Relationship of serum adiponectin and IGF-I concentrations with progesterone and their effect on pregnancy rates in cows

The aims of this study were to determine serum adiponectin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations in early and late luteal phases following artificial insemination, to evaluate their relationship with progesterone concentrations, and to detect their effects on the pregnancy rate. We used 45 Holstein cows aged 3–4 years who had given birth at least once and who did not have any problem in the genital system as observed on rectal palpation/ultrasonography examination. Presynch–ovsynch synchronization protocol was applied on cows. Blood samples were collected to determine the concentrations of progesterone, adiponectin, and IGF-I on days 5 and 18 following artificial insemination. Pregnancy examination using real-time ultrasonography was performed on day 30 following artificial insemination. Fifteen (33.33%) of the 45 cows were determined as pregnant. The pregnancy rates were increased with increasing progesterone concentration on day 5 following artificial insemination, and the pregnancy rates were the highest (53.84%) among the cows with progesterone concentration of >2.00 ng/mL. Adiponectin and IGF-I concentrations were determined as 26.69±11.84 vs 24.14±9.19 and 17.52±4.19 vs 17.42±2.92, on days 5 and 18 after artificial insemination, respectively (P>0.05). Negative correlation was observed between adiponectin and progesterone concentrations (P<0.05), whereas positive correlation was observed between IGF-I and progesterone on day 5 following artificial insemination (P<0.05). Progesterone and IGF-I concentrations in pregnant cows were higher than in nonpregnant cows on days 5 and 18 following artificial insemination (P<0.05). In conclusion, the progesterone and IGF-I concentrations in early and late luteal phase following artificial insemination had a positive effect on the pregnancy rate. However, although early adiponectin concentration affected progesterone concentrations, it did not affect the pregnancy rate.

Vaginal prolapse complicated with urinary bladder retroflexion and colonic herniation in a dog

A four-year-old, intact, female Anatolian Shepherd dog was presented with a three-day vaginal prolapse and anuria. She was lethargic, dehydrated, tachycardic, and blood analysis showed leukocytosis and azotemia. Ultrasonographic examination demonstrated that the urinary bladder was located in the prolapsed vaginal tissue. Ultrasound-guided cystocentesis was performed to empty the obstructed bladder and intravenous fluid therapy was instituted. When the dog was deemed cardiovascularly stable, a caudal midline celiotomy incision was made. Through gentle retraction of the uterus, the colon descendens and the bladder were placed back to their normal positions. After resolution of the cervical invagination, the cervix was pexied to the abdominal wall to prevent recurrence and ovariohysterectomy was performed. The dog made an uneventful recovery and had normal urination at the one month follow-up. Chronic vaginal prolapse can be complicated by a retroflexed urinary bladder with urethral obstruction leading to life-threatening azotemia. Ultrasonography of the prolapsed tissues contributes greatly to early diagnosis of complicated cases.

Detection of twin pregnancies in ewes by pregnancy-associated glycoprotein assay and transabdominal ultrasonography

The objectives of the present study were to evaluate and compare the accuracy of transabdominal ultrasonography and pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) assay in the diagnosis of twin pregnancies in ewes and to evaluate the utility of the PAG assay for predicting fetal gender in singleton pregnancies. The animals in the study consisted of 179 pregnant ewes. The number of fetuses in the ewe was determined using transabdominal ultrasonography between days 40 and 60 (on days 40, 45, 50, 55, and 60). Blood samples were collected from all the ewes on the same day to determine the PAG concentrations. The results found were highly sensitive for the detection of twin pregnancies by transabdominal ultrasonography. The accuracy of transabdominal ultrasonography in detecting twin pregnancies was found to be higher on day 60 than on other days (P < 0.05). The sensitivities of PAG assay in detecting twin pregnancies on days 40, 45, 50, 55, and 60 were 91.67%, 66.67%, 81.82%, 88.89%, and 33.33%, respectively. The accuracies of the PAG assay in detecting twin pregnancies on days 40, 45, and 50 were found to be statistically significant higher than other days (P < 0.05). The PAG assay had low sensitivity and specificity for predicting fetal gender. It was concluded that twin pregnancies in ewes can be diagnosed with high accuracy using transabdominal ultrasonography on day 60 of pregnancy and as well as using the PAG assay during the early days of pregnancy (on days 40, 45, and 50). The PAG assay is not useful for predicting fetal gender.