No abstract

The close link between nutrition management and reproductive efficiency is well known, but there is very little data available concerning this topic in canine species. The present study aimed to compare the effect of two different diets upon the follicular period and gestation in bitches. Eighteen pluriparus medium and large size bitches were recruited and divided into control (CTR) and experimental (EX) groups and fed, respectively, with a commercial kibble diet and a specially formulated diet from two months before the expected onset of proestrus up to the end of the trial. It was possible to observe how the EX group had a better clinical presentation of the estrous phase, a higher number of ovarian follicles (p < 0.05), a lower percentage of fetal resorption (p < 0.05), and lower oxidative status, expressed by d-ROMs (p < 0.01), at the moment of pregnancy diagnosis compared to CTR group. Moreover, the EX group showed a lower fetal resorption rate and higher litter size (p < 0.05). These results highlight how a diet characterized by high protein and fat content and richer in essential fatty acids can improve reproductive performance in dogs.

In this retrospective study, we assessed the accuracy of different blood flow imaging in diagnosing testicular tumor types in dogs. We recruited 27 dogs with leydigomas (14), seminomas (eight), sertoliomas (six), and mixed cells (five) confirmed histopathologically. In intact dogs, Pampiniform plexus and marginal arteries were scanned through pulsed Doppler. Blood flow and presence of intralesional/perilesional arteries were assessed by color and power Doppler, B-flow, and contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Tumor types did not differ by B-Mode ultrasonography characters. Pampiniform and testicular arteries of sertoliomas had higher (p < 0.05) pulsatility and resistive indexes. The proportion of leydigomas with a perilesional and/or perilesional/intralesional blood flow pattern detected by color and pulsed Doppler and B-flow was higher (p < 0.05) than that of the other tumors counted together. This resulted in a sensitivity of 81.8%, 83.3%, and 85.7%, a specificity of 76.5%, 56.3%, and 73.7%, and a correct classification rate of 78.6%, 67.9%, and 78.8%, respectively. While contrast enhanced ultrasound was highly effective in detecting all tumors, qualitative and quantitative parameters did not contribute to their differential diagnosis. In conclusion, results indicate that different testicular tumor types of dogs have subtly different vascular patterns, a condition that could help in identifying leydigomas.

The use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has been widely reported for reproductive imaging in humans and animals. This review aims to analyze the utility of CEUS in characterizing canine reproductive physiology and pathologies. In September 2022, a search for articles about CEUS in canine testicles, prostate, uterus, placenta, and mammary glands was conducted on PubMed and Scopus from 1990 to 2022, showing 36 total results. CEUS differentiated testicular abnormalities and neoplastic lesions, but it could not characterize tumors. In prostatic diseases, CEUS in dogs was widely studied in animal models for prostatic cancer treatment. In veterinary medicine, this diagnostic tool could distinguish prostatic adenocarcinomas. In ovaries, CEUS differentiated the follicular phases. In CEH-pyometra syndrome, it showed a different enhancement between endometrium and cysts, and highlighted angiogenesis. CEUS was shown to be safe in pregnant dogs and was able to assess normal and abnormal fetal–maternal blood flow and placental dysfunction. In normal mammary glands, CEUS showed vascularization only in diestrus, with differences between mammary glands. CEUS was not specific for neoplastic versus non-neoplastic masses and for benign tumors, except for complex carcinomas and neoplastic vascularization. Works on CEUS showed its usefulness in a wide spectrum of pathologies of this non-invasive, reliable diagnostic procedure.

No abstract

The study aimed to compare two diets, Control (CTR) and Experimental (EX) (mainly differing as regards their ingredients, energy, and protein contents) administered to medium and large-sized bitches from two months before the expected proestrus and up to 30 days after delivery on mothers’ weight, body condition score, litter size, milk quality, and puppies’ growth. No differences were found for body weight during pregnancy, even if the BCS after delivery was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in the EX group than in the CTR one. Concerning the size effect, the percentage of weight gain on the initial body weight was double in medium-sized dogs compared to large dogs (p < 0.01). The number of puppies per litter was significantly higher (p < 0.05) for the EX group compared to the CTR one. Concerning puppies’ weight, the CTR group showed a significantly (p < 0.01) higher body weight from the 21st day of life due to the significant (p < 0.01) higher daily weight gain during the suckling period. Considering the performance of bitches and puppies, both diets seem useful for these stages of their lives. In fact, after 30 days of lactation, all tested bitches showed a healthy status and both the percentage of newborns mortality and puppies’ growth kinetics fell into the normal physiological range for the species.