Introduction to Veterinary Science 3rd

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Chapter 8: The Reproductive System
Learning Domain - Cognitive

Level of Learning – Comprehension

Time Allocation – Approximately 45 minutes

Learning Objectives:
• Identify male anatomy and relate associated hormonal function.
• Discuss female anatomy and the estrous cycle.
• List the steps in establishing pregnancy and identify the stages of
parturition.
• Discuss the clinical significance of the academic material learned in this
chapter.

Vocabulary Introduced:
• spay (ovariohysterectomy)
• castration
• prolapsed uterus
• epidural
• lidocaine
• estrous cycle
• puberty
• polyestrous
• pheromone
• parturition
• gestation
• involution
• weaned
• obstetric
• whelping
• cesarean section
• ligated
• pyometra
• cryptorchidism
Needed Equipment/Materials:
Instructor: PowerPoint presentation equipment
Student: paper, pencil

References: Introduction to Veterinary Science, Third Edition

I. Introduction

[Time Allocation: 5 min.]

A. The male produces sperm and delivers them into the female
B. The female provides a path and helps, through contractions, deliver
the sperm to the location of the egg, which she produces
C. After the sperm and egg join, the female houses and nourishes the
developing embryo until it is mature enough to survive on its own
D. Appropriately functioning reproductive systems in livestock largely
determine the economic success of the producer
E. Veterinarians assist farmers in caring for the reproductive health of
pets

Reference: Introduction to Veterinary Science, p. 130

Slide(s): 8-2 and 8-3

II. Male Anatomy and Hormonal Function

[Time Allocation: 10 min.]

A. Identify male anatomy and relate associated hormonal function

1. In mammals, the male produces sperm cells and has the means to
deliver them to the reproductive tract of the female
a. The testes produce sperm cells in a process called
spermatogenesis
b. In addition to being a reproductive organ, the testis is also an
endocrine gland that produces a hormone called testosterone
2. On physical examination of a male, the testes and epididymis can
be palpated
a. The spermatic cord leads from the testis toward the abdomen
b. The spermatic cord enters the abdomen through a small slit
called the inguinal canal, located in the abdominal muscles
i. If weakened or not properly developed, structures from
within the abdomen may herniate through this canal
ii. This condition is called an inguinal hernia
iii. It can often be diagnosed by palpating the region
3. Accessory sex glands in dogs, cattle, and horses
a. The prostate is the only accessory sex gland present in the dog
b. Cattle and horses have two additional accessory sex glands:
i. Vesicular glands (previously called the seminal vesicles)
ii. Bulbourethral glands
4. The penis has numerous blood vessels and sensory nerves
a. Larger open areas called sinuses connect the veins
 b. Highly vascular tissue is housed in two paired corpora
cavernosa on each side of the penis
5. The penis divides into three regions
a. Two roots—provide attachment to the pelvis
b. Glans—the tip of the penis
6. Precursor cells lining seminiferous tubules produce sperm cells
a. To produce sperm cells, the precursor cells undergo meiosis
b. The divisions of meiosis produce sperm cells with half the
normal number of chromosomes
7. Males produce hormones for sexual function
a. The testes produce testosterone, which stimulates the
development of the male genitals
b. Two hormones released from the pituitary gland help control
the function of the testes
i. Luteinizing hormone (LH)—stimulates the production of
testosterone by the testes
ii. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)—facilitates actual
sperm production

Reference: Introduction to Veterinary Science, pp. 132-134

Slide(s): 8-4 through 8-7

III. Female Anatomy and Hormonal Function

[Time Allocation: 5 min.]

A. Discuss female anatomy and the estrous cycle

1. Female reproductive anatomy
a. The vulva, the external opening to the urogenital tract in the
female, leads into the vagina
b. The vagina leads into the cervix
c. The cervix, a portion of the uterus, is a firm structure that
protects the opening of the uterus
d. The uterus, a hollow muscular wall organ, has the ability to
expand dramatically to support the developing fetus
e. The uterus tapers into a small oviduct or uterine tube that
leads to the ovary
f. Ovaries produce eggs through meiosis
2. Estrous cycles
a. This process begins at a point in the animal’s development
called puberty
b. Puberty is the beginning of the animal’s reproductive life
c. An estrous cycle has four phases
i. Proestrus
ii. Estrus
 iii. Metestrus
iv. Diestrus
d. Without pregnancy, the animal goes from the diestrus phase
into the proestrus phase and the cycle starts over
3. Polyestrous and anestrus
a. Cattle and swine are both polyestrous, meaning that in animals
that are not pregnant, the cycles continue throughout the year
b. Sheep, goats, and horses are also polyestrous, but the cycles
occur during certain times of the year (seasonal polyestrous)
c. Anestrus describes the periods when an animal is not going
through estrous cycles

Reference: Introduction to Veterinary Science, pp. 134-138

Slide(s): 8-8 through 8-11

IV. Pregnancy and Parturition

[Time Allocation: 10 min.]

