Uterine response to inoculation with Streptococcus zooepidemicus organisms, 51Cr-labeled 15-micromoles microspheres, and charcoal was evaluated in 9 mares (4 resistant and 5 susceptible to endometritis) to determine mechanical and cellular clearance rates during the early postovulatory period. Mares were inoculated at estrus prior to ovulation during estrous cycles 1, 3, and 5. Uterine swab specimens for aerobic and anaerobic bacteriologic culture and serum for progesterone determination were obtained on postovulation day 3 during estrous cycle 1, on the day of ovulation during estrous cycle 3, and on postovulation day 5 during estrous cycle 5. Immediately thereafter, the uterus was irrigated with 50 ml of sterile physiologic saline solution containing tracer amounts of 125I-labeled human serum albumin. Streptococcus zooepidemicus was isolated from 10 of 15 (67%) uterine specimens collected from susceptible mares and incubated aerobically. Escherichia coli also was isolated from 2 of the 10 specimens incubated aerobically. Anaerobic bacteriologic culture of specimens from all mares yielded no growth. Chromium-labeled microspheres were recovered twice from 2 susceptible mares, on day 0 and day 5. Charcoal was retained in 5 specimens collected from 3 susceptible mares. Bacteriologic culture of specimens from resistant mares did not yield growth. On day 0, chromium-labeled microspheres and charcoal were recovered once from 1 resistant mare. Mares susceptible to end ometritis accumulated more fluid within the uterine lumen after ovulation than did resistant mares (mean +/- SEM, 52.73 +/- 15.22 ml and 7.41 +/- 1.96 ml, respectively; P less than 0.01). From this study, it appeared that uterine cellular and bactericidal mechanisms are dysfunctional during the early postovulatory period. However, there appeared to be no disruption of the mechanisms responsible for mechanical clearance of materials inoculated in the uterus.

The ability of equine endometrium to release prostaglandin (GH) F, PGE2, and leukotriene (LT) B4 was studied in vitro, using endometrial tissue from diestrous mares. Because of the high cross-reactivity of the PGF antiserum with PGF1alpha and with PGF2alpha, results were quoted as total immunoreactive PGF. Significant concentrations of these arachidonate metabolites were released into tissue culture medium between 1 and 24 hours of incubation. Significantly higher concentrations of PGE, but not of PGE2 or LTB4, were released from endometria of mares with chronic endometritis than from genitally normal mares. Prostaglandin F was released only in low concentrations from the endometrium of a mare with pyometra, but concentrations of PGE2 and LTB4 were similar to those of genitally normal mares.

Association between individual cumulative milk yield and various reproductive disorders in 56,772 Finnish Ayrshire cows belonging to 5,912 herds in 80 communities was studied. All cows delivered calves between September 1985 and September 1986. Five logistic regression models were fitted, 1 for each outcome disorder of interest: early metritis, late metritis, silent heat, ovarian cyst, and other infertility. Cumulative individual 37-day milk yield was used in the early metritis model, and cumulative individual 60-day milk yield was used in the other models, on the basis of median days in milk when these disorders developed. Cumulative 305-day herd milk yield, parity, calving season, presence or absence of other disorders, and community were also included in the models. Point estimates from the models represented odds ratios for the likelihood of having the outcome disorder.Lactational incidence risks for the 5 reproductive disorders studied were: early metritis (2.4%), late metritis (1.1%), silent heat (5.4%), ovarian cyst (6.6%), and other infertility (2.1%). The risk of early metritis decreased with increasing 37-day milk yield. The risk of silent heat, ovarian cyst, and other infertility increased with increasing 60-day milk yield; 60-day milk yield had no effect on late metritis. The 305-day herd milk yield increased the risk of early metritis, ovarian cyst, and other infertility; it had no effect on late metritis or silent heat. Parity had an effect on all disorders, except late metritis. Cows that delivered calves during the colder, darker seasons of the year had a higher risk of reproductive disorders than did those that delivered calves at other times of the year. A number of other disorders, reproductive and otherwise, were significant predictors of development of the outcome disorders.

