Stillborn Puppies Research Articles

Factors influencing inflammatory diseases in the bitch and the survival of her offsprings

Feeding raw meat is becoming increasingly common among dog owners. This feeding practice can pose a hygienic risk and can lead to health risks for dogs and their owners. Hygienically sound food rations, that are balanced in terms of all nutrients and energy, must be feed to breeding dogs. The aim of this study was to record the influence of raw feeding on the occurrence of mastitis, metritis and the survival of puppies. An online questionnaire was sent to kennel club registered dog breeders in Germany and Switzerland. A total of 531 litters were recorded and evaluated. Mastitis and/or metritis were present in 9,2 % and 2,8 % (n = 49 and n = 15, respectively) of the breeding bitches. 29 % (n = 154) of the breeders reported loss of puppies in the litter. The most common cause were stillbirths (n = 105 litters with 187 stillborn puppies), and/or early mortality (n = 50 litters with 73 puppies that died in the first 48 hours). The occurrence of puppy losses in the litter and/or a higher proportion of puppy losses in the litter was favored by increased body weight of the bitch in larger dog breeds, existing previous illnesses, previously reported gestation or postpartum problems, increasing length of the parturition phase and/or a cesarean section. A higher total number of surviving puppies was associated with increased weight and anamnestic reported health of the bitch and the use of milk powder instead of other milk substitutes. A relationship between raw feeding and the occurrence of mastitis, metritis, the total number of surviving puppies and/or the occurrence or proportion of pup losses in the litter and was not found in this study. However very few breeders in this cohort fed their bitches raw, which in turn was due to the random selection of breeders. Many years of breeding experience and the increasing parity of the bitch had a clearly positive influence on the health of the bitch.

Preductal Segmental Tubular Aortic Hypoplasia in Perinatally Died Stabyhoun Puppies.

A high perinatal mortality rate in the Stabyhoun breed prompted one of the Dutch breeding organizations to start an investigation. Preductal segmental tubular aortic hypoplasia is an extremely rarely documented congenital vascular anomaly in dogs, and it is suspected to be the result of constriction of ectopic ductal tissue in the aortic wall at birth. Over a period of 18 months, Stabyhoun puppies that were stillborn, died or were euthanized before 3 weeks of age were submitted to post-mortem examination at the reporting institution. Pathologic findings were documented. Eight Stabyhoun puppies were submitted during the study period. In five of them, a severe preductal segmental tubular aortic hypoplasia was found. Two of the five puppies were stillborn, and three died spontaneously or were euthanized. Preductal tubular aortic hypoplasia was found in an unusually high frequency in the examined Stabyhoun puppies. Because the condition is believed to cause clinical signs only after birth, this anomaly cannot explain the death of the stillborn puppies. However, it might be responsible for cardiogenic pulmonary edema in the postnatal period. Routine dissection of the great vessels in perinatally deceased puppies would help to establish the prevalence of congenital anomalies of the aorta.

Autosomal recessive hyposegmentation of granulocytes in Australian Shepherd Dogs indicates a role for LMBR1L in myeloid leukocytes.

Pelger-Huët anomaly (PHA) in humans is an autosomal dominant hematological phenotype without major clinical consequences. PHA involves a characteristic hyposegmentation of granulocytes (HG). Human PHA is caused by heterozygous loss of function variants in the LBR gene encoding lamin receptor B. Bi-allelic variants and complete deficiency of LBR cause the much more severe Greenberg skeletal dysplasia which is lethal in utero and characterized by massive skeletal malformation and gross fetal hydrops. HG phenotypes have also been described in domestic animals and homology to human PHA has been claimed in the literature. We studied a litter of Australian Shepherd Dogs with four stillborn puppies in which both parents had an HG phenotype. Linkage analysis excluded LBR as responsible gene for the stillborn puppies. We then investigated the HG phenotype in Australian Shepherd Dogs independently of the prenatal lethality. Genome-wide association mapped the HG locus to chromosome 27 and established an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. Whole genome sequencing identified a splice site variant in LMBR1L, c.191+1G>A, as most likely causal variant for the HG phenotype. The mutant allele abrogates the expression of the longer X2 isoform but does not affect transcripts encoding the shorter X1 isoform of the LMBR1L protein. The homozygous mutant LMBR1L genotype associated with HG is common in Australian Shepherd Dogs and was found in 39 of 300 genotyped dogs (13%). Our results point to a previously unsuspected function of LMBR1L in the myeloid lineage of leukocytes.

