Nihat ÖZYURTLU, Serhan Serhat AY, Erol ALAÇAM

Evaluation of vaginal smears, and progesterone and relaxin levels in pregnant, and overt and covert pseudopregnant bitches

Bu çalışmada, köpeklerde gebelik, klinik ve klinik olmayan hayali gebelik olgularında fiziki değişiklikler, progesteron ve relaksin hormonu düzeyleri araştırıldı. Çalışmada 3-12 yaşlı ve 20 ± 2 kg ağırlığında, toplam 30 adet dişi köpek kullanıldı. Her grupta 10 dişi köpek değerlendirildi. Grup 1; gebeliğin son dönemindeki gebe köpekler, Grup 2 klinik hayali gebe ve Grup 3; diöstrusta (40-60 günler arası) hayali gebelik belirtisi göstermeyen dişi köpeklerden oluşturuldu. Klinik ve ultrasonografik muayenelerden sonra vaginal smear yapılarak gebelik ve siklik dönemleri belirlendi. Toplanan kan örneklerinde nitel relaksin ve nicel progesteron hormonu düzeyleri belirlendi. Grup 2 ve Grup 3'teki köpeklerin epitel hücrelerinin değerlendirilmesinde bazal, parabazal ve intermediyer hücrelerin süperfisiyel hücrelerden baskın olduğu belirlendi. Vaginal smear bulgularına göre Grup 2 ve Grup 3 arasında istatistiksel olarak benzerlik bulundu, buna ilaveten Grup 1 ve diğer gruplar arasında istatistiksel bir fark vardı. Grup 2 ve Grup 3'teki köpeklerde ortalama progesteron seviyesi benzer iken, Grup 1' deki progesteron seviyesi, Grup 2 ve Grup 3'e göre istatistiksel olarak daha yüksekti (P < 0,01). ReproCHEK relaksin kiti ile yapılan değerlendirmelerde, gebe köpeklerde sonuçlar nitel olarak pozitif bulundu. Klinik ve klinik olmayan hayali gebe köpeklerden alınan tüm kan örneklerin sonuçlan ise negatif olarak saptandı. Gebe köpeklerde 40. günden sonra yüksek progesteron konsantrasyonu dikkate alınarak progesteron seviyesi ile gebelik teşhisi yapılabilir. Ancak, gebe köpeklerde 40. günden sonra progesteron konsantrasyonunun gebelik teşhisi açısından önemi düşüktür. Relaksin seviyesinin incelenmesi sonucu relaksinin yalnızca gebe köpeklerin kanında tespit edildiği görülmektedir. Gebe köpeklerde relaksin seviyesinde tespit edilen artış, klinik ve klinik olmayan hayali gebe köpeklerde görülmemektedir.

Gebe, klinik ve klinik olmayan hayali gebe evresindeki köpeklerde vaginal smear, progesteron ve relaksin hormonu düzeylerinin değerlendirilmesi

Progesterone and relaxin levels, vaginal smears, and physical differences were evaluated in pregnant, overt pseudopregnant, and covert pseudopregnant bitches. The study included 30 bitches of various breeds, aged 3-12 years and 20 ± 2 kg in body weight, that were divided into 3 groups of 10 animals each. Bitches in group 1 were in the last trimester of pregnancy. Group 2 contained overt pseudopregnant bitches and group 3 consisted of covert pseudopregnant and late dioestrus (between 40 and 60 days of dioestrus) bitches without any signs of overt pseudopregnancy. Clinical, ultrasonographic, and vaginal smear examinations were performed, and cyclic stage or pregnancy was diagnosed. Qualitative relaxin and quantitative progesterone levels were assayed in blood samples. The evaluation of the vaginal smears of groups 2 and 3 revealed that basal, parabasal, and intermediate epithelial cells were present in greater quantity than superficial cells. The results of the vaginal smears of groups 2 and 3 were statistically similar. Moreover, the difference between group 1 and the other groups was statistically significant. While mean progesterone values of groups 2 and 3 were similar, the progesterone level of group 1 was statistically higher than that of groups 2 and 3 (P < 0.01). Qualitative relaxin test results (ReproCHEK®) were positive in the pregnant bitches and negative in the covert and overt pseudopregnant bitches. Taking into account the higher plasma progesterone concentration in bitches after the 40th day of pregnancy, progesterone level can be used to detect pregnancy; however, concentrations of serum progesterone in pregnant bitches after the 40th day of pregnancy are of minor clinical importance in the diagnosis of pregnancy. It has been shown that relaxin levels are present in the blood of pregnant bitches. Relaxin was not seen in the blood of overt or covert pseudopregnant bitches.

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