Endometritis is a very common pathology in animals which changes endometrial leukotriene (LT) formation and muscarinic 2 and 3 receptor subtypes (M2R/M3R) and α-7 nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptor (α-7 nAChR) expression patterns. With the relationship between ACh, its receptors and LT production remaining unclear, the role of M2R, M3R and α-7 nAChR in action of ACh on the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), LTA4 hydrolase (LTAH) and LTC4 synthase (LTCS) protein abundances in the inflamed porcine endometrium and on the tissue secretion of LTB4 and LTC4 were studied.

The objectives of this study were to determine the role of a fall in pre-calving body condition score (BCS) in postpartum metabolic status and reproductive outcomes, and gauge the indicativeness of blood metabolites during the transition period. Cows were grouped based on BCS loss between days −14 ±3 and 0 relative to calving. Cows that lost no BCS were the BCS control group (BCS-C), cows that lost 0.25 BCS points the low BCS loss group (BCS-L), and those that lost 0.5 points or more the high BCS loss (BCS-H) group. Blood was taken on days −14 ±3, 3, 14, and 30 ±4 for determination of comprehensive metabolic panel biomarker levels. Beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) levels were quantified on postpartum examination days. Vaginal discharge scores, ovarian activity on day 30 ±4, and subsequent fertility parameters were evaluated. The BCS-H cows had lower mean Ca concentrations before calving and on day 3, when the group’s BHBA and CK were higher (P < 0.05); on day 14 they had higher AST concentrations (P < 0.05). The BCS-L cows had greater bilirubin levels (P < 0.05). The BCS-H cows had lower cyclicity and higher endometritis rates. First service pregnancy rates were 50%, 50%, and 61.9%, open days 96.8, 95.75, and 89.2, and overall pregnancy rates 56.25%, 65%, and 80.95 % in the BCS-H, BCS-L, and BCS-C groups, respectively. Prepartum BCS loss of ≥ 0.5 points could be associated with Brown Swiss cow low Ca and BHBA concentrations early postpartum, and with subsequent uterine health and overall pregnancy rate. Prepartum Ca concentration might be a prognostic biomarker for postpartum metabolic status and reproductive outcomes.

Introduction: Bovine postpartum metritis causes great losses. Mast cell (MC)-released mediators participate in uterine inflammation and immune response, but their role in postpartum metritis in cows has not been reported. This study investigated the effect of endometrial MC on the disorder.Material and Methods: Ten dairy cows, at 6 to 10 days postpartum and with acute purulent metritis made up the experimental group, and 10 comparable healthy cows the control group. Endometrial histamine and IgE levels were determined by ELISA, and the MC particle state and expression of histamine H₁ (H₁R) and H₂ (H₂R) mRNA receptors were examined by transmission electron microscope and real-time quantitative PCR, respectively.Results: Endometrial histamine and IgE levels were significantly higher in the experimental group. In the control group, homogenously distributed size-varied granules were seen in MC cytoplasm of endometrium of lamina propria. In the experimental group however, these showed degranulation with features of reduction. The level of H₁R mRNA was lower in the experimental group, but that of H₂R mRNA was higher.Conclusion: The results suggest MC type I hypersensitivity characteristics during metritis, and histamine provocation of local inflammation. High expression of H₂R and low expression of H₁R inhibited the inflammatory response and prevented excessive uterine tissue damage.

