Feline Reproduction Flashcards

1
Q

Puberty

A

Average 5-9 months

  • free roaming cats cycle sooner
  • group housing or intro of tom or queen in estrus will hasten onset of puberty
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2
Q

Puberty is affected by

A
  • breed
  • photoperiod (long day breeders, cycle in spring/summer)
  • body weight
  • body condition
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3
Q

Seasonality

A

Seasonlly polyestrus

  • cycle Feb-Sept
  • period of anestrus during Oct-Jan
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4
Q

Cats will display estrus every 14 days unless

A
  • pregnancy
  • pseudopregnancy (30-50 days)
  • sterilization
  • illness
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5
Q

Proestrus

A

Attractive but not receptive

  • period of rapid ovarian growth
  • typical behavior, subtle signs are difficult to detect
  • duration: 12 hours to 3 days
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6
Q

Estrus

A

Period of sexual receptivity

  • duration: 4-7 days
  • estradiol peaks
  • edematous labia or scant discharge
  • queen vocalizes and calls to tom
  • assumes lordosis stance in presence of tom
  • stance elicited by stroking queen’s back
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7
Q

Interestrus

A

Cats don’t ovulate every cycle

  • induced ovulators!
  • period of sexual inactivity between follicular waves
  • lasts on average 1-3 weeks
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8
Q

Diestrus

A

Only occurs if ovulation occurs!

  • CLs form within 48 hrs of ovulation
  • remain functional for 45 days if not pregnant, 57 days if pregnant
  • CL then regresses and a normal interestrous interval follows
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9
Q

Outcome of induction of ovulation

A
  • -> pregnancy (63-66 days)

- -> pseudopregnancy (40-50 days) –> estrus

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10
Q

No induction of ovulation

A

Interestrous (8 days) –> estrus

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11
Q

Anestrus

A

Period of sexual rest

  • Oct-Jan in free roaming cats
  • can be manipulated with lighting
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12
Q

Peak reproductive activity occurs between ______

A
  1. 5-8 years of age
    - average 2-3 litters/year
    - average 3-4 kittens/litter
    - old and young cats will cycle irregularly and are prone to small litters and more stillbirths
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13
Q

Male tortoishell or calico

A

Rare (1:3000)

  • infertile
  • genes for orange or black hair are found on X chromosome –> if male is born both orange and black, then he must be XXY (infertile)
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14
Q

Breeding behavior

A

Occurs at night

  • vocalization is common
  • courtship is brief (10 sec-5 min)
  • tom grasps queen’s neck with teeth –> grips queen side with forelegs
  • intromission and ejaculation occur within a few days
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15
Q

Post coital reaction by queen

A

Lasts several minutes

  • queen will scream
  • attach tom
  • rolls on ground
  • licks vaginal area
  • may have additional matings after 20-30 minutes
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16
Q

How to determine if queen is ready to be bred?

A
  • cytology is marginally helpful
  • P4 is NOT helpful due to induced ovulation
  • bring estrous queen to tom and observe for receptivity
  • breed over 1-3 days (2 hours daily)
  • observe matings to ensure mating is occurring
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17
Q

Ovulation

A

Queen is induced ovulator, mechanical stimulation or copulation is required

  • within minutes LH is released from pituitary
  • multiple matings increase LH levels
  • ovulation in 25-30 hours
  • ovulation occasionally induced by stroking the queen or presence of a tom
18
Q

Pseudopregnancy

A

Ovulation occurs without pregnancy

  • will not exhibit estrus while pseudopregnant
  • luteal phase 1/2 as long as gestation (35 days) which allows for more rapid return to estrus
  • clinical signs of pseudopregnancy is rare in queen!
19
Q

Pregnancy diagnosis

A
  • gestation: 65-67 days
  • relaxin detected after 25 days of pregnancy
  • palpation is effective, string of marbles around 17-20 days
  • 25 days: generalized uteromegaly
  • 50 days: fetal heads palpable
  • 43 days: fetal ossification
  • US at 16 days with fetal heartbeat at 28 days
20
Q

Relaxin

A

Produced by placenta

- is a reliable blood test

21
Q

Parturition

A

Queens are isolated or secluded

  • nighttime delivery is common
  • may be irritable and groom a lot prior to delivery
  • drop in temp 12 hours prior to delivery is not as consistent as in dogs
  • delivery takes 6 hours (variable)
  • 15-30 min interval between kittens
  • delay of 12-48 hours if stressed
  • dystocia is rare!
22
Q

