INTERRUPCIÓN DE GESTACIÓN EN PERRAS UTILIZANDO DEXAMETASONA ORAL

Resumen

The purpose of this study was to describe reproductive and clinical parameters as aresult of dexamethasone administration in order to terminate unwanted pregnancy inbitches. Five pregnant adult bitches, clinically healthy, were used. Animals were orallyadministered 0.2 mg/kg of dexamethasone every 12 hours during 6 days and thereafter,the dose was gradually reduced till 0.02 mg/kg on day 10. Ultrasound scan, bodytemperature, plasma progesterone, and behaviour were recorded throughout the study.The gestation was satisfactorily interrupted in 4 out of 5 bitches, where absorption orabortion occurred between 7 to 16 days after the beginning of the treatment. In theremaining animal, the interruption was partial (absorption and birth of immature puppies).Body temperature felt 1.0 - 1.5 ºC prior to the absorption or abortion. Progesteroneconcentration descended at day 4 of treatment and absorption or abortion occurred afterprogesterone declined to <1 ng/ml. A greenish discharge was observed in abortions. Themore frequent side-effects observed were polydipsia and polyuria, whereas vomitingand anorexia was observed in smaller proportion. The administration of dexamethasonewould have a similar effect to the liberation of fetal cortisol in the normal mechanism ofthe parturition and therefore, it would be a medical alternative for the control of canineoverpopulation, particularly in those cases of unwanted pregnancy.