Effects of low concentrations of dieldrin and chlormadinone acetate on canine prostatic fluid

Abstract

Prostatic fluid was collected from 24 vasectomized mongrel dogs with cystopreputiostomies for 5 mo in each of two experiments; during this time dogs were fed 50 μg/kg body weight/day of chlormadinone acetate (CAP) and/or 15 μg/kg body weight/day of dieldrin. Collections were made for 1 hr under 0.7 mg/kg pilocarpine hydrochloride stimulation. Prostatic fluid volume and acid phosphatase activity decreased in CAP and CAP + dieldrin fed dogs. In Expt. 1 a significant hormone-pesticide interaction ( P < 0.05) was observed at 4 mo when prostatic fluid volume per collection decreased 99% from pretreatment volumes with CAP and only 50% with CAP + dieldrin. Similar trends were observed in Expt. 2, although the hormone-pesticide interaction was not statistically significant ( P < 0.05). An 80% decrease in prostatic secretion volume in dogs fed CAP was observed, whereas only a 58% reduction occurred when CAP + dieldrin were fed. Again, acid phosphatase activity was decreased in CAP and CAP + dieldrin fed dogs but was unaltered in dogs fed dieldrin alone. Total solids content, pH, specific gravity and osmolarity showed no significant differences corresponding to treatment in either experiment.