Reproductive Tract Diagnostic Methods and Prostatic Disease in Males Flashcards
Charlie-Brown is a show dog. At the last show the judge noticed that one testicle was larger than the other
What do you think?
- Heterogenous mass with lesions around it – anechoic regions are more defined
- Sertoli cell tumour
- No obvious negative feedback effect at this point so the other testicle was the same size
- Often changes in testicular size from one testicle to another
- Could be changes in the tone of the testicle
What screening do we have for venereal pathogens in dogs?
•There is no routine screening for veneral pathogens
–Bacterial etc. might consider vaccination of male dogs against herpes virus but not well described if this will reduce virus shedding. Look for lesions on the penis instead.
•Lesions on the penis/prepuce mucosa might be viewed suspiciously for canine herpes virus
What screening do we have for venereal pathogens in tom cat?
•May be screened for FeLV prior to mating since this can be transmitted via close contact
–Both sexes screen for it
What sort of things should we look out for when observaing libido in dogs?
- Sniffing, jumping and playing
- First fraction ejaculated
- Bitch stands and deviates tail
- Rapid thrusting movements
- Penis partially eject but os penis maintains rigidity
- Erection starts after intromission
- Second fraction ejaculated
- Swelling of the bulbus glandis inside the vagina
- Dog turns to face caudally
- Penis twists 180 degrees
- Third fraction is ejaculated
What is there good correlations of testicular size with?
–Total sperm output
–Onset of puberty
–Testicular degeneration
–Advanced testicular pathology
–Compare between left and right and understand what might be normal volume for a dog of a particular body weight
When we are examining the scrotum, testes and epididymides, what should we be looking for?
- Freely moveable
- Some conditions may be suggestive of reproductive disease
–Scrotal dermatitis
- Testes have firm texture
- Testicular parenchyma and size best appreciated with ultrasound
What do normal testicles look like on ultrasound?
- Normal testes have moderately hypoechoic parenchyma with echogenic stippling
- Linear mediastinum testis in sagittal plane
- Circular mediastinum testis in transverse plane
- Usually bright echogenic parenchyma – similar to spleen
- Even and relatively homogenous
- Similar between L and R
What can focal testicular lesions on US be?
–Testicular cysts
–Testicular tumours
What can generalised testicular lesions on US be?
–Orchitis
What is wrong with this testicle?
orchitis – essentially oedema within parenchyma
What is wrong with this testicle?
testicular cyst, blocking outflow of sperm
When examining the sheath and the penis, what should we be looking for and looking at?
•Freely mobile, normal discharge
–Remember discharge can be significant in volume
•Spines and caudally-directed tom-cat penis
What can be seen here?
Lateral radiograph showing fractures os penis
When examining the urethra and perineum of the male, what should we be looking for?
- Normally via flexible endoscope or positive contrast urethro-cystography
- Clinical examination of the perineum and anus
Name ten diagnostic techniques for the prostate gland
- Rectal palpation
- Radiography
- Ultrasonography
- Prostatic massage
- Semen evaluation
- Urine analysis
- Prostatic aspiration
- Prostatic biopsy
- Haematology
- Blood culture
When using rectal palpation to assess the prostate gland, what are we assessing?
–Gland size
–Pain
•Normal should not have pain
–Moveability
•Normal should be moveable
–Sublumbar lymph nodes
–Other structures (rectal wall, pelvic wall)
What can be seen here?
Lateral pneumocystogram – injected air, can see air in cranial part of urethra and outline of bladder
What can be seen here?
- Extravasation of contrast is common in normal prostate and is not indicative of neoplasia
- Smooth outline of urethra
- Can also see flaring of contrast material – do see this in some normal prostates
What do we use prostatic massage for?
Identification of additional cellular material
What is semen evaluation useful for?
•Useful for assessment of first and third fractions of the ejaculate
–Colour
–Cellular content
–Bacteriology
–Some dogs aren’t used to being collected from and some may have pain so may not want to ejaculate
What is a common sequelae to prostatic disease?
Common sequelae is lower urinary tract infection which needs treatment
What are the different ejaculates in a dog and what does each contain?
•First fraction ejaculated during foreplay
–0.5 to 2.0 ml
–prostatic fluid
–contains no sperm
–flushes urethra clear of urine
•Second fraction ejaculated during intromission
–0.5 to 2.0 ml
–sperm rich
–deposited into cranial vagina
•Third fraction ejaculated during the tie
–15 to 20 ml
–prostatic fluid
–no sperm
–washes sperm into the uterus
What do we collect the 2nd fraction of ejaculate from a dog for?
2nd fraction for semen quality
What do we collect the 3rd fraction of ejaculate from a dog for?
3rd fraction to look for prostatic function
What kind of things can we do as part of a breeding soundness exam?
- Conformation and temperament
- External genitalia
- Libido – question owner carefully
- Semen evaluation
- Ultrasound of reproductive tract, particularly testes
- Endocrinological testing?
- Other diagnostic tests?
What is this and what is wrong?
Nice example of normal prostate gland in live dog. More echogenic
Butterfly, 2 lobed appearance
Dorsal aspect – can see colon which has some echogenic material in it casting an acoustic shadow
If difficult to identify – can push prostate with finger in rectum, so can identify it more
What is the most common prostate disease we will see in the dog?
Most common disease we will see in the dog
What is benign prostatic hyperplasia?
What can happen on in later life with this?
- Progressive enlargement of the prostate gland often with cysts, and these cysts increase in size, so prostate size increases. If it gets big, it might push dorsally onto the colon so dog may find it difficult to poo
- Hyperplasia of the prostatic epithelium begins early in life associated with altered androgen/oestrogen ratios
- Often present without clinical signs
- In later life the enlarged gland impinges on the pelvic viscera
–faecal tenesmus
–haematuria
–haemospermia
With benign prostatic hyperplasia, what can you see/feel on:
rectal palpation
radiography
?
- Rectal palpation; symmetrical, freely mobile, non-painful
- Radiography; prostatomegaly, dorsal displacement of colon, cranial displacement of bladder, narrowed prostatic urethra, urinary retention
With benign prostatic hyperplasia, what can you see/feel on ultrasound?
- Ultrasonography; prostatomegaly, hyperechoic regions, narrowed prostatic urethra, small cystic lesions
- Gland is bright than normal
- Development of fluid filled cystic structures