Diagnosis of pregnancy in bitches by transabdominal palpation along with haematological studies
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Date
1999
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Department of Animal Reproduction, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy
Abstract
With the object of evolving a suitable and reliable method of early pregnancy diagnosis in bitch, a study was undertaken to investigate the efficacy of transabdominal palpation and liaematological profile during various stages of pregnancy in bitches.
Seventeen apparently normal healthy Alsatian and 7 Pomeranian bitches aged l5? to 6 years selected at random formed the material for the study. These bitches were subjected to abdominal palpation between 21 and 25, 30 and 35 and 45 and 50 days of mating. Blood samples were collected for the estimation of total serum protein, albumin, globulin, total erythrocyte and leucocyte count, differential leucocyte count, PCV, ESR and Hb concentration on the respective days. In addition, on the 45th and 50th day bitches were subjected to radiography. Body weights and diameter of the abdomen of bitches were recorded on all days of examination. Whelping of bitches confirmed pregnant were followed up for recording litter size, sex and weight of the pups.
The data obtained were tabulated. Signs of physical and behavioural changes were not noticeable before 21 to 25 days of gestation but apparent at 30 to 35 days which continued upto 45 to 50 days. The mean body weights and diameter of the
abdomen were significantly higher (P<0.01) in pregnant than in non-pregnant bitches.
The earliest positive result obtained by palpation was 21 days after mating. Accuracy of palpation in Alsatian and Pomeranian bitches at 21 to 25 days was 66.7 per cent and 100 per cent respectively while at 30 to 35 days and 45 to 50 days it was 88.9 per cent and 100 per cent respectively.
The mean total serum protein and globulin were higher in pregnant than that in non-pregnant bitches, however the mean serum albumin content did not differ. The mean erythrocyte count, PCV values and haemoglobin content were lower in pregnant when compared to that in non-pregnant bitches. The mean leucocyte count and ESR values in pregnant were higher than that in non-pregnant bitches. The percentage of neutrophil was slightly higher in non-pregnant than that in pregnant bitches, in contrast, the mean lymphocyte count was higher in pregnant than that in non-pregnant bitches. However, the mean monocyte and eosinophil count between pregnant and non-pregnant bitches did not differ.
Radiographs obtained between 45 to 46 days after mating revealed faint fetal skeletal components in 4 bitches while 5 bitches when radiographed between 48 to 50 days showed a distinct fetal vertebrae and skull.
The mean gestation length, body weights after whelping, litter size and birth weight of pups in Alsatian and Pomeranian were 62.43 days and 59.5 days, 28.929 ± 1.631 kgs and 9.25 ± 0.25 kgs, 4.429 ± 0.649 and 5 ± 1 and 523.871 ± 28.203 gms and 287 ± 7.311 gms respectively.
To sum up', it could be said that diagnosis of pregnancy in bitches can be done by abdominal palpation and haematological studies after 4 weeks of mating. However, radiography can be recommended as an accurate method of pregnancy diagnosis in the last trimester. It, could, further be said that each method has its own advantages and limitation at various stages of gestation and hence informing these variables to the client is essential, until further studies with large number of animals in this line are undertaken.
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