Nihat ÖZYURTLU, Serhan S. AY, Erol ALAÇAM

Gebe, Klinik ve Klinik Olmayan Hayali Gebe Evresindeki Köpeklerde Vaginal Smear, Progesteron ve Relaksin Hormonu Düzeylerinin Değerlendirilmesi

Bu çal›flmada, köpeklerde gebelik, klinik ve klinik olmayan hayali gebelik olgular›nda fiziki de¤ifliklikler, progesteron ve relaksin hormonu düzeyleri araflt›r›ld›. Çal›flmada 3-12 yafll› ve 20 ± 2 kg a¤›rl›¤›nda, toplam 30 adet difli köpek kullan›ld›. Her grupta 10 difli köpek de¤erlendirildi. Grup 1; gebeli¤in son dönemindeki gebe köpekler, Grup 2 klinik hayali gebe ve Grup 3; diöstrusta (40- 60 günler aras›) hayali gebelik belirtisi göstermeyen difli köpeklerden oluflturuldu. Klinik ve ultrasonografik muayenelerden sonra vaginal smear yap›larak 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 de¤erlendirilmesinde bazal, parabazal ve intermediyer hücrelerin süperfisiyel hücrelerden bask›n oldu¤u belirlendi. Vaginal smear bulgular›na göre Grup 2 ve Grup 3 aras›nda istatistiksel olarak benzerlik bulundu, buna ilaveten Grup 1 ve di¤er gruplar aras›nda istatistiksel bir fark vard›. 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 yap›lan de¤erlendirmelerde, gebe köpeklerde sonuçlar nitel olarak pozitif bulundu. Klinik ve klinik olmayan hayali gebe köpeklerden al›nan tüm kan örneklerin sonuçlar› ise negatif olarak saptand›. Gebe köpeklerde 40. günden sonra yüksek progesteron konsantrasyonu dikkate al›narak progesteron seviyesi ile gebelik teflhisi yap›labilir. Ancak, gebe köpeklerde 40. günden sonra progesteron konsantrasyonunun gebelik teflhisi aç›s›ndan önemi düflüktür.Relaksin seviyesinin incelenmesi sonucu relaksinin yaln›zca gebe köpeklerin kan›nda tespit edildi¤i görülmektedir. Gebe köpeklerde relaksin seviyesinde tespit edilen art›fl, klinik ve klinik olmayan hayali gebe köpeklerde görülmemektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Difli köpek, progesteron, relaksin, vaginal smear

Evaluation of Vaginal Smears, and Progesterone and Relaxin Levels in Pregnant, and Overt and Covert Pseudopregnant Bitches

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 40thday 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.

Keywords:

Bitch, progesterone, relaxin, vaginal smear,

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