This study was performed to establish a new parameter for estimating gestational age and predicting parturition day by ultrasonographic measurement of deep portion of telencephalic vesicle (DPTV) diameter in small dogs. Fetal head diameter (HD) and DPTV diameter were measured in 15 pregnant Pekingese bitches, from Day 15 to the parturition day, and evaluated the correlation between gestational age. HD was measured from day 29 of pregnancy to parturition day and increased from 4.9 ± 2 mm to 25.5 ± 0.7 mm. Especially, from day 38 of pregnancy to parturition day, HD uniformly increased about 0.6 mm per day and was significantly and linearly relative to gestational age during this period (r2>0.99). DPTV diameter was measured from day 35 to day 60 of pregnancy and increased from 3.2 ± 0.9 mm to 11.5 ± 0.7 mm. Especially from day 38 to day 60 of pregnancy, DPTV diameter uniformly increased about 1 mm per 3 days and was significantly and linearly relative to gestational age during this period (r2>0.99). In conclusion, DPTV diameter could to be a useful parameter for the estimation of gestational age and the prediction of parturition day when used alone or in combination with HD during the second half of pregnancy.

Cell-free fetal RNA has been highlighted as useful tools for the fetal sex determination or other genetic inherent disorder. However, there is no knowledge about the sex determination using cell free fetal RNA in bovine field. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the presence of transcripts of DDX3Y, USP9Y and ZRSR2Y genes in maternal plasma of pregnant cows to determine the sex of the fetus using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay, and verify its accuracy, sensitivity and specificity compared with the molecular testing and the calf sex at birth. Transcripts of USP9Y and DDX3Y genes were expressed in the all plasma of males and females both the control group and the experimental group. However, ZRSR2Y gene was matched up with the molecular testing and the true sex in control group and has an overall accuracy of 82.6%, a sensitivity of 75%, and a specificity of 100% in experimental group. Therefore, these results indicated that real time PCR technique, as a noninvasive and cost-efficient method, is possible to determination fetal sex in the bovine species using circulating cell free RNA in maternal plasma and especially ZRSR2Y gene could be a good candidate for the RNA based sex determination work.

A 11-year, 9-month-old female Shih-tzu was referred for evaluation of the body conditions. According to the physical examination and ultrasonography, the left ovarian mass was detected. For the removal of ovarian mass, an ovariohysterectomy was performed. Grossly, the ovarian mass was full of hairmatrix on the cut surface of the mass. Histopathological findings revealed a characteristic of teratoma, such as laminated keratines, hair, sebaceous glands, neuron tissue, differentiated bone and cartilage. The ovarian mass was well-differentiated components of 2 germ layers, and diagnosed as a mature teratoma.

The aim of this study was to estimate of ovulation time and parturition day at the same time as breeding in small dog by vaginal cytology and to confirm the accuracy by comparing the expected parturition day and the real one. Characteristic features of vaginal cytology during the estrous cycle were the high proportion of large intermediate cell, superficial cell, anuclear cell and erythrocyte in proestrus, superficial cell and anuclear cell in estrus, parabasal cell, small intermediate cell, large intermediate cell and leukocyte in diestrus, parabasal cell and small intermediate in anestrus, respectively. When day 0 was the parturition day, the period of pregnancy is 67.45(64～75) days when the cornification index (CI) is over 90%. Also, on the basis of ovulation day, 63.65(59～66) days was confirmed, and 57.0(52～60) days was confirmed based on the first day of diestrus. There are the gap of 4 days between the day being over 90% in CI and ovulation day. On the basis of this, when expecting parturition day based on the day being over 90% in CI by vaginal cytology, 18.1% was produced in the same of the expected parturition day and the real one, 30.3% and 33.3% were produced in the gap of one day and two days, respectively so, the accuracy within two days was 81.7%. In addition, based on the first day of diestrus, it also was identified to 81.7% as the difference between the expected parturition day and the real one within 2 days. It demonstrated there are any difference between any expected parturition day by vaginal cytology. Thus on the basis of the day of being over 90% CI, it is fully thought to using clinically due to the possibility of prediction the parturition day at the same time as the determination of the proper time of the optimal mating time.