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Metabolomics during canine pregnancy and lactation
Sebastian P Arlt1,2, Claudia Ottka3, Hannes Lohi3,4,5
1Clinic of Reproductive Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Plos One
|May 10, 2023
Summary
This study tracked metabolic changes in pregnant dogs, identifying key metabolites that shift during pregnancy and lactation. These findings establish a baseline for canine metabolic health during reproduction.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Metabolomics
- Canine Reproduction
Background:
- Pregnancy and parturition present significant physiological demands for female dogs.
- Metabolomics offers a powerful tool to understand metabolic adaptations during various life stages and conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify specific metabolite changes in canine blood serum across different stages of pregnancy and lactation.
- To establish a baseline of normal metabolic profiles during healthy canine pregnancy and parturition.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a canine-specific Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) metabolomics technology.
- Quantitated 123 metabolites from blood serum samples of 27 dogs across six distinct time points (heat, early/mid/late pregnancy, peak lactation, post-weaning).
Main Results:
- Identified significant metabolite concentration changes between different reproductive phases.
- Grouped metabolites into five clusters based on concentration patterns (e.g., high/low in mid-pregnancy, high/low in lactation).
- Observed similarities and differences in metabolite patterns compared to human pregnancy.
Conclusions:
- Established a baseline of normal metabolic changes during canine pregnancy and parturition.
- Findings may aid in monitoring reproductive health and early illness detection in bitches.
- Further species-specific metabolomic research is needed to understand underlying physiological mechanisms.