A. List the steps in establishing pregnancy and identify the stages of

parturition
1. Seasonal breeders
a. Horses naturally enter the breeding season in the spring and
summer as the days lengthen
b. Sheep tend to have a breeding season in the fall as the days
shorten
c. Goats are also short-day breeders, with a breeding season that
can extend from October to March
d. Cats are also seasonally polyestrous; however, the season can
be quite long—from January and continues until September
e. Dogs are unique in being monstrous; typically, a delay of six to
eight months exists between heat periods
2. All male domestic animals detect a distinctive chemical
(pheromones) emitted by the female in estrus
a. Are a means of chemical communication between the sexes
b. Stimulate males to become sexually excited
B. Pregnancy
1. The sperm meets the egg within the oviduct
a. Once one sperm enters the egg, the membrane changes to
prevent any other sperm from penetrating
b. The nuclei of the egg and sperm combine, providing the
fertilized egg with a complete number of chromosomes
c. The fertilized egg then undergoes a series of mitotic divisions,
creating an embryo
 2. The embryo (using the cow as an example; specific details vary
with species) stays within the oviduct for three to four days
a. Following this, the embryo moves into the uterus
b. Mitosis continues, increasing the number of cells within the
embryo
c. The embryo attaches to the uterus, a process is called
implantation
d. As the embryo undergoes differentiation, it develops the
normal appearance and structures of a newborn
e. At this point the embryo becomes a fetus
f. As the fetus approaches full term, hormone levels change in
preparation for parturition
C. Parturition
1. Delivery of the newborn, occurs normally at a point when the
fetus is capable of surviving on its own
2. Parturition develops in three stages:
a. In the initial stage, the cervix becomes softer and the opening
increases
b. During active labor, the uterus undergoes much stronger
contractions and abdominal contractions begin
c. In the final stage of parturition, the placental membranes are
expelled from the uterus
3. At birth a dramatic transition occurs—the newborn must take a
first breath and expand the lungs
4. In mammals, the mother supplies nutrition to the infant in the
form of milk
a. Horses, goats, and sheep have two mammary glands
b. Cows have four
c. Cats, dogs, and pigs have 10 to 14 glands
D. Newborn and orphan patients
1. Care of newborns is the same whether assisting a natural delivery
or resuscitating pups or kittens delivered via cesarean section
a. The first priority is to establish a clear airway
b. The animal is then rubbed with a warm towel to stimulate
respiration, dry it, and keep it warm
c. Following a cesarean section, newborns are often more
sedated and require more effort to establish regular breathing
2. Orphaned animals require the caretaker to provide nutrition
a. Although it is ideal to provide the animals with colostrum from
the mother, it is not always possible
b. Milk replacer formulations are specifically developed for
newborns
c. Healthy, aggressive animals can be nursed with a properly
sized nipple bottle
d. Weaker animals may need to be fed with a feeder tube inserted
into the esophagus
 Reference: Introduction to Veterinary Science, pp. 138-143
Slide(s): 8-12 through 8-18

V. Clinical Practice

[Time Allocation: 10 min.]

A. Discuss the clinical significance of the academic material learned in

this chapter
1. Only after the first breath is the newborn no longer dependent on
the placental blood supply
a. In a difficult delivery, the umbilical vessels may become
obstructed by pressure against the bones of the mother’s pelvis
b. If this restriction occurs for too long, the fetus will die
2. Helping with the delivery of a calf
a. As a fetus prepares to be delivered, the ideal positioning for a
calf is to be coming head first
b. In some situations, the farmer or veterinarian must correct the
positioning of the calf
c. To reposition the calf, it is pushed deeper into the cow,
providing room to allow a leg or head to be moved
d. Correcting the position of a calf usually takes multiple attempts
e. Once a calf is properly positioned, the cow may still need
assistance to deliver
i. Using obstetric chains or straps
ii. Requires force from human power, a come-along, a block
and tackle, or a calf jack
3. Labor and delivery for dogs
a. Often just prior to delivery, the pet makes a nest in a secluded
location
b. As a dog enters the first stage of labor, she becomes restless
and nervous
c. True labor develops when the dog begins to actively strain
d. When a dog is in labor more than five hours, or more than two
hours between pups, a problem might exist
i. A cesarean section (c-section) might be required
ii. The c-section is a surgical procedure in which the body
wall and uterus are incised and the fetus is extracted
B. Spays and neuters
1. In the spay, the female’s abdomen must be opened surgically, and
the ovaries and uterus are removed (ovariohysterectomy)
a. Extremely valuable in controlling pet populations
b. Prevents an unwanted pregnancy and the risks that may occur
at delivery
 c. Eliminates the behavioral challenges associated with estrus
2. Castration also provides distinct health benefits
a. Decreases the risk of tumors and enlargement of the prostate
gland
b. Makes males much less likely to roam and often less aggressive
C. Other clinical issues
1. One or both of the testes may fail to enter the scrotum, a
condition called cryptorchidism
a. Cryptorchid dogs have a higher rate of tumors in the retained
testicle
b. Surgery to castrate a cryptorchid dog is a little more difficult
2. Cows that have a very large calf are more likely to have a
prolapsed uterus
a. A cow with a prolapsed uterus may first be given epidural
anesthesia
b. Then, using the back of the fist or the flat portion of the hand,
the uterus is pushed back into the cow
3. Cows can develop follicular cysts
a. This abnormal condition occurs when a follicle does not
release its egg normally
b. While an animal is cystic, it will not become pregnant
4. The dog is the only one of the domestic species that typically
develops prostate disease
a. The most common sign in dogs with prostatic hyperplasia is
constipation
b. Castrating young dogs prevents prostatic hyperplasia

Reference: Introduction to Veterinary Science, pp. 143-148

Slide(s): 8-19 through 8-22

VI. Summary

[Time Allocation: 5 min.]

• The male reproductive system and the associated hormones allow

production and delivery of sperm cells
• Likewise, the female reproductive system and the associated
hormones aid in the production of eggs
• The joining of the egg and sperm results in pregnancy and, it is
hoped, a successful parturition

Reference: Introduction to Veterinary Science, p. 149

Slide(s): 8-23

VII. Assignment – Read Chapter 9 in Introduction to Veterinary Science