Term pregnancy in a bitch with a disorder of sexual development

Abstract

Introduction: Disorders of sexual development (DSD) present a wide range of morphological abnormalities that often draw the attention of practitioners. Descriptions of fertility and pregnancy in such animals is rare. Here we describe a case of term pregnancy in a DSD bitch. Materials and Methods: During the clinical examination of a female Argentino dog due to a hindlimb lesion, signs of term pregnancy were observed. The animal was submitted to an ultrasound examination. Signs of foetal distress and one dead foetus were detected, and it was decided upon a C-section with ovariohysterectomy, since the female showed external genitalia suggestive of DSD. The animal had never been observed in heat and the pregnancy was unexpected. The surgical specimen (including two dead foetuses) was submitted for pathological examination. Results: The surgical specimen comprised a pregnant uterus with two foetuses. The gonads were surrounded by a bursa; the ovaries showed a smooth surface and an apparent epididymis as well as a tubular structure that co-existed with the female structures. The right ovary did not present an oviduct or any other anatomical connection to the uterine horn. The microscopic evaluation revealed a disorganized composition of both gonads that contained both Sertoli-only seminiferous tubules and corpora lutea. A vas deferens was also observed parallel to the uterine horn. Conclusions: The diagnosis was bilateral ovotestis. A genetic analysis was not performed, however, the gonadal morphology supported the diagnosis of DSD in a female dog with term pregnancy leading to the birth of two live puppies.