The purpose of the present study was to explore if blood lactate levels are increased in Bitches with pyometra, and if the lactate measurement could be used as a prognostic indicator and to determine outcome. The present study included 16 Bitches with pyometra that were admitted to the University Animal Hospital, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden. For comparison, a control group consisting of 14 healthy staffowned Bitches was also evaluated. In all Bitches, a physical examination was performed and blood samples for analysis of haematological and biochemical parameters were obtained. In all Bitches with pyometra, surgical ovariohysterectomy was performed and a uterine sample for bacteriological culture and identification was collected.

Pyometra is a common and life threatening disease of intact Bitches. The disease is caused by a hormonal influence on the uterus in combination with a bacterial infection. The most common treatment is ovariohysterectomy, but several medical options are available to maintain fertility or avoid surgery and anaesthesia. Drugs that can be used for medical treatment are for example progesterone-receptor antagonists, prostaglandins and dopamine agonist. The present study focused on treatment with the progesterone-receptor antagonistaglepristone in combination with antimicrobial therapy.

Pyometra, chronic purulent metritis in metoestrus, is a common disease in intact Bitches. About 25% of all Bitches in Sweden have contracted the disease before ten years of age. Clinical signs of the disease are varied, and the course may be either slow or acute. The diagnosis is most commonly made by radiographical or ultrasonographical examination of the abdomen in combination with blood biochemical and hematological analyses. The safest and most efficient treatment of pyometra is surgical ovariohysterectomy.There is room for improvement of both diagnostic tools and possible prognostic indicators for pyometra.Mast cells are large leucocytes, with granule that contain inflammatory mediators.

The flagellate Giardia intestinalis has been known to cause diarrhea in both man and dog. Results from epidemiological studies have indicated that transmission of the parasite from dog to man is plausible even though that route of infection has yet to be shown. Several international studies have shown that the parasite frequently occurs in asymptomatic dogs. In Sweden the prevalence of Giardia in healthy dogs is not known though. In this study, faecal samples were collected at two separate occasions from 21 litters and 21 Bitches showing no symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract. The samples from each litter were pooled but the samples from the Bitches were analyzed individually.

Pyometra (chronic purulent uterine inflammation) is a common disease in middle-aged and older intact Bitches. The disease most frequently occurs in metoestrus and previous research studies have shown that both hormones and bacteria are involved in the development of the disease. Analysis of the blood levels of prostaglandin metabolite 15-keto-13,14-dihydro-PGF2? (PG-metabolite) has previously been shown to be clinically useful in the differentiation of canine uterine diseases such as pyometra and mucometra. The PG-metabolite concentration has also been correlated to severity in pyometra as determined by hospitalisation length. The purpose of the present study was to investigate if blood levels of PG-metabolite can differentiate uterine diseases such as pyometra from other diseases in female dogs.

This is a literature study in which I investigate if there are scientific studies that form the basis of the Swedish dog world views concerning the spaying of Bitches. The positive impacts are said to be reduced problems with pseudopregnancy, reduced risk of pyometra, reduced risk of mammary and uterine tumors, an earlier cease of bone growth, a more active and happier dog and a bitch who is more tolerant of other dogs. The negative consequences are said to be urinary incontinence, increased aggressiveness, lower metabolism and the increased risk of obesity, a more lethargic individual and altered coat.There are studies indicating that spaying reduces behavioral problems associated with heat and pseudopregnancy. Assuming no ovary tissue persists after the procedure, and there is no progesterone production, the risk of pyometra decreases. Early spaying, before the first heat, reduces the risk of mammary tumors.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the second most common heart disease in dogs. Since the disease is seen more frequently in certain breeds, among them Newfoundland dogs, a genetic factor is suspected. This study was partly undertaken to investigate whether there is a significant sex predilection regarding DCM. Moreover, the difference in mean age of death between male dogs and females with DCM was investigated, as well as males and females dying from DCM compared to dying from other reasons (i.e. without DCM).

