Breeding Stock
Males are continuously capable of reproduction: they can mate at any time. Sexual behaviors do not disappear with age, but fertility declines with age.
Females have a cyclical pattern: ovarian activity begins, which is marked by the first heat cycle (this does not always coincide with the end of growth). In female dogs, this is accompanied by bloody vaginal discharge. In female cats, the signs are almost exclusively behavioral (no discharge or only rare discharge).
Age at puberty:
Male dogs: 7 to 15 months (depending on the breed); females: 6 to 18 months on average (depending on the breed).
Male cats: 7 to 10 months (depending on the breed); female cats: 6 to 10 months (depending on the breed and time of birth).
Sexual characteristics that appear during puberty:
Males:
Internal morphological changes:
.Development of the penis, testicles, and prostate
.Sperm cells mature
External morphological changes:
.Muscle development ("jowls" in cats)
.Voice Modification
Behavioral changes:
.Changes in behavior: fights between males, dominance (+/-) depending on the animal)
.Urinary marking
.Fugues (+/-)
Hormonal cause:
Testosterone
Females:
Internal morphological changes:
.Development of the vulva, uterus, and ovaries
During hot weather:
.Vulvar Discharge (Female Dog)
.The eggs become capable of being fertilized
External morphological changes:
.Udder development (only during estrus)
.Obesity
Behavioral changes:
.Changes in character
During hot weather:
.Fugues
.Active search for males
Hormonal cause:
Estrogens and progesterone
Sexual Physiology of the Female Dog:
.2 heat waves per year
.1 ovulation period per cycle
.Several eggs are released during each ovulation cycle
.Ovulation is spontaneous (independent of mating)
A cycle is divided into three successive phases:
1. Heat cycle: Ovulation occurs, and the female dog can be mated and fertilized. Lasts about 3 weeks (varies depending on the individual and the cycle). Is usually accompanied by vaginal discharge.
2. The post-heat period: lasts 2 months. Its duration is the same regardless of whether or not pregnancy occurs.
3. The ovarian resting phase: This phase concludes the cycle and lasts 3 to 3.5 months, sometimes longer.
At the onset of estrus, the vulva becomes swollen and there is a heavy, blood-tinged discharge. Males are attracted by the odors and pheromones present in the urine and discharge. During the first week, females refuse to mate. Later, they accept by presenting their hindquarters and moving their tail to the side. The discharge is generally lighter in color and less abundant.
They do not go through menopause, but their cycles may become longer and their fertility declines. It is not recommended to breed female dogs after they turn 7 years old.
Sexual Physiology of the Female Cat:
Seasonal: February through September. Several cycles follow one another.
The duration of the cycle depends on:
.Depending on the breed: cats with short hair and early sexual maturity (Siamese, Burmese) go into heat more frequently. Cats with long hair and later sexual maturity (Persian, Burmese) go into heat less frequently (twice a year for some female cats).
.Seasonal: shorter cycles in the spring.
.Sexual activity: Ovulation is triggered by mating. Once the female cat has ovulated, her heat cycle ends within the next few days.
.Lifestyle: Indoor cats can go into heat at any time of the year.
A female cat will refuse to mate during the 1 to 3 days following the start of her heat cycle.
Age at puberty: depends on the date of birth and her physical development. If a female cat is 6 months old at the end of the breeding season, her first heat will not occur until the beginning of the next season, around 10 months of age. Conversely, if she is 4–5 months old in the spring, she will experience early puberty.
_The Course of a Breeding Season:
Starting at puberty, heat cycles occur throughout the season, but the interval between cycles varies depending on whether the cat has been mated or not, and whether she has been fertilized or not.
Note:
_A nursing female cat can be mated and fertilized
_She may be mated by several males and may give birth to offspring from different fathers
_Intercourse triggers ovulation, but fertilization does not necessarily occur_
Case Study:
1) No protrusions:
estrus cycle: 8–12 days; rest period: 10–15 days; estrus cycle: 8–12 days...
2) Non-fertile mating:
Heat cycle: 3–12 days; rest period: about 1 month; heat cycle: 8–12 days...
3) Fertilizing copulation:
Heat cycle: 3–12 days; gestation: about 2 months; rest period: 2 to 8 weeks; heat cycle: 8–12 days...
Pregnancy and Births:
The Mating Process in Dogs:
Male dogs have a constant sex drive; they may be distracted by their surroundings, which is why mating should preferably take place at the male dog's owner's home.
After the courtship and approach phase, the female dog accepts mating, which takes place in three stages:
. (quick): mounts, resulting in ejaculation of semen into the vagina; the female remains motionless, with her tail turned to the side.
.(longer): where the male turns around without separating from the female; the erectile bulbs are very large (due to blood flow), and the penis remains stuck in the female’s contracted vagina. Do not separate them, as this can cause serious injury.
. They will separate as soon as the size of the penis allows it.
The gestation period lasts 2 months.
The Mating Process for Female Cats:
.Brief intercourse (less than a minute) is painful; there are horny projections on the surface of the penis, which increase stimulation of the vaginal walls and trigger ovulation.
.After each act of copulation, the partners separate and groom themselves. Several cycles of copulation and rest (15 to 20 minutes) follow one another, interrupted by periods of aggression.
The gestation period lasts 2 months.
Female dogs and cats:
The stages of labor:
.Preparatory phase: Changes in behavior, first contraction, the cervix opens and dilates slowly.
.Expulsion stage: Contractions become more regular and frequent. A clear fluid is released, which lubricates the vagina and facilitates delivery. If the baby is born inside the amniotic sac, it must be removed quickly to prevent drowning.
The placenta follows the puppy, or within 15 minutes—it is green in dogs and brown in cats—it will be eaten.
Duration of a dog's labor:
1 puppy: a few minutes to 1 hour–1 hour and 30 minutes; the contractions subside for 30 minutes and then resume. The interval between two puppies is 10 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. No more than 3 or 4 hours. Therefore, the duration of a litter varies depending on the number of puppies.
Normally, mothers start this right away; the first milk (colostrum) is brown in color and rich in antibodies for the first 2 days. Breastfeeding can last 1 to 2 months, and around 1 month, weaning can begin gradually.
Duration of a cat's labor:
Between each mating, allow 5 to 30 minutes. A break of 12 to 24 hours may be necessary for staggered matings.
Sterilization and Abortion:
Spaying of female animals:
.Surgical:
Ovariectomy: removal of the ovaries
Ovarian hysterectomy: removal of the ovaries and uterus
Both are permanent. They also have the following advantages:
.Reduce the risk of (early-onset) breast cancer
.Reduce the risk of uterine infections
Medical methods:
.Contraceptive injection
Temporary Sterilization
Neutering males:
Surgical:
.Castration: removal of 2 testicles
.Vasectomy: severing of the vas deferens; not performed on cats
Permanent sterilization; sexual behavior remains unchanged, except in the case of a vasectomy, in which case the male can ejaculate without fertilization.
The earlier the intervention is carried out, the less likely these behaviors will be.
Medical methods:
Contraceptive implants
Temporary Sterilization
Abortion:
I realized that for female dogs, there are injections of abortifacients and various other methods.
.The most common: 2 injections 24 hours apart, between 0 and 45 days after mating.
.Other methods: some are administered early in pregnancy, others later on. All require 2 to 3 injections spaced 24 to 48 hours apart.
