Abstract:
A total of 6 adult bitches that had cycled at least three times and whelped at least twice were conditioned
for 3 weeks prior
to surgery and maintained for eight and a half months post surgery. Under general anaesthesia, a laparatomy was
performed. Ligatures were placed proximal and distal to each ovarian vessel to completely occlude the vascular supplies to
the
ovaries.
Thirty two weeks later, the ovaries were harvested for gross and laboratory evaluations.
Pre, intra and post
-
surgical temperatures and haematological parameters (taken twice weekly) were within normal range,
for all 6 bitches. Grossly, all harve
sted ovaries were insignificantly regressed except the ovary of bitch 1 and 4 which
showed significant regression and degeneration. Histopathologically, there were diffused necrosis, dense fibrosis of the
ovarian cortex and medulla, degeneration of primary
and graafian follicles in the ovarian stroma as well as atretic follicles
and degenerated corpus lutea for bitch 1 and 4. Bitches 2, 3, 5 and 6 had numerous normal primary and graafian follicles
with congested blood vessels, fully developed ova in the ova
rian stroma and developed corpus lutea indicative of vascular
invasion of the ovarian stroma. The viable ovarian tissues noticed on histology were evidence of revascularization
suggestive of newer invasion of blood vessels from the ovarian attachment from
the retroperitoneal tissues and likely from
the subcutaneous supplies. Consequently, it is not advisable to neuter a bitch by ligation of the ovarian vessels
