Evaluation of the ratio of collagen type III to collagen type I in periurethral tissues of sexually intact and neutered female dogs.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the ratio of collagen type III to collagen type I in the periurethral tissues of sexually intact and neutered female dogs.


METHODS
8 neutered and 34 sexually intact female dogs.


METHODS
Tissues were obtained from female dogs euthanized for non-urinary tract-related reasons. Indirect immunofluorescent antibody detection of type I and collagen type III was performed by use of confocal microscopy on 2 periurethral samples from each dog, and the ratios of collagen type III to type I area fraction and total area were determined.


RESULTS
No significant differences were detected in the collagen ratios of periurethral tissues between sexually intact and neutered female dogs.


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to differences in periurethral collagen content found between pre- and postmenopausal women, such differences may not occur in dogs. This implies that changes in pelvic organ support structures may not play an important role in urinary incontinence in neutered female dogs. Further evaluation is needed to determine the role of age on collagen and pelvic organ support structures in the pathogenesis of canine urinary incontinence.
Department of Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802, USA. jbyron@illinois.edu
Julie K
JK
Byron
Thomas K
TK
Graves
Michael D
MD
Becker
Joseph F
JF
Cosman
Erin M
EM
Long
D000818:Animals; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism*; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000378:metabolism*; D004285:Dogs / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000662:veterinary; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014521:Urethra / Q000378:metabolism*
D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III