Usefulness of amniotic fluid cortisol concentrations as an indicator of short-term viability in puppies

Abstract

Nowadays, canine neonatal survival remains a challenge for veterinary clinicians, with perinatal mortality rates up to 30%. Therefore, this study aimed to find a new parameter to identificate newborns with special needs in order to provide them intensive cares and increase its survival. In this study, amniotic fluid cortisol concentration and its usefulness to provide reliable information about neonatal viability was evaluated by comparing it with other parameters that have previously proved their efficiency. Therefore, amniotic fluid cortisol concentrations were compared with maternal’s weight and age and neonatal’s birth order, weight, temperature, Apgar score and blood lactate and glucose levels. Data were collected from 13 cesarean sections, of which 45 newborns were born. Amniotic fluid samples were aseptically collected during surgical procedure and immediately processed and stored at -18ºC until analysis by ELISA. Samples were analyzed in duplicate and mean was obtained for statistical analysis. Regarding the results, no correlation was observed between fetal fluid cortisol levels and bitch’s age or weight and newborn’s sex, birth weight, Apgar score, or blood lactate concentration. On the other hand, weak negative correlation was observed between cortisol levels and birth order, blood glucose concentration, and rectal temperature at birth. However, neither result was significant (p > 0.05). In conclusion, according to the results of this study, amniotic fluid cortisol is not a good parameter to determinate neonatal viability. However, to the author’s knowledge, correlation between amniotic fluid cortisol concentration and neonatal blood lactate and glucose levels, birth order and rectal temperature has never been studied, thus, investigations with larger numbers of individuals and more-focused researches are needed before it can be declined as a reliable method.