A retrospective cohort study of canid herpesvirus-1 seroprevalence and epidemiology in kennel dogs in Croatia

Canid alphaherpesvirus-1 (CaHV-1) is an endemic pathogen of dogs worldwide. CaHV-1 is often related to abortions, neonatal mortality, and the death of puppies. Since the first description of the virus in 1965, there has been no generally accepted method for diagnosing CaHV-1. Many authors used the virus neutralisation test (VNT) as a ‘reference standard’ due to its high specificity.Nasal, vaginal, preputial swabs and serum samples for this study were collected in the population of kennel dogs in Croatia. To determine the optimal VNT protocol, three modifications of the VNT were compared. These modifications were: VNT using native serum samples, VNT using thermally inactivated serum samples, and VNT using thermally inactivated serum samples with the addition of the complement. The correlation between the results of the VNT methods was significant (P < 0.001). Of all three modifications of VNT, the one using native serum samples was the one that increased VNT sensitivity. The overall seroprevalence of CaHV-1 was 32.02%. The PCR did not confirm the CaHV-1 presence in collected swabs.According to analysed anamnestic data, significant risk factors for CaHV-1 infection were: kennel size, attendance at the dog shows, hunt trials, kennel disinfection protocols, and mating. The oestrus cycle had no significant effect on seropositivity.The study results indicate that CaHV-1 spreads horizontally between dams living in kennels and in males during mating. Although there was no correlation between seropositivity and a history of reproductive disorders, significantly more stillborn puppies were recorded in seronegative dames (P < 0.01).

Hair and Claw Dehydroepiandrosterone Concentrations in Newborn Puppies Spontaneously Dead within 30 Days of Age.

The latest intrauterine fetal developmental stage and the neonatal period represent the most challenging phases for mammalian offspring. Toward the term of pregnancy, during parturition, and after birth, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) is a key system regulating several physiologic processes, through the production of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). This study was aimed to assess DHEA concentrations in hair and claws of 126 spontaneously dead newborn puppies, classified as premature puppies (PRE-P), stillborn puppies (STILL-P) and puppies that died from the 1st to the 30th day of life (NEON-P). The possible influence of newborn sex, breed body size, and timing of death on DHEA concentrations in both matrices was evaluated. Claw DHEA concentrations were higher in the PRE-P group when compared to STILL-P and NEON-P puppies (p &lt; 0.05), whilst no significant differences were found in hair for all the studied factors. The results confirm the hypothesis that higher amounts of DHEA are produced during the intrauterine life in dogs, also in puppies that will die soon after birth.

Blood Biomarker Profile Alterations in Newborn Canines: Effect of the Mother's Weight.

Simple SummaryMorphological variability in canines is associated with the mother’s size and weight, which likely affects the birth weight of the puppies and their metabolic status. Identifying physio-metabolic alterations in the blood from the umbilical vein to evaluate the concentration of gases, glucose, lactate, calcium, hematocrit levels, and blood pH of newborn puppies will make it possible to determine the risk of complications due to intrauterine asphyxia. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of the mother’s weight on the weight of liveborn and stillborn puppies during spontaneous births and the neonates’ blood physiological alterations during the first minute of life. The above allowed us to identify the physio-metabolic maladjustments that newborn puppies suffer from and to determine the risk of asphyxia according to the weight category of the mothers. Results suggest that if the weight of the bitch is >16.1 kg in eutocic births, there is a higher risk of intrapartum physiological alterations and death. The results of this study allowed us to identify that the weight of dams before birth determines the weight of the puppies at birth, though there is a wide range in birth weights due to the ample morphological variability characteristics of this species.This study aims to determine the effect of the weight of bitches on liveborn and stillbirth puppies from eutocic births, and physiological blood alterations during the first minute postpartum. A total of 52 female dogs were evaluated and distributed in four categories: C1 (4.0–8.0 kg, n = 19), C2 (8.1–16.0 kg, n = 16), C3 (16.1–32.0 kg, n = 11), and C4 (32.1–35.8 kg, n = 6). The dams produced 225 liveborn puppies and 47 were classified as stillbirth type II. Blood samples were taken from the umbilical vein to evaluate the concentration of gases, glucose, lactate, calcium, hematocrit levels, and blood pH. The liveborn puppies in C2, C3, and C4 had more evident physiological alterations (hypercapnia, acidosis) than those in C1 (p < 0.05). These signs indicate a process of transitory asphyxiation. The stillborn pups in all four categories had higher weights than their liveborn littermates. C3 and C4 had the highest mean weights (419.86 and 433.79 g, respectively) and mortality rates (C3 = 20.58%, C4 = 24.58%). Results suggest that if the weight of the bitch is >16.1 kg in eutocic births, there is a higher risk of intrapartum physiological alterations and death. The results of this study allowed us to identify that the weight of dams before birth determines the weight of the puppies at birth.

