Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Twin puppies sharing one placenta found in German Shepherd pregnancy
By Urhausen, C et al.·Published in Reproduction in domestic animals = Zuchthygiene·2017·Unit of Reproductive Medicine of Clinics - Small Animal Clinic, Germany·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Monochorial diamniotic dizygotic twins in a German Shepherd Dog: A case report.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 6.5-year-old German Shepherd was brought in for a pregnancy check-up and ultrasound revealed two healthy puppies sharing a placenta but with separate amniotic sacs. Unfortunately, by day 52 of the pregnancy, both puppies had died. A caesarean section was performed to remove the deceased puppies, and tests showed no signs of infection or inflammation in the mother. The puppies were identified as dizygotic twins, meaning they developed from two different eggs.
People also search for: German Shepherd pregnancy complications · dog pregnancy ultrasound results · why did my dog lose her puppies
Abstract
A 6.5-year-old clinically healthy German Shepherd Dog with regular oestrous cycles of 6 months was presented for pregnancy diagnosis on day 38 after ovulation (p.ov.). Ultrasonography revealed three individual placental sites in progressed resorption and two vital adequately developed foetuses sharing a joint placenta. On days 41 and 48 p.ov., sonographic signs indicated normal development of both foetuses, but on day 52 p.ov., both foetuses were found to be dead. A caesarean section was performed the same day. Examination of the removed uterus confirmed the diagnosis of a "twin" pregnancy with two foetuses sharing the same placental site but separate amniotic membranes. One foetus showed generalized oedema (anasarca). Bacterial culture of swabs taken from inside the placental cavity was negative. At histological examination of the uterus, no signs of inflammation were found. Serum relaxin concentrations (day 38, 41, 48 and 52. p.ov.) were consistent with those of bitches with normal pregnancies. Cytogenetic analysis of the two foetuses revealed dizygotic twins, one male and one female according to SRY-PCR. By genotyping 17 high-polymorphic canine microsatellites, it could be demonstrated that the two foetuses developed from two different oocytes.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27864846/