1st stage of parturition

A
  • nesting behavior
  • lasts 1-24 horus
  • restlessness
  • paw or dig at floor
  • grooming
  • vocalizing
  • uterine contractions
  • cervix dilates
23
Q

2nd stage of parturition

A
  • period of active straining
  • delivery of kittens
  • anterior or posterior presentations are normal
  • vigorous licking of kitten
  • placenta often ingested
  • directs kitten towards nipple
  • average 1 stillborn/litter
24
Q

3rd stage of parturition

A
  • expulsion of placenta

- may have several kittens before expulsion of placentas

25
Q

Pregnancy loss associated with

A
  • infectious causes
  • nutritional insufficiency
  • fetal chromosomal defects
  • maternal hormonal aberrations
26
Q

Infectious causes

A
  • FeLV
  • FIV
  • FIP
  • panleukopenia virus (cerebellar hypoplasia)
27
Q

Causes of dystocia

A
  • obstruction (maternal or fetal)

- uterine inertia - primary (fail to initiate stage 1) or secondary (uterine fatigue)

28
Q

When should you worry

A
  • when gestation length exceeds 71 days from first breeding
  • presence of P4 <2 ng/ml
  • more than 4 hrs of straining before first kitten
  • more than 2 hrs between kittens
  • partial expulsion of fetus
  • signs of shock in the queen
29
Q

In the absence of maternal compromise or obstruction

A
  • give oxytocin 1-3 units IM (can repeat in 30 min)
  • will resolve 1/3 cases
  • plan for c section if no response
30
Q

Orphaned kittens

A
  • colostrum is beneficial for passive immunity
  • absorption ceases after 16 hours
  • give 15 mls of serum SQ or intraperitoneal over 24 hrs (should be from immunized cat that is FIV/FeLV negative)
31
Q

Hand raising kittens

A
  • use foster queen
  • formulas designed for kittens every 2 hours
  • must stimulate kitten to urinate and defecate as in puppies
  • watch for kittens nursing each other
  • non-lactating queen may accept litter to give kittens social and behavioral development
32
Q

Cryptorchidism

A

Failure of normal testicular descent

  • spines on penis are testosterone dependent, lost within weeks of castration
  • testes will be intra-abdominal
  • use spaycheck as with ovarian remnant syndrome (measure anti-mullerian hormone, which will be high in cryptorchids)
33
Q

Mammary tumors

A

90% are malignant (especially in older cats)

  • 3rd most common tumor in cats
  • siamese are overrepresented
  • OVH is not as protective as in dogs
  • aggressive mastectomy is required
  • look for metastisis (50-90%)
34
Q

Mammary hyperplasia

A

Firm, non-painful, enlarged mammary glands

  • ulcerated
  • seen in young cats after ovulation or during pregnancy
  • sensitivity to progesterone
  • resolves after removal of P4
  • OVH, PGF2alpha, P4 antagonists or a flank spay
35
Q

Ovarian remnant syndrom

A

Lack an ovarian bursa that covers the ovary

  • cells are easily exfoliated and seeded
  • causes apparent cyclicity in spayed females
  • elevated AMH levels
  • eleveated P4 after induction of ovulation
  • surgery
36
Q

LH levels should be persistently high in ______

A

Spayed cats

- absent LH = ORS

37
Q

Uterine prolapse

A

Occurs just after parturition

  • usually both horns and part of uterine body are prolapsed
  • queens may be normal to very ill depending on time until treatment
38
Q

Prolapse treatment

A
  • amputation
  • manual reduction and repositioning
  • follow with OHE
  • partial manual reduction with full reduction at surgery
  • choice depends on: tissue health, owner’s wish for future repro
39
Q

Pyometra

A

Affects cats 7 years of age

  • vaginal discharge
  • anorexia
  • abdominal distension
  • dehydration
  • lethargy
  • pyrexia
40
Q

Diagnosis of pyometra

A
  • signalment
  • history (was in heat 4 weeks ago)
  • physical exam
  • rads
  • ultrasound
  • culture of discharge
41
Q

Treatment of pyometra

A

OHE is gold standard!

  • always give fluids and antibiotics
  • open cervix cases are not always an emergency
  • medical management only for breeding queens with open pyometra –> lutalyse BID x 5 days, 90% will breed successfully after treatment