The effectiveness of belmin in feeding of female arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus L.) to increase reproductive functions

The article presents the results of tests of protein-organic additives on pregnant female Arctic foxes. The criteria for assessing the impact on the productivity of females of arctic fox and the number of missing, poor and disadvantaged females gave birth, fertility, the number of mothers who are good reproduction, number of stillborn puppies, preservation of offspring before registration and the number of puppies in terms of the main female. During the experiments, it was found that the inclusion in the number of pregnant females should be 1,5 grams per day, which leads to a decrease in the number of stillborn puppies and, with, as a consequence, an increase in the number of young animals to be deposited.

Pekingese yavrularda fetal anasarka’nın patolojik bulguları

Fetal anasarca is a congenital condition defined by excessive fluid accumulation throughout the body and subcutaneous edema. A 9-month-old Pekingese bitch with dystocia was presented to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Ankara University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Three stillborn puppies were removed by caesarian section and sent to the Pathology Department of Ankara University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine for necropsy. Grossly, two of the puppies were larger than normal, had diffuse subcutaneous swelling with visceral effusion and were diagnosed with fetal anasarca. As for the third one, pulmonary hypoplasia was reported. All the fetuses additionally showed palatoschisis, bird tongue and lissencephaly. For histopathological examination, samples from the organs were collected and routinely processed. Severe edematous and degenerative changes were noted in the skin, liver, heart and kidneys of the anasarcous fetuses. Extramedullary hematopoiesis was also observed to different degrees in the livers and the spleens of all fetuses. The current case represents the first histopathologically described case of canine fetal anasarca in Turkey and it highlights the predisposition of brachycephalic dogs to fetal anasarca which is referred to be heritable as a recessive trait.

Analysis of the reproductive performance of Labradors with working certificates

The aim of the study was to analyse the results of mating of female Labrador retrievers from show lines with show-line males with working certificates. The research material consisted of breeding results from the Sodalis FCI kennel from 2005-2011, which included 26 litters from eight bitches. Sires with working certificates were used in seven matings. The number of puppies born, the number of stillborn or euthanized puppies, the number of puppies reared, and the ratio of puppies reared to puppies born were analysed. On average 0.44 more puppies were born and 0.68 more were reared in litters from show-line sires with working certificates. The percentages of retained placentas and of stillborn puppies and puppies requiring euthanasia were higher in litters from show-line sires without working certificates. The differences were not confirmed statistically.

