Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics

Vaginal Exfoliative Cytology (VEC) in dogs is a diagnostic technique used to evaluate the reproductive status of female dogs and reproductive disorders.

Estrus detection in dogs is required for effective breeding management and reproductive monitoring. Estrus, or the heat cycle, occurs approximately every six months in female dogs and is characterized by behavioural and physiological changes.

Transitional spring estrus in mares refers to the period between winter anestrus and the onset of regular ovulatory cycles as daylight increases in spring.

In silent estrus, mares either do not show estrus, or are slow to show detectable signs using standard teasing methods despite the fact that ovulation occurs.

Estrus detection aids in farm animals are needed in most herds in order to overcome the difficulty of estrus detection so that all animals in estrus are effectively identified and bred either naturally or artificially.

Aberrations of estrus and the oestrous cycle refer to deviations from the normal reproductive cycle in female animals, often caused by hormonal imbalances, genetic factors, nutritional deficiencies, or environmental stressors.

Several factors influence the oestrous cycle in animals, affecting its duration, frequency, and regularity.

The endocrine control of the oestrous cycle is a complex interplay of hormones regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.

The normal estrous cycle length in sheep is 17 days and in goat is 21 days. Photoperiodism is a characteristic of the reproductive cycle or sexual receptivity in sheep and goats.

The sow is a polyestrous species, meaning she exhibits multiple estrous cycles throughout the year without being restricted to specific breeding seasons.