Reproductive Abnormalities in Female Dogs (Bitches)

Reproductive abnormalities in female dogs (bitches) are examined by history, physical examination like rectal palpation, abdominal palpation, etc.

History

The differential diagnosis for most infertility disorders is established by obtaining a thorough history from the owner.

The initial history should include information regarding:

• How well the owners know the bitch and does she live indoors with them or away?
• Is she hosed alone, with another bitch that recently completed ovarian cycles, with ovariohysterectomized bitch or with males?
• Is she normal in height and weight for her breed and for her line?
• Is she receiving any medication and is she well or ill?

Onset of the pubertal estrus occurs at ages ranging from 6.3 to 23 months. Toy poodles may benefit from evaluation earlier in life than Bull Mastiffs.

Physical Examination

The problem area should always be examined last to make sure that each bitch receives a complete physical examination prior to an evaluation of the reproductive tract.

Vulva

Vulva should be examined to check for size and conformation and for presence of any discharge.

Small immature vulva or one that is recessed under a fold of tissue owing to body type or obesity interfere with normal breeding while an obese bitch is prone to perivulvar dermatitis.

A swollen, turgid vulva is suggestive of proestrus while a swollen and flaccid one can be consistent with estrus or approaching parturition.

Vaginal Discharges

The bitch in anestrus or diestrus usually has no vaginal discharge.

Vaginal cytology specimens should be an integral part of any reproductive evaluation and should be performed in any bitch with a vaginal discharge.

Digital Examination of the Vestibule and Vagina

A digital examination of the vaginal vault should be performed routinely and should follow culture and cytology. Masses, foreign bodies, strictures, painful vaginitis, or abnormal tissue bands all prevent easy and painless examination.

If the digital examination is abnormal but inconclusive, vaginoscopy provides a more thorough evaluation.

Mammary Glands

The mammary gland should be palpated for the presence of mammary tumors, for evidence of lactation, mastitis, inverted teats, or benign nodules

The ventral midline can also be checked for evidence of a previous surgical incision, which might be a clue suggesting that the bitch has undergone ovariohysterectomy.

Rectal Examination

A rectal examination ensures that the pelvic canal has been assessed for previous fractures or other unsuspected abnormalities as compression of the pelvic canal is a potential cause of dystocia.

Abdominal Palpation

The abdomen should be palpated in an effort to identify and characterize the uterus. However, except in pregnancy and pyometra, the uterus almost never can be evaluated with confidence on abdominal palpation.

Abnormalities of Uterus

Abnormal development of the uterus or uterine tubes may occur in intersex animals:

• Male pseudohermaphrodites are animals with testes and female external genitalia.
• Female pseudohermaphrodites are animals with normal uterus and ovaries and male external genitalia.
• XX sex reversed cocker spaniels are genetic females with male gonads and abnormal male external genitalia.

Hydrometra and mucometra are accumulations of sterile serous or mucoid fluid in the uterus.

• Incidental findings either at the time of elective OHE or in aged intact female dogs undergoing diagnostic work-ups for unrelated disorders, such as congestive heart failure or mammary neoplasia.
• Cystic endometrial hyperplasia frequently is associated with hydrometra and mucometra.
• Pathogenesis is likely to include that of CEH.
• Presumptive diagnosis of hydrometra and mucometra is based on presence of uterine enlargement, documented by abdominal palpation, radiography or ultrasound and lack of a systemic inflammatory response.
• The primary differential diagnoses are pyometra and pregnancy.
• Definitive diagnosis requires cytology and culture of the intrauterine fluid.
• The fluid varies in character from serous to mucoid and in color from straw colored to serosanguineous.
• The treatment of choice is OHE, especially in bitches not intended for breeding. Hematometra is sterile accumulation of blood within the uterus.

Cystic Endometrial Hyperplasia Pyometra

Cystic endometrial hyperplasia pyometra complex is an acute or chronic postestrual disease of adult intact bitches leading to inflammatory exudates in the uterus that is associated with variable clinical and pathologic signs.

It also is called pyometritis, pyometra complex, catarrhal endometritis, purulent endometritis, chronic cystic endometritis, and chronic purulent endometritis.

Abnormalities of Ovary

Congenital Abnormalities

Complete absence of one or both ovaries known as ovarian agenesis may be associated with other abnormalities of the reproductive tract, such as uterus unicornis.

Ovarian hypoplasia has been reported in female dogs with abnormal chromosome number.

Female dogs with anomalous numbers of sex chromosomes and abnormal ovaries are usually infertile and include:

1. True hermaphrodites
2. Pseudo hermaphrodites
   • Male Pseudohermaphrodities
   • Female Pseudohermaphrodites

Ovarian Cysts

• Ovarian cysts are fluid filled structures with a distinct wall that develop within the ovary.
• Parovarian cysts are similar in morphology to ovarian cysts but lie next to the ovary.
• Follicular cysts are thin walled structures containing clear, serous fluid, may be single or multiple and if multiple cysts are present on one ovary, the cysts do not communicate. More about follicular cyst in dogs.

Other Ovarian Cysts

Other ovarian cysts include luteal cysts, germinal cysts, cystic corpora lutea, cystic rete ovarii or rete cysts (are small masses of irregular, anastamosing tubules with cystic changes in the hilus region of the ovary) and parovarian cysts (cystic structures in remnants of the mesonephric and paramesonephric tubules surrounding the ovary.

Ovarian Remnant Syndrome

Ovarian remnant syndrome occurs when a retained piece of ovarian tissue revascularizes and becomes functional.

The condition may occur following surgeon‘s error in incomplete removal of the ovary. The most common presentation of ovarian remnant syndrome is recurrent estrus after OHE. More about ovarian remnant syndrome.

Oophoritis

Oophoritis is diffuse infiltration of the ovary with mononuclear inflammatory cells, with subsequent degeneration of germ cells and fibrosis of surrounding tissues wherein an autoimmune pathogenesis is hypothesized.

Ovarian Neoplasia

The three general categories of primary ovarian neoplasms are those arising from epithelial cells, those tumors of sex cord / stromal origin, and those arising from germ.

May be palpable per abdomen, and often are visible on radiographs or sonograms. Secondary tumors of the canine ovary include lympho-sarcoma.