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Evaluation of reproductive status with cervical and uterine cytology in fat-tailed sheep

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to describe the cytological changes in the reproductive tract of Iranian fat-tailed ewes during different stages of the reproductive cycle. Ninety-one reproductive tracts of slaughtered ewes were collected from a Shiraz slaughterhouse. Cervical mucosa was collected by gentle suction from the cervical external os using a plastic pipette and 50-ml syringe. Uterine fluid was also collected by gentle suction from the uterine body. Once the sample was taken, the swabs were rolled on a glass slide, air-dried, and stained with Giemsa. There were no significant differences between the cell cytology of the cervical mucosa and the uterine fluid smears of the ewes. However, there were significant differences in the percentage of epithelial and neutrophil cells of uterine fluid smears in tracts with a corpus luteum (CL), without a CL, pregnant, or with metritis. There were also significant differences between epithelial cells and percentage of neutrophils in the cervix and uterus in the group with a CL. Cervical cytology could be of value for the diagnosis of metritis in postpartum period and infectious abnormality of gestation period in ewes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, P.O. Box 1731, Shiraz, Iran

    M. R. Ahmadi & S. Nazifi

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  1. M. R. Ahmadi
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  2. S. Nazifi
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Correspondence to M. R. Ahmadi.

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Ahmadi, M.R., Nazifi, S. Evaluation of reproductive status with cervical and uterine cytology in fat-tailed sheep. Comp Clin Pathol 15, 161–164 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-006-0621-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-006-0621-7

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