Oestrus Cycle - Canine and Feline

Question 1

When does cyclical activity begin in canines?

Answer 1

6-23 months

Question 2

What adult measurements must be reached before oestrus starts?

Answer 2

height and weight

Question 3

How long after adult height and weight are reached does oestrus begin?

Answer 3

6 months

Question 4

What does monoestrus mean?

Answer 4

one cycle per breeding season

Question 5

how many cycles do dogs have per year?

Answer 5

one to two

Question 6

How long does a canine season last?

Answer 6

around 3 weeks

Question 7

What sort of ovulators are bitches?

Answer 7

spontaneous

Question 8

What are the stages of canine oestrus?

Answer 8

pro-oestrus, oestrus, metoesrus (dioestrus), anoestrus

Question 9

Are canine oestrus cycles continuous?

Answer 9

yes

Question 10

What element of oestrus is not typical in bitches?

Answer 10

dioestrus

Question 11

How quickly do levels of hormones in the body rise and fall?

Answer 11

slowly

Question 12

What needs to be achieved before next stage of oestrus is triggered?

Answer 12

certain level of hormone concentration in the body

Question 13

How many days does canine proestrus last?

Answer 13

9

Question 14

What is the interaction between male and female during canine proestrus?

Answer 14

male is interested in female, female will not accept male for mating

Question 15

What are the physical signs of canine proestrus?

Answer 15

vulva swollen due to oestrogen production

serosanguinous vulval discharge

Question 16

what is serosanguinous discharge?

Answer 16

mixture of blood and serum

Question 17

How do levels of LH and FSH change during canine proestrus?

Answer 17

LH increases, FSH decreases

Question 18

What is LH?

Answer 18

lutinising hormone

Question 19

What is FSH?

Answer 19

folicle stimulating hormone

Question 20

What does LH stimulate?

Answer 20

rupture of folicle and release of egg towards fallopian tube

Question 21

what does FSH stimulate?

Answer 21

eggs develop in ovary, folicles develop and then release oestrogen

Question 22

What hormone peaks at the end of canine proestrus?

Answer 22

oestrogen

Question 23

What effect does peaking of oestrogen at the end of canine proestrus have?

Answer 23

leads to the clinical signs of oestrus

Question 24

What is the corpus lutium?

Answer 24

remainder of folicle after egg release that becomes solid and releases progesterone

Question 25

What does progesterone do?

Answer 25

maintains pregnancy/ inhibits LH and FSH

Question 26

How long does canine oestrus last?

Answer 26

9 days

Question 27

During what phases of oestrus are bitches classed as 'on heat'?

Answer 27

proestrus and oestrus

Question 28

What is male and female interaction like during canine oestrus?

Answer 28

male and female are interested in each other

Question 29

What is the sexual behavior displayed by females during canine oestrus?

Answer 29

flagging/ winking- standing for male with tail held to the side

Question 30

How does the level of oestrogen change during canine oestrus?

Answer 30

declines

Question 31

When does LH level peak during oestrus and what does this cause?

Answer 31

mid oestrus, ovulation of ovarian folicles

Question 32

What day of canine oestrus does mating occur?

Answer 32

3-5

Question 33

What are the physical signs of canine oestrus?

Answer 33

lighter/pinky vulval discharge | enlarged/soft vulva

Question 34

What typically follows canine oestrus?

Answer 34

metoestrus or pregnancy

Question 35

How long does canine metoestrus last for?

Answer 35

60 days (around the same length as a pregnancy) as corpus luteum will persist for this length of time

Question 36

What does progesterone inhibit?

Answer 36

production of FSH and LH

Question 37

What takes over the role of progesterone during pregnancy?

Answer 37

placenta

Question 38

What is pseudopregnancy?

Answer 38

a false pregnancy, progesterone levels continue and animal thinks that it is pregnant

Question 39

How long does anoestrus last for in the bitch?

