
A healthy and balanced vaginal microbiome is often thought to be an important prerequisite for successful breeding and healthy litters. Previous studies investigating the influence of canine vaginal bacteria on fertility mostly relied on aerobic culturing. In recent years, culture-independent methods, such as next-generation sequencing (NGS), have become popular. With the ability to analyze the microbiome as a whole, research in this field has made notable advances. This is the first study to correlate NGS data of the canine vaginal microbiome in heat with fertility data. Healthy breeding bitches (n=80) presented for routine pre-breeding examination were sampled during early heat and mated after ovulation. A vaginal sample was taken for NGS analysis and microbiological culture. Additionally, a blood sample was collected. Fertility data (mating, pregnancy, delivery, litter size) were assessed. NGS revealed a diverse microbiome in all the samples. Bioinformatics and statistical analysis did not provide evidence of larger differences in the microbiome of those bitches that became pregnant and those that did not.
canine vaginal microbiome, vaginal microbiome, next-generation sequencing, canine fertility
canine vaginal microbiome, vaginal microbiome, next-generation sequencing, canine fertility
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 0 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
