title: Practical use of a combination of a dopamine agonist and a synthetic prostaglandin analogue to terminate unwanted pregnancy in dogs.
abstract: The combination of a dopamine agonist, cabergoline, and a synthetic analogue of prostaglandin F2 alpha, cloprostenol, was used to induce termination of pregnancy from day 25 after the estimated luteinising hormone surge (day 27 +/- 4 after the first mating) in five mature beagle bitches. Cabergoline was administered orally at 5 micrograms/kg daily and cloprostenol was injected subcutaneously at 1 microgram/kg every other day. Treatment efficacy, in terms of pregnancy termination, was 100 per cent. Termination always took place by resorption of the fetuses. No side effects were observed. A mean of three injections of cloprostenol and nine days of cabergoline treatment was necessary to eliminate all signs of gestation. Termination was in each case accompanied by a decline in plasma progesterone (to less than 1 ng/ml) within 72 hours of initiation of treatment. In a control group of five, untreated bitches, plasma progesterone remained elevated throughout a corresponding period (from day 25 to day 50 after the estimated luteinising hormone surge). In the treated group, interoestrous intervals (98 +/- 41 days) were reduced, compared with previous cycles (194 +/- 9 days) or with those of the control animals (205 +/- 37 days). It is concluded that the combination treatment with the anti-prolactinic agent, cabergoline (5 micrograms/kg/day), and the synthetic prostaglandin F2 alpha, cloprostenol (1 microgram/kg/two days), is an easy, practical, reliable and safe method to terminate pregnancy near and before mid-gestation in dogs.
authors: Department of Small Animal Reproduction, Veterinary College, University of Liège, Belgium.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Onclin
authors: J P
authors: JP
authors: Verstegen
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D000034:Abortion, Veterinary; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000077465:Cabergoline; D003008:Cloprostenol; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004873:Ergolines; D005260:Female; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous / Q000662:veterinary; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D004873:Ergolines; D003008:Cloprostenol; D011374:Progesterone; D000077465:Cabergoline