The aim of this study was to find possible relations between behaviour and physiology for puppies during different parts of a puppy test. This work deals mainly with the physiological part of the study. Thirtysix puppies, från five litters, were tested in a behaviour test where heart rate was measured and saliva samples were collected before and after each part in the test. Saliva and urine samples were analyzed for corisol concentration as an indicatior of stress. The tests were performed during two consecutive days in the breeders' home when the puppies were seven weeks old. In addition, heart rate and cortisol levels were also measured in the bitch since we were interested in finding out if there were any relations between physiological levels in Bitches and puppies.

Mammary gland neoplasia is one of the most common diseases in the bitch and the most common neoplastic disease. More than 13 % of the female dog population in Sweden suffers from mammary tumors during their lifetime. The disease can affect Bitches in all ages but most often middle aged and older dogs. Some breeds such as Poodle and English Setter are predisposed for the disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate if it is possible to improve the post surgical healing process by using a pressure pad.

Pseudopregnancy is a condition that is estimated to affect 40 % of all female dogs. Common symptoms are decreased activity level, weight gain, mammary enlargement, milk production, nesting behavior, anorexia and maternal behavior. The symptoms are displayed during metoestrus. Prolactin is one of the causes behind pseudopregnancy, but the full process is not yet known. Due to the fact that the condition affects that many Bitches and often is recurrent, it is relevant to examine how the condition affects the bitch?s behavior and performance.

The chow-chow breed is considered to have a low fertility and this report is an in depth study of the reproductive functions of this breed in Sweden. Only 53 % of the Chow-chow matings results in litters. Previous studies of other breeds in commercial kennels shows mating results around 85-90 %, but this has not been investigated in hobby kennels and most Chow-chows which are bred from in Sweden, are kept as family pets. Contrary to most other breeds, Chow-chows show a seasonal reproductive pattern and most litters are born in the autumn. The influence of the month of mating on pregnancy rate and litter size was found to be not significant, but can be considered a trend. Thirty-nine females with previous known fertility problems where studied. Some of them had reached puberty extremely early, at an age between 4-5 months, and many of the Bitches showed great fluctuations in intervals between oestrus cycles. Some of the females showed abnormalities such as very short oestrus intervals of only 2-3 months, probably without ovulating.

The use of artificial insemination (A.I.) as an alternative to normal mating in dog breeding in Sweden are controlled by regulations from the Swedish Board of Agriculture and by ethical rules assigned by the Swedish Kennel Club. Only veterinarians, who have a specific certificate and are specially trained and educated, are allowed to perform inseminations in dogs. Each artificial insemination must be documented and reported to the Swedish Kennel Club (SKK) which, on the behalf of the Swedish Board of Agriculture, yearly presents statistics concerning the use of A.I. in Sweden. The objective of this study was to illustrate the use of artificial insemination in dog breeding in Sweden for the last decade, using the yearly reports from the Kennel Club during the period of 1995 to 2004.

This essay is about the female characters in the books of Hemingway. Are they as simple as some critics say, or are they more complex beings, and which ones of the women in the life of Hemingway, can be noticed in his female characters? In the work with this essay, biographies of Hemingway as well as a few of his novels have been studied. The selected novels are Farewell to Arms, Across the River and into the Trees, The Sun also rises and the short story The Snows of Kilimanjaro. The selection was based on the fact that these stories contain good female characters.

The Swedish Lapphund is one of our eleven Swedish domestic breeds of dogs and one of Sweden?s oldest dogbreeds. The Finnish Lapphund?s origin and physical conformation is similar to that of the Swedish Lapphund. One aim of this study was to examine whether the average litter size differs between these two closely related breeds, and if so, try to find causes for this.

There are only a few published studies on the normal variation in ovary size in Bitches. All of the previous studies have been made on the beagle breed. This study was performed on indian street dogs with the objective to measure ovaries and structures in the ovaries after ovariehysterectomy to decide if smaller dogs have smaller ovaries and how small and big they can be in the normal dog. The structures (follicle and corpus luteum) where also measured to get a maximum size for normal structures in the bitch. This information can be valuable when examining the ovaries of the bitch with ulstrasound.