Disrupting effect of androgens in postnatal female domesticcats

DEMALDÉ, L ,, ; LOPEZ MERLO M; VERCELLINI R; BARBEITO CG; FERNÁNDEZ PE; GOBELLO C∗

ANIMAL REPRODUCTION SCIENCE

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2016

0378-4320

To test the hypothesis that in domestic cats, postnatal androgens induce sterility, the aimsof this study were to describe the reproductive effects and the clinical safety of a postnataladministration of a long term release androgen in this species. Thirteen newborn littermatefemale kittens were randomly assigned to one of the following treatment groups within thefirst 24 h of birth: testosterone enanthate 12.5 mg sc (TE; n = 8) or Placebo (PL; n = 5). Theanimals were subsequently assessed for fecal sexual hormones until puberty was attainedand subsequently when matings occurred. After 21 days, ovulation and gestation werediagnosed. All queens were subsequently ovario-hysterectomized. Fecal testosterone con-centrations differed between the treatment groups throughout the study period (P < 0.05)being greater during the first 2 postnatal weeks in those of the TE group (P < 0.01). Fecalestradiol was not affected by treatment (P > 0.1). While all the females were receptive dur-ing the pubertal estrus (P > 0.1), two TE (2/8) compared with all (5/5) females of the PLgroup had ovulations (P < 0.05). Only one (1/2) compared with three (3/5) of the queensof the TE and PL groups, respectively became pregnant. All kittens of the TE group hadtransient clitoral enlargement. Anovulatory TE-treated cats had no corpus luteum, and asignificant diminution of the endometrial glands as well as of the height of the uterineepithelium. It is concluded that, in domestic cats, a single postnatal supra-physiologicaldose of testosterone caused a large proportion of queens to be anovulatory and there werealso histological endometrial abnormalities that also occurred with this treatment thatwere accompanied by mild and transient side effects.