Investigation of the effect of administration aglepristone and different application of prostaglandin (Misoprostol and Cloprostenol) in the termination of mid-term pregnancies in cats

Many drugs/agents such as dopamine agonists, prostaglandin PGF2α, PGE1 and aglepristone (AGL) are used to terminate unwanted pregnancies in cats. These drugs have disadvantages such as the necessity of repeated and prolonged administration, high rates of side effects (PG), and their effect at different periods of pregnancy. Although AGL is more successful than other drugs, the success rate decreases as the pregnancy progresses in the cat. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of a single dose of PG treatment after AGL in mid-term pregnancies. In the study, a total of 35 cats between 30-38 days of gestation were equally distributed into five groups (n=7). AGL was administered in the same route in all groups: (Alizin®, Virbac, France), at a dose of 10 mg/kg, subcutaneously, two applications 24 hours apart. In the PG groups in which AGL was combined with PG, misoprostol (MIS; Cytotec®, Piramal Health Care, England), a PGE1 analog, was administered orally at a dose of 200 μg/cat, while cloprostenol (CLO; PGS®, Alke İlaç, Turkey), a PGF2α analog, was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 5 μg/kg. Administrations were performed 24 and 36 hours after the first AGL application. Abortion completion rate (ACR) was 71.4% in AGL, AGL+MIS24/36 and 100% in AGL+CLO24/36 groups (P=0.445). Abortion beginning time (ABT) and abortion ending time (AET) were found to be much shorter in AGL+CLO24/36 compared to AGL group with 55.9 and 68.6 hours (P=0.005) and 83.1 and 96.0 hours (P=0.001 and P=0.005), respectively. In all groups, 79.3% of abortions were completed at 24 hours. The treatments did not cause any change in clinical and serum biochemical (AST, ALT, Crea and BUN) parameters, although there was a statistical difference between AST and ALT levels, the change was considered insignificant since all values were within the reference range. It was observed that the treatments did not statistically change the mean progesterone (P4) levels of the groups. It was determined that P4 levels in the groups were above the basal level when abortions started and completed. Our findings showed that PG supplementation 24 or 36 hours after the first AGL application increased ACR and/or significantly shortened ABT/AET. Here, CLO had an effect on both ACR and ABT/AET, whereas MIS had an effect only on AB/AS. Our results showed that CLO or MIS support after AGL application can be used as a safe and effective method for termination of mid-term pregnancies in cats, but AGL+CLO combination should be preferred for a higher success rate.