Ultrasonographic analysis of fetal gastrointestinal motility during the peripartum period in the dog

The aim of this study was to investigate fetal gastrointestinal motility (FGM) of dogs using ul-trasonic imaging and its association with vaginal and rectal temperature, serum progesteroneconcentrations and fetal heart rate. Pregnant bitches were examined after day 54 of gestation andthere were determinations of vaginal and rectal temperature and serum progesterone con-centrations. The fetal abdomen was evaluated for 30 s using longitudinal and transversal as-sessments, and FGM was scored as 0 (no peristalsis) or 1 (evident peristalsis). Number of fetuseswith a 1 or 0 score were determined for each bitch (number and the percentage of fetuses withFGM). A total of 135 FGM measurements were recorded. There was FGM in 0/3, 0/6, 1/6 (16.7%), 3/20 (15 %), 5/18 (27.3 %), 18/28 (64.3 %), 12/17 (70.6 %), 14/22 (63.6 %), 6/9 (66.7 %),4/6 (66.7 %) fetuses from day -9 until 0 preceding parturition, respectively. In the last 5 daysbefore parturition, 63.3 % of fetuses had FGM. Vaginal and rectal temperature were strongly andpositively correlated (P< 0.001). Vaginal temperature was positively correlated with proges-terone concentrations and fetal heart rate (P< 0.01), and there was a small negative correlationwith FGM (r=−0.331,P< 0.05). Due to ease of data collection, the assessment of FGM is avaluable procedure for evaluation of fetal maturity in dogs. Vaginal and rectal temperatures arereliable variables to be assessed during the last week of pregnancy for estimating the time ofparturition.