Ultrasonographic and postoperative examinations of the ovaries in dogs

XIIISUMMARYUltrasonographic and Postoperative Examinations of the Ovaries in DogsUltrasonographic monitoring of the ovaries and its correlation with thepostoperative measurements were investigated in 25 bitches, weighing between10-30 kg, at various phases of sexual cycle and from different breeds. The vaginalcytological staining by Giemsa was used to determine the phases of oestrus cycles,excluding one dog due to vulvar stenozis. Then the ovaries were visualized andmeasured by ultrasonography. These data were compared with the structures and thelengths of ovaries obtained after surgical removal and analyzed statistically.The percentage of animals (n:24) in anoestrus, prooestrus or dioestrus was45.9, 25.0, 29.1 %, respectively, but oestrus phase was not observed in any bitches.Ultrasonographically, the left and right ovaries were detected at the caudal side of thekidneys as hypoechoic structures and monitored in 96.0 and 72.0 %, respectivelyand both were observed in 84.0 %. Furthermore anechoic and fluid-filled follicleswere detected in 3 prooestrus bitches. In an animal in dioestrus, 5 luteal structureswere observed. A cyst formation localized at the caudal part of the ovary wasdetermined as an anechoic structure in another animal in dioestrus. Theultrasonographic examination of each ovary was carried out within 3 to 30 minutes.The average diameter of the ovaries detected by ultrasonography and aftersurgical removal were 1.32±0.28, 1.43±0.22 cm in the left ones (p<0.05, r: 0.473)and 1.39±0.32, 1.40±0.20 cm in the right ones (p<0.01, r: 0.758), respectively.Furthermore, when the weight of animals and ultrasonographic ovarianmeasurement data compared, a statistically significant difference was seen betweenthe bitches weighing 14.4±2.83 and 22.69±3.88 kg (p<0.05). There was nosignificant difference between the weight of animals and the average volumes andweight of the left and right ovaries defined as 0.71±0.28 and 0.66±0.26 g, 0.71±0.30and 0.60±0.26 cm³, respectively, by postoperative measurements.XIVWhen the lengths of ovaries obtained from ultrasonographic examinations indifferent sexual cycle phases of the bitches compared to each other, there was adifference between the bitches in prooestrus and the animals in anoestrus anddioestrus, but this was not statistically significant.In conclusion, ultrasonographic examinations showed that imaging of the rightovaries was more difficult than the left ovaries due to cachexia. There was a positivecorrelation between body weight and the length of ovary. Also this study suggeststhe use of ultrasonography in the diagnosis for the physiological and pathologicalovarian functions in the bitches providing basis for the successful interpretationabout infertility problems originating from the ovary, however, periodicexaminations should be performed.Key words: Dog, ovary, postoperative, ultrasonography, vaginal cytology.