Ultrasonographic characterization of the uterine artery in the nonestrus bitch

The canine species is often used as an experimental animal model in medicine. Doppler ultrasound of uterine arteries has important clinical implications in obstetrics and gynecology in women and animal species. To our knowledge, the ultrasonographic features of uterine arteries in the bitch have not been reported. Thus, an ultrasonographic technique to locate the uterine arteries in the bitch is described in this study. A total of 11 nonspayed nonestrus bitches underwent abdominal ultrasound examination. Pulsed-wave, color and power Doppler settings were used to detect the location and characterize the flow of the uterine arteries. Mean values for systolic peak velocity, diastolic peak velocity, diastolic reversal flow and resistive index were calculated. Uterine arteries had a high pulsatility flow in all cases. Future work is needed to fully assess the clinical importance of the uterine artery flow in the bitch, as well as to study possible waveform changes at different estrus phases and throughout gestation. (E-mail: fernandoxy@yahoo.com)