Factors influencing litter size and puppy losses in the Entlebucher Mountain dog

A good reproductive performance is a central element of animal breeding. The breeders of Entlebucher Mountain dogs observed a decrease of the mean litter size and an increase of the number of unsuccessful matings in the past years. The aim of the present study was to identify factors with an influence on fertility in this breed. In total, 915 litters from 202 sires and 348 dams from 1986 to 2013 entered the analyses. The total puppy losses (7.4%) reduced the mean litter size at birth of 5.49 ± 2.13 to a mean litter size at registration of 5.08 ± 2.05. There was no deviation from the expected equal sex distribution for puppies at birth and at registration, as well as for puppy losses consisting of stillborn puppies and puppies which died or had to be euthanized before registration. The mean annual litter inbreeding coefficient increased from 0.37 in 1986 to 0.40 in 2013 and was correlated with the year of birth of the litter (Kendall's tau b = 0.46). The age of the dam and parental inbreeding were identified as significant predictors with a negative effect on litter size at birth. For the litter size at registration the age and inbreeding of the dam had a significant negative effect and a 1% increase of dam inbreeding is expected to decrease the litter size at birth and registration by 0.1 and 0.09 puppies, respectively. The occurrence of total puppy losses decreased during the years and was more frequent in larger litters. In addition, in litters of older parents the occurrence of puppy losses was more frequent than in litters from younger parents. The final generalized linear mixed-effects models for litter size at birth, litter size at registration and for total puppy losses explained 36%, 33% and 22% of the total variance, respectively. The impact of inbreeding and parental age on fertility of the Entlebucher Mountain dog was small and the influence of the dam was much bigger than the one of the sire. Other factors must be responsible for the variability of litter sizes not explained by the models. Without changes of breeding circumstances, a further increase of inbreeding must be expected. Therefore, a close monitoring and minimizing of inbreeding must be followed up by the breeding community.

Molecular assessment of the transplacental transmission of Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Brucella canis and Ehrlichia canis in dogs.

Given the fact that numerous microbial species can be detected in pregnant female dogs, the objective of this study was to assess the transplacental transmission of Brucella canis, Ehrlichia canis, Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in stillborn puppies. This study involved 41 stillborn puppies, 78.6% of which were positive for T. gondii, 52.4% for N. caninum and 59.5% for B. canis. E. canis was not detected in any of the analyzed puppies. Pregnancy is an important physiological condition for the transmission of infectious agents to puppies and transplacental transmission may be epidemiologically relevant in the spread of these opportunistic agents.

Canine perinatal mortality: A cohort study of 224 breeds

Canine perinatal mortality is known to be relatively high. However, the literature on perinatal mortality in dogs is still sparse and often refers to a single or only a few breeds. The aim of this large-scale observational study was to describe the perinatal mortality in purebred dogs of various breeds at both puppy and litter level. In addition, the influence of breed, breed size, litter size, age of the bitch, litter number and season for whelping on the risk of perinatal mortality at litter level was studied and the mean litter size at eight days and eight wks after birth was calculated. A retrospective cohort study was performed by studying 10,810 litters of 224 breeds registered in the Norwegian Kennel Club in 2006 and 2007. Perinatal mortality was defined as the sum of stillborn puppies and puppies that died during the first wk after birth (early neonatal mortality) and was present in 24.6% of the litters. Eight percent of the puppies died before eight days after birth, with 4.3% as stillbirth and 3.7% as early neonatal mortality. For most breeds the perinatal mortality was low, but for some breeds a higher perinatal mortality was found. The mean litter size at eight days and eight wks after birth was 4.97 (±0.02) and 4.92 (±0.02) puppies, respectively. Of all puppies born, only 1% died during the period from eight days to eight wks after birth. Random effects logistic regression analysis indicated that increasing litter size and age of the bitch were associated with an increased risk of stillbirth, early neonatal mortality and total perinatal mortality at the litter level (P < 0.001). The random breed effect was significant for all outcomes. Litter number also had a significant effect on stillbirth, early neonatal mortality and total perinatal mortality at the litter level, with the highest risk of perinatal mortality found in the first litter (P < 0.001). Further, the risk of early neonatal mortality was doubled in litters with stillborn puppies. No significant effect of whelping season on perinatal mortality at litter level was found. An interaction existed between the age of the bitch and litter number and the risk of stillbirth was three times as high (odds ratio = 3.00) in litters from bitches having their first litter after the age of six y. Breed was a more important determinant of perinatal mortality in litters than breed size. However, more than 90% of the variation in perinatal mortality was found at the individual litter level and efforts to minimize puppy mortality should be targeted at the management of the individual litter rather than at the breed level.

