title: Clinical use of prostaglandin F2 alpha to induce early abortion in bitches: serum progesterone, treatment outcome and interval to subsequent oestrus.
abstract: Records of elective abortion in 27 bitches presented to the Veterinary Surgery and Reproduction Clinic of the University of Pisa were reviewed. Treatment consisted of twice-daily subcutaneous injections of 150-270 micrograms natural prostaglandin F2 alpha kg-1 for 4 consecutive days starting between cytological dioestrous days 5 and 19. None of the treated bitches whelped. Luteolysis appeared to be complete (serum progesterone < 3.2 nmol l-1) at the end of treatment in 22 of 25 bitches in which progesterone was assayed in serum obtained daily during therapy. Serum progesterone rose after treatment to a concentration consistent with pregnancy in four of 17 bitches in which progesterone was measured once between dioestrous days 23 and 51. The mean intercycle interval (pro-oestrus-pro-oestrus) of the cycle in which abortion was induced was 134 +/- 45 days for 15 dogs for which the interval could be determined, and was significantly shorter than the average preceding interoestrous intervals (210 +/- 40.0 days) for the same dogs (P < 0.001).
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Chirurgica Veterinaria, Università di Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Romagnoli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Camillo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cela
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferdeghini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aria
mesh_terms: D000019:Abortifacient Agents; D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood*; D004971:Estrus / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000019:Abortifacient Agents; D011374:Progesterone; D015237:Dinoprost