title: Responsiveness of ovaries to exogenous gonadotrophins and laparoscopic artificial insemination with frozen-thawed spermatozoa in ocelots (Felis pardalis).
abstract: Adult female ocelots (Felis pardalis) were treated with one of four dosages of equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) (100 iu eCG/75 iu hCG, n = 3; 200 iu eCG/150 iu hCG, n = 4; 400 iu eCG/150 iu hCG, n = 5; 500 iu eCG/225 iu hCG, n = 5); hCG was administered 80 h after eCG. Ovaries of each animal were evaluated by laparoscopy 39-43 h after hCG, and blood was collected for progesterone and oestradiol analysis. With progressive increases in gonadotrophin dosage, female ocelots produced more (P < 0.05) unovulated follicles (> or = 2 mm in diameter), ranging from 1.3 +/- 0.7 (mean +/- SEM) follicles per female at the lowest dosage to 8.8 +/- 2.8 follicles per female at the highest dosage. Similarly, ocelots produced more (P < 0.05) corpora lutea with increasing gonadotrophin dosages, with mean values ranging from 0-5.0 +/- 1.2 corpora lutea. However, across treatment groups, a similar proportion (P > 0.05) of females ovulated in response to each dosage. At laparoscopy, serum concentrations of oestradiol (overall mean, 330.2 +/- 62.2 pg ml-1) and serum concentrations of progesterone (overall mean, 18.5 +/- 6.4 ng ml-1) in ovulating females did not differ (P > 0.05) across treatment groups. Ten ovulating ocelots were laparoscopically inseminated with fresh (4.7 +/- 0.2 x 10(6); n = 2 females) or frozen-thawed (10.7 +/- 1.8 x 10(6); n = 8 females), motile spermatozoa. One female treated with 500 iu eCG/225 iu hCG and inseminated with 7.5 x 10(6) motile, frozen-thawed spermatozoa conceived and gave birth to a healthy male kitten after a gestation of 78 days. We conclude that ocelots are relatively insensitive to exogenous gonadotrophins, requiring much higher dosages (on a per body mass basis) to elicit an appropriate ovarian response than do any other felid species studied to date. Nonetheless, the gonadotrophin-treated female can become pregnant and carry offspring to term after laparoscopic intrauterine insemination with frozen-thawed spermatozoa.
authors.affiliation: Conservation and Research Center, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA.
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alvarado
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Starnes
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Wildt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002335:Carnivora / Q000097:blood; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000662:veterinary*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine / Q000494:pharmacology; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000662:veterinary*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D006062:Gonadotropins; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol