Monitoramento do ciclo estral de cutias (Dasyprocta leporina Lichtenstein, 1823) através de citologia esfoliativa vaginal e ultrassonografia

Abstract

The objective of the study was to monitor the estrous cycle in agoutis (Dasyprocta leporina) bred in captivity in Brazilian semiarid. During 70 days, five agoutis were daily subjected to vaginal exfoliative cytology, and the ovarian ultrasound monitoring was conducted every three days. A total of 8 estrous cycles were completely monitored, lasting 28.2±0.7 days, ranging from 24 to 31 days. By vaginal exfoliative cytology, there was predominance of superficial cells at proestrus and estrus phases (P<0.05), followed by the predominance of intermediate cells in the metestrus (P<0.05) and parabasal cells in diestrus (P<0.05). By ultrasound, there were no differences in ovarian morphology during the different phases of the estrous cycle (P>0.05). Follicles during the estrogenic phases (proestrus and estrus) were identified, with an average diameter of 1±0.5mm. In only 12.5% of luteal phases, corpora lutea measuring 1.4±0.9mm were identified. We conclude that the association of vaginal cytology and ovarian ultrasonography is a useful alternative for monitoring the estrous cycle and identifying the estrogenic phases in Dasyprocta leporina.