Application of Vaginal Cytology to the Prediction of Whelping Day in Small Pet Bitches

The aim of this study was to estimate of prediction of whelping day and to confirm the accuracy of prediction of whelping day in small pet bitches. The gestation length from the each based on days was $66.64{\pm}2.32days$ ($Mean{\pm}S.D$) when the Cornification index (CI) was over 90% after the first vaginal discharge, $64.65{\pm}2.87days$ from the day of CI peak, $63.46{\pm}1.63days$ from the day of ovulation by progesterone concentrations, and $57.67{\pm}2.43days$ from the first day of cytologic diestrus, respectively. The whelping day was estimated 66 days when the CI was over 90% after the first vaginal discharge, 64 days from the day of CI peak, 63 days from the day of ovulation by progesterone concentrations, and 57 days from the first day of cytologic diestrus, respectively. The accuracy of the prediction of whelping day was 90.0% with a precision of ${\pm}2days$ when the CI was over 90% after the first vaginal discharge, 77.5% from the day of CI peak, 86.2% from the day of ovulation by progesterone concentrations, and 81.2% from the first day of cytologic diestrus, respectively. These results indicated that the prediction of parturition day by vaginal cytology was useful method for management of reproduction and parturition in small pet bitches.

소형 애완견에서 분만일 예측에 대한 질세포 검사의 활용