Answer 39

90-150 days

Question 40

What sexual behavior is displayed during canine anoestrus?

Answer 40

no sexual behavior, male and female have no interest in each other

Question 41

What are the physical signs of canine anoestrus?

Answer 41

normal external genitalia

Question 42

What are levels of progesterone are seen during canine anoestrus?

Answer 42

base levels of progesterone

Question 43

describe the canine oestrus cycle

Answer 43

eggs develop in the ovary during pro-oestrus stimulated by FSH from the pituitary gland. This leads to the development of the folicle which secrete oestrogen and signs of season begins to show. Oestrogen is secreted from the ovaries during oestrus which stimulates the release of LH from the pituitary gland. Ovulation occurs as LH stimulates eggs to be released. Egg moves from ovaries to fallopian tubes. The empty folicle becomes the corpus luteum which secretes progesterone that prepares the uterus for implantation. triggers metoestrus and progesterone maintains pregnancy or returns to normal levels if no pregnancy.

Question 44

When is feline first oestrus?

Answer 44

6-9 months

Question 45

What can the start of the first feline oestrus be affected by?

Answer 45

photoperiod (daylight)

Question 46

What does seasonally polyoestrus mean?

Answer 46

multiple oestrus cycles per season. Continue to cycle as long as the season lasts/if they become pregnant.

Question 47

How frequent are feline oestrus cycles?

Answer 47

every 2-3 weeks in spring/summer

Question 48

What does induced ovulation mean in cats?

Answer 48

ovulation is caused by coitus. Barbs on the tom cat's penis cause a surge of LH that leads to ovulation

Question 49

What does the period between feline oestrus cycles depend on?

Answer 49

whether or not mating has occurred

Question 50

What are the stages of feline oestrus?

Answer 50

pro-oestrus, oestrus, dioestrus/pregnancy, interoestrus, meteroestrus/pseudopregnancy, anoestrus

Question 51

What sexual behavior do female cats exhibit during pro-oestrus?

Answer 51

female does not accept male for mating

Question 52

Is the female cat attractive to the male during pro-oestrus?

Answer 52

yes

Question 53

How long does feline pro-oestrus last?

Answer 53

2-3 days

Question 54

What hormones are released during feline pro-oestrus?

Answer 54

LH and FSH

Question 55

Is pro-oestrus easily recognised in felines?

Answer 55

not unless a male is present

Question 56

What are the physical signs of pro-oestrus in the queen?

Answer 56

blood discharge but often cleaned by the queen

Question 57

how long does oestrus last in felines?

Answer 57

average of 7 days but 2-10

Question 58

What are the behavioral changes shown during feline oestrus?

Answer 58

vocalisation (calling), lordosis of spine, female rubs along objects, presents back end

Question 59

are there external genitalia changes during feline oestrus?

Answer 59

not often

Question 60

When does interoestrus occur?

Answer 60

if ovulation does not occur

Question 61

how long does feline interoestrus last for?

Answer 61

3-14 days

Question 62

After feline interoestrus, what happens?

Answer 62

returns to pro-oestrus and then oestrus. Cycle repeats through season

Question 63

How long does pregnancy last in felines?

Answer 63

56-70 days

Question 64

What is metoestrus in felines?

Answer 64

pseudopregnancy

Question 65

How long may it take after metoestrus for the queen to enter cyclical activity?

Answer 65

45 days

Question 66

When does anoestrus occur?

Answer 66

during the winter

Question 67

What is anoestrus?

Answer 67

period of oestrus cycle when ovaries are inactive

Question 68

describe the process of a queens oestrus cycle

Answer 68

pro-oestrus causes release of FSH which leads to development of the folicle. increase in FSH leads to release of oestrogen. During oestrus if coitus takes place it leads to induced ovulation because of an increase in LH. progesterone prepares the uterus for implantation. if no pregnancy, queen enters interoestrus. cycle continues through season.