MVSc

With a view to make commercial dog breeding a viable enterprise, a
study was undertaken to induce fertile oestrus in anoestrous bitches. A
preliminary survey was also carried out ill IIl1d around Thrissur to elucidate the
reproductive parameters and breeding practices in relation to feeding, housing
and managemental practices adopted by the dog breeders. The survey carried
out in 100 bitches revealed that the mean of puberty, oestrus interval, duration
of bleeding, duration of oestrus, number of matings, duration of muting,
gestation period, duration of whelping and litter size was respectively, 11.4
months, 6.8 months, 8.5 days, 7.6 days, 1.74 times, 16.2 minutes, 61.9 days, 5.3
hours and 6 pups. The conception rate was found to be 49.2 per cent. The
percentage incidence of perinatal mortality of pups and pseudopregnancy in
bitches was observed to be 15.8 and 3.2. Most of the managemental factors
were not found to significantly influence the tl productive parameters covered
in the survey. However, conception rate and litter size in bitches kept along
with males was higher probably on account of the fact that more number of
rnatings were allowed during oestrus.
Twenty four anoestrus bitches aged 2 to 6 years were randomly allotted
to four groups of 6 bitches each. While group J received 20 IU/kg PMSG for
5 consecutive days, group If received PMSG nl the satuv dose rute as ill



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group I followed by 500 IU of hea. While group III received clomiphene
curate 50 mg daily for 5 days, group IV was eated as control. Exfoliative
vaginal cytology was studied in all the bitches from day 1 to 19 of treatment.
All bitches were given natural scrvite/1l1tificial insemination ill the
induced oestrus.
In group I, 83.3 per cent of bitches came: to oestrus at a mean of 12 days
from the beginning of treatment and gave 1I conception rate of 50 per cent with
a III ea 11 litter size of 3.3. III group 11, cventhough a similar percentage of
bitches CUIlIC to oestrus at U fJleUII of 13.8 days, hut a conception rate of 33.3
pcr cent was obtained with a mean litter ~llC of 2.5. In contrast, in groups III
and IV, none of the bitches came to oestrus and concci vcd. The response to
treatment in groups I and Il with respect tu the duration and intensity of pro-
oestrus and oestrus, acceptance, conception and litter size was comparatively
lower in the induced oestrus than ill natural oestrus. Similarly, the
anuclcar cell peaks in these two groups were much lower than that
reported in natural oestrus.
It is concluded that, bitches in anoestrus could be induced to come into
fertile oestrus with PMSG alone or in combination with hCa eventhough the
conception rate was lower than in natural oestrus. Since a better conception and
litter size was obtained with PMSG alone and the cost of treatment is less in
this protocol, it is preferred over a combination treatment of PMSG and hCG.