Progesterone and Ultrasound Comparative Study of Estrus and Pregnancy between induced estrus and normal cyclic Dogs

Abstract

This study was designed to study the progesterone level in normal and induced estrus dogs and the accuracy of ultrasound examination in these animals. Twenty female dogs aged 2-5 and weighted 20-25 kg with five mature male dogs aged 2-5 and weighted 18-22 kg were used during 2015. The females were separated into two groups (normal and treated). The treated group was injected IM/ with PMSG 20 IU/Kg/dog for 6 days followed by single IM/ injection of hCG 500 IU/dog on day 7. Serum samples were obtained for progesterone assay once weekly. The examination by using ultrasound was done to all females once weekly also. The result of duration of response to estrus after treatment was 19.3±1.45 days, with no significant differences between two groups in estrus cycle length. There were a significant decrease (P<0.01) in estrus and conception percentage in treated dogs, while the pregnancy length and puppies number show no significant differences. Progesterone assay had no significant differences between the two groups before or during estrus cycle, pregnancy months and post partum. The embryonic vesicle could be detected by using ultrasound in 20±0.75 days and fetus at 38±0.98 days, and there were no significant differences between the numbers which detected during pregnancy and after birth, with accuracy reach 100%. From the results we conclude that the using of progesterone and ultrasound examination can be used with highly accuracy to detect pregnancy in female dogs, and induction of estrus can be done in female dogs in Iraq with lower estrus and pregnancy percentage than normal group