Post-breeding endometritis is among the most important causes of infertility in purebred Arabian mares. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the diagnosis of post-breeding endometritis by various intrauterine antibiotics administrations and to determine the most successful treatment protocol in terms of achieving pregnancy. For this purpose, a total of 80 purebred Arabian mares, that had no reproductive problems in the previous season but were susceptible to post-breeding endometritis in the season of the study were included. During the ovulation follow up performed 24 and 48 hours after the insemination, mares with an intrauterine fluid accumulation larger than 2 cm in diameter were considered susceptible to post-breeding endometritis. These mares were divided into 3 different intrauterine treatment groups: Group I (Amoxicillin-Clavulanic Acid, n=20), Group II (Ceftiofur Sodium, n=20) and Group III (Florfenicol, n=20). The mares in the control group were not given any treatment other than placebo (0.09% NaCl) (Group IV, n=20). Oxytocin (IM) was administered to all mares in the treatment and control groups 2-3 hours after the application, in 3 doses at 6 hour intervals. An examination was performed at the 24th and 48th hours following the ovulation to determine ovulation. Pregnancy examinations were carried out by ultrasound on the 15th, 30th and 45th days after the ovulation. As a result of the treatments, pregnancy rates among the groups were found as 40%, 60%, 55% and 20%, respectively. As a result, it was concluded that Ceftiofur sodium and Florfenicol applications are effective (p&lt;0.05) in terms of pregnancy rates in mares susceptible to post-breeding endometritis.

Association between individual cumulative milk yield and various reproductive disorders in 56,772 Finnish Ayrshire cows belonging to 5,912 herds in 80 communities was studied. All cows delivered calves between September 1985 and September 1986. Five logistic regression models were fitted, 1 for each outcome disorder of interest: early metritis, late metritis, silent heat, ovarian cyst, and other infertility. Cumulative individual 37-day milk yield was used in the early metritis model, and cumulative individual 60-day milk yield was used in the other models, on the basis of median days in milk when these disorders developed. Cumulative 305-day herd milk yield, parity, calving season, presence or absence of other disorders, and community were also included in the models. Point estimates from the models represented odds ratios for the likelihood of having the outcome disorder.Lactational incidence risks for the 5 reproductive disorders studied were: early metritis (2.4%), late metritis (1.1%), silent heat (5.4%), ovarian cyst (6.6%), and other infertility (2.1%). The risk of early metritis decreased with increasing 37-day milk yield. The risk of silent heat, ovarian cyst, and other infertility increased with increasing 60-day milk yield; 60-day milk yield had no effect on late metritis. The 305-day herd milk yield increased the risk of early metritis, ovarian cyst, and other infertility; it had no effect on late metritis or silent heat. Parity had an effect on all disorders, except late metritis. Cows that delivered calves during the colder, darker seasons of the year had a higher risk of reproductive disorders than did those that delivered calves at other times of the year. A number of other disorders, reproductive and otherwise, were significant predictors of development of the outcome disorders.

Forty-four female American Shorthair cats with inflammatory uterine disease or infertility were evaluated. Data collected included age, month of diagnosis, housing, reproductive history, results of bacteriologic culture of uterine specimens, serum concentrations of estrogen, progesterone, and prolactin and histopathologic features of the ovaries and uterus. Histologically, the ovaries of 19 cats were dominated by active or cystic follicles, whereas 25 cats had luteal-phase ovaries. Of the 25 cats with active corpora lutea, 20 had either recently weaned litters (n = 11) without subsequent exposure to a male cat, or had been housed individually for lengthy periods (n = 9). The finding of active corpora lutea under these circumstances indicates that in queens, ovulation may occur by mechanisms not involving coitus. Prominent, active corpora lutea on the ovaries were associated with adenomatotic proliferative changes in the superficial and glandular epithelium of the uterus and with myometrial hyperplasia, compared with the uterus of cats with follicular ovaries (P < 0.01). Serum progesterone concentration greater than or equal to 1.87 ng/ml was consistently associated with luteal-phase ovaries. Serum progesterone values less than or equal to 0.15 ng/ml were consistently associated with follicular-phase ovaries. Escherichia coli was the organism most commonly isolated from uterine contents.

Genital tracts from 15 cows with catarrhal and purulent inflammation of the uterus and uterine tubes, cystic hyperplasia of the endometrium, or hydrosalpinx were evaluated by use of scanning electron microscopy to determine epithelial changes associated with these conditions. Uterine epithelium was revealed to be easily damaged, even in the course of mild inflammation, whereas epithelium of the uterine tube was more resistant.