The correlation between the cytology of the vaginal smear and the time of ovulation in the bitch |
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Authors: | CATHARINA LINDE INGER KARLSSON |
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Affiliation: | Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Department of Clinical Chemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden |
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Abstract: | The correlation between the vaginal smear and the calculated time of ovulation was studied in 22 bitches, during a total of 24 heat periods. Blood plasma was analysed for levels of oestradiol and progesterone from 6 days before to 6 days after the day of maximum keratinization of the vaginal smear. In all 24 heat periods (100 per cent) maximum keratinization of the vaginal epithelial cells was observed at least 3 days after peak oestradiol levels and in 17 of the heat periods (70.8 per cent) maximum keratinization was seen when the peripheral plasma level of progesterone had increased to >5.44 ± 0.93 ng/ml, which has been calculated as the ovulatory level. |
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