Leishmaniasis in a dog native to Colorado

A 1-year-old 32.5-kg (71.5-lb) sexually intact male foxhound-Treeing Walker Coonhound cross was evaluated because of a 2.5-month history of dermatologic lesions, weight loss, and diarrhea. Physical examination revealed muscle wasting, lymphadenopathy, and multifocal pruritic dermatologic lesions of alopecia, thickening, erythema, and follicular casting. Hematologic and serum biochemical analyses revealed nonregenerative anemia, mono-cytosis, hypercalcemia, hyperproteinemia, and hyperglobulinemia. Proteinuria was identified on urinalysis. Hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and diffuse abdominal lymphadenomegaly were detected on abdominal ultrasonography. A diagnosis of leishmaniasis was confirmed by ELISA detection of serum antibodies against Leishmania spp, a high serum indirect fluorescent antibody titer (1:1,024) against Leishmania infantum, amplification of Leishmania DNA on PCR assay of a whole blood sample and a lymph node aspirate, and histologic identification of suspected Leishmania amastigotes in skin specimens. In addition, the dog had a low CD4+:CD8+ lymphocyte ratio of 1:1. The dog was euthanized because of the severity of leishmaniasis and poor prognosis. This dog was from a litter of 10 puppies that included 4 stillborn puppies, 2 puppies that died as neonates, and 1 littermate that was euthanized at 1 year of age because of a high serum antibody titer against Leishmania spp. Eventually the foxhound dam was euthanized because of a high serum antibody titer against Leishmania spp. The dog had been raised with an unaffected littermate, its sire, and an unrelated Treeing Walker Coonhound female that were seronegative for Leishmania infection. Although vertical disease transmission was suspected, it is possible that L infantum is now endemic in Colorado. Leishmaniasis should be considered in dogs with scaly dermatoses.

Breeding history of the Stanford colony of narcoleptic dogs

Narcolepsy is a disabling sleep disorder of unknown aetiology. In humans, the disease is mostly sporadic, with a few familial cases having been reported. In 1973 a sporadic case of...

Rabies virus in the tonsils of a carrier dog.

A female dog, inoculated with a rabies isolate from the saliva of an apparently healthy Ethiopian dog, developed rabies but later recovered without supportive treatment. Rabies virus was isolated from the saliva collected 42, 169 and 305 days after recovery. Sixteen months after it recovered, the dog suddenly died after giving birth to two stillborn puppies. At necropsy, viral antigen could be detected in the tonsils and the brain tissue, but viable virus was isolated from the Palatine tonsils only.

Pathology and familial incidence of thyroiditis in a closed beagle colony

Lymphocytic thyroiditis, resembling Hashimoto's disease of man, occurs spontaneously in a closed breeding colony of beagle dogs with an incidence approaching 20% among untreated animals over 1 year of age. This disease is genetically influenced as determined by an analysis of the ancestral composition of each animal. The incidence increases with increasing degrees of relatedness to three sibling progenitors of a partially inbred line which comprises a major portion of the colony. The pathologic changes in the thyroids cause neither clinical signs nor enlargement of the gland, and the severity of the lesions is independent of age. The lesions do not appear to be progressive in severity or result in atrophy or fibrosis of the gland. The histologic features and total incidence of thyroiditis in adult dogs given lethal or near-lethal doses of ionizing radiation is distinctly different from those of nonirradiated dogs, but the incidence is genetically influenced in the same manner as in nonirradiated adults. Lymphocytic lesions also occur in the thyroids of 55% of stillborn puppies but are dissimilar to those in all adult dogs. The incidence of these lesions, however, is not genetically influenced as are those in adult dogs. Therefore, the diseases in neonatal and adult dogs are different.

Indications for and Complications of Prefrontal Lobotomy

Given the fact that numerous microbial species can be detected in pregnant female dogs, the objective of this study was to assess the transplacental transmission of Brucella canis, Ehrlichia canis, Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in stillborn puppies. This study involved 41 stillborn puppies, 78.6% of which were positive for T. gondii, 52.4% for N. caninum and 59.5% for B. canis. E. canis was not detected in any of the analyzed puppies. Pregnancy is an important physiological condition for the transmission of infectious agents to puppies and transplacental transmission may be epidemiologically relevant in the spread of these opportunistic agents.