing its prevalence and severity.

Urinalysis in Great Dane Puppies from Birth to 28 Days of Age

Simple Summary

Still, nowadays, small animal perinatology is quite an unknown field of veterinary medicine. To help decrease the high mortality rates reported for canine newborns, veterinary practitioners should become more aware of neonatal physiology and pathology, focusing their attention on metabolic balance. It is impossible to discriminate healthy puppies from pathological littermates in the absence of reference ranges for specific parameters, which are obviously different from those of adults. Since blood samples are more difficult and dangerous to collect from newborns, practitioners could rely on urinary samples, easily gathered by the stimulation of the somato-vesical spinal reflex. The present research, based on 624 urine samples, offers results that can be used as references for the first-line evaluation of newborn Great Danes by dipstick rapid urinalysis. In healthy puppies, specific gravity and pH vary from birth to 28 days of age, while glucosuria and proteinuria are never reported. The present results, derived from a sample of single-breed puppies, can represent the starting point for a further multi-breed evaluation.

Abstract

Urinalysis, a common test in infants, could represent a suitable non-invasive clinical tool in puppies. In dog neonates, urine is easily collected by stimulating the somato-vesccal reflex. Information on urine characteristics during the neonatal period is missing. Beside instrumental laboratory analyses, the dipstick was proven useful for rapid urinalysis to evaluate specific gravity (SG), pH, leukocytes, nitrites, glucose, proteins, ketones, urobilinogen, bilirubin, and blood. The present study aimed to describe urinalysis features by the dipstick test and refractometer along the neonatal period. Urine samples (n = 624) were collected by manual stimulation from 48 healthy Great Danes, daily from birth to seven days, then twice a week until 28 days, to assess age-related changes (ANOVA, p < 0.05) and the possible effects of gender and litter (T-test, p < 0.05). The SG and pH significantly changed during the neonatal period. Other parameters did not vary significantly in relation to age. No significant differences were observed either among litters or between genders. The present study confirmed that canine kidneys are able to concentrate urine from the second week of age when the urinary SG started to be similar to adults, while pH still increased towards the typical values of adults at 28 days. Significant glucosuria and proteinuria were never detected. Dipstick urinalysis represents a useful first-line complementary tool in newborns clinical examination, providing information about systemic homeostasis.

Fertility outcome after medically treated pyometra in dogs

Cystic endometrial hyperplasia-pyometra complex (CEH/P) is a challenge in canine reproduction. Present study aimed to assess fertility after medical treatment. One-hundred-seventy-four bitches affected by CEH/P received aglepristone on days 1, 2, 8, then every 7 days until blood progesterone < 1.2 ng/mL; cloprostenol was administered on days 3 to 5. Records were grouped according to bodyweight (BW): small (< 10 kg, n = 33), medium (10 ≥ BW < 25 kg, n = 44), large (25 ≥ BW < 40 kg, n = 52), and giant bitches (BW ≥ 40 kg, n = 45). Age; success rate; aglepristone treatments number; relapse, pregnancy rates; diagnosis-relapse, -first, -last litter intervals; litters number after treatment, and LS were analyzed by ANOVA. Overall age was 5.14 ± 1.75 years, without difference among groups. Treatment was 100% successful, without difference in treatments number (4.75 ± 1.18), relapse (15/174, 8.62%) and pregnancy (129/140 litters, 92.14%) rates, intervals diagnosis-relapse (409.63 ± 254.9 days) or -last litter (418.62 ± 129.03 days). The interval diagnosis-first litter was significantly shorter (163.52 ± 51.47 days) and longer (225.17 ± 90.97 days) in small and giant bitches, respectively. Overall, 1.47 ± 0.65 litters were born after treatment. Expected LS was achieved in each group, as shown by ΔLS (actual-expected LS by breed, overall -0.40 ± 1.62) without differences among groups. Concluding, CEH/P affects younger dogs than previously described. Relapses were rarer than previously reported. Medical treatment with aglepristone+cloprostenol is effective and safe, preserving subsequent fertility, as demonstrated by negligible changes in LS.