Evaluation of ovarian response and oocyte quality in domestic cats treated with two administration schemes of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to study the effects of FSH administration upon follicular and oocyte characteristics of female cats. Two FSH administration schemes were compared and their effects on the number of follicles and good grade oocytes for IVM obtained by follicular punction was determined. Twenty adults female cats were randomly distributed on 3 experimental groups: Group SC (n=7) recieved 5 mg/day of FSH for 4 days, subcutaneoulsy; Group IM (n=6) recieved 2 mg/day of FSH for 5 days, intramuscular and Control Group (n=7) which did not recieve any treatment. The ovaries were surgically removed from all female cats and follicles were counted and measured and the oocytes were recovered. Follicles were clasified according to their diameter on < 2 mm y = 2 mm (preovulatory). Gonadotrophine treatment increased the total number of follicles and follicles with = 2 mm diameter when compared to control group (P< 0.05), regardless the FSH administration schemes. The FSH treatment also increased the total number of oocytes recovered and number of good grade oocytes for IVM when compared to control group (P< 0.05), regardless FSH administration schemes total recovery rates for oocytes and good grade oocytes were higher (P<0.05) for follicles = 2 mm than for follicles with < 2 mm diameter. It can be concluded that intramuscular or subcutaneus administration of FSH in the female cat increases the number of preovulatory follicles and also the number of good grade oocytes obtained. Moreover, the subcutaneous administration of FSH, proposed in this work, enable an easy and faster handling of animals during treatment.