Ortega-Pacheco A, Rodríguez-Buenfil JC, Leal-Ortega JA

Language: Spanish
References: 12
Page: 107-111
PDF size: 33.48 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Background. Stray dogs represent a risk to human health because of the several zoonotic diseases. The high fertility and prolificity of this species increase the problem of stray dogs in particular when there are not effective campaigns to control their population. During the breeding season, stray dogs gather to breed and it is when control campaigns can be more effective. In this work we determined the estral activity of stray dogs in the city of Mérida during a year and we evaluated the possible relationship of age, size and body condition of bitches with the ocurrence of estrus.
Material and methods. Vaginal swabs were taken monthly from a total of 114 stray bitches from the municipal pound of Mérida. A bitch was considered in estrus when at least 90% of anuclear and superficial cells were observed in the exfoliative vaginal citology. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the frequency and distribution of bitches in estrus and Chi square to analize the effect of body condition, size and age of bitches on estrus appearance.
Results. Thirty-three (29%) of the sampled bitches were in estrus. The highest proportion of estrus was observed in July and August; bitches in estrus were found in all months of the year with the exception of January and October where no estrus observed. However this did not show significant statistical difference. Twenty-two (66%) of the bitches in estrus were young and 11 (33%) were adults (p›0.05); 19 (57%) were small bitches and 14 (43%) were big (p‹0.05). Estrus was observed in 7 (21%) bitches with good body condition and in 26 (78%) bitches with bad body condition (p›0.05).
Discussion. It was observed that bitches can present estral activity throughout the year but with a tendency to occur during Summer. Bitches of small size have a greater probability to present estrus than big bitches because its early presentation of puberty and estrus cycles of minor duration.

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