|
 |
|
|
Ask the Doctor.. Vaginal HyperplasiaDear Dr. Stockner:Since reproduction and fertility are your specialties, I have some questions about "Vaginal Hyperplasia". I recently had a problem with a Mastiff bitch who had this problem twice within three months, she is less than one year old. It seems everyone (different vets as well as breeders) had an opinion on this. Some said "spay her", others opted for surgery and then "try to breed her". One vet said she contacted Texas A&M and was told this was not hereditary, but (as was put to me) "if your mother had a hormone problem, it is likely you would be pre-disposed to the same problem". So what does this mean? I returned the dog to the breeder because I did not want to take the chance on producing puppies "pre-disposed". This advice was given to me by a vet who breeds Mastiffs and has encountered this problem before. I would very much like your professional opinion on this matter. Rene Poston/Texas Rene, in answer to your question, let's first define vaginal hyperplasia as a protrusion of vaginal epithelium during the estrogenic phase of the estrus cycle. To distinguish that from, for instance, vaginal prolapse which occurs following trauma to the pelvic organs or following a difficult birth. The breeds that are most pre-disposed to vaginal hyperplasia are the St. Bernard, English Bulldog, Boxer and other brachycephalic breeds according to the text book. But, in my experience, I have seen it most frequently in the Great Dane, the Labrador Retriever and the Old English Sheepdog. The condition really results from an exaggeration of the estrogenic response which re- sults in excessive mucosal folding of the vaginal floor just ahead of the urethral papilla in such a manner that tissue protrudes through the vulval labia. Difficulty results from the trauma that occurs to the tissue once it is outside the body. It very quickly becomes dry and can be infected and ulcerated within a period of twelve hours. Usually the condition occurs on the first estrus cycle and continues to be a problem each time the bitch cycles. On occasion, we may see it again on the 63rd day, whether she is bred or not. It is conceivable that this bitch you described could have been having a second prolapse as a result of changes in vaginal tissue moisture content at the 63rd day after the season. To treat the condition, we need to replace the tissue as quickly as possible and perform a closure suture to the lips of the vulva. This prevents the material from being secondarily infected. I think Rene, you did the right thing. In my experience it is a familial condition that occurs in lines and she was not a good candidate for a brood bitch. |
|
