Infertility In Toms: Clinical approach, experiences and challenges

Reproductive Management in Catteries: Optimising health and wellbeing through veterinarian-breeder collaboration

PRACTICAL RELEVANCE

Many veterinarians - even those engaged in small animal reproduction - are uncomfortable with taking care of cat breeders or being in charge of catteries. Likely reasons for this are that feline reproduction is largely under-represented in undergraduate and graduate reproduction teaching, as well as in postgraduate education and science, whereas cat breeders themselves are often well informed and actively share knowledge with other cat breeders via the internet and social media.

CLINICAL CHALLENGES

A variety of problems can exist within a cattery, and collaboration between veterinarian and breeder to solve these is ultimately beneficial for the breeder, for the veterinarian, and for the health and wellbeing of the individual cats and of the cattery as a whole.

AIM

This review presents a comprehensive overview of aspects of cattery management that might negatively impact reproduction, including sanitation, hygiene and infectious disease control. It also discusses monitoring of reproductive performance, breeding recommendations, and the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to some common and specific problems.

EQUIPMENT AND TECHNICAL SKILLS

Reproductive management in the cattery requires no specialised equipment, as such. What it does need is an open mind, in terms of seeing how things are done, an open ear, for listening to the breeder, and the veterinarian's clinical skills in palpation, auscultation and, where required, further examination of the animals. Keeping abreast of the latest information on infectious diseases, disinfection and genetics ensures proper advice is provided.

EVIDENCE BASE

Current knowledge of reproductive management in catteries is summarised in order to apply an evidence-based approach, whenever possible. Notwithstanding, much of the information remains empirical.

Infertility In Queens: Clinical approach, experiences and challenges

CLINICAL CHALLENGES

It is not easy for a veterinarian to determine the cause of infertility in a queen. The simplest method is to start by investigating the most common causes and then progress by successive elimination to the less common causes. For example, mating problems are commonly responsible for reproductive failure, and owners should be particularly vigilant in checking that the mating is progressing satisfactorily. Frequently, a veterinarian may have to determine, among other things, if there is a uterine or hormonal disorder or if an infectious pathology may be involved. In the case of a queen that is not cycling, it is important to differentiate a lack of onset of puberty in a young queen from a lack of cyclicity in an adult queen.

AIM

This review sets out a practical, step-by-step approach that veterinarians can follow, starting with the most common causes of infertility in queens and moving towards more rare or specific causes.

EQUIPMENT AND TECHNICAL SKILLS

Simple techniques such as vaginal smears are essential to determine if a queen that is ready to be mated is in full oestrus, if a queen is cycling or not and to diagnose inflammation of the genital tract. Veterinarians should be familiar with the peculiarities of the swabbing technique in cats, as well as the interpretation of feline vaginal cytology. Progesterone assays are useful on many occasions in the diagnosis pathway. A laboratory capable of performing karyotypes should ideally be available. Finally, it is important to be able to perform an ultrasound examination of the ovaries and uterus in a queen.

EVIDENCE BASE

Although it appears that infertility is a problem among purebred queens, there is a lack of knowledge in this area and too few published studies. Some causes of feline infertility remain poorly investigated.