THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PREVALENCE OF UTERINE LESIONS AND THE USE OF MEDROXYPROGESTERONE ACETATE FOR CANINE POPULATION-CONTROL

The prevalence of uterine disease was established during desexing of 1 75 bitches in the Torres Strait and Cape York, 42 of which had been tr eated with injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) for oestrus po stponement. The prevalence of uterine lesions was 45% for treated bitc hes, 5% for untreated bitches, and 14.9% for the sample population. A highly significant relationship (P < 0.01) between MPA treatment and u terine lesions was established. A significant association (P < 0.05) b etween age (> 2 years old) and uterine lesions was found, most likely attributable to a significantly higher proportion (P < 0.01) of MPA-tr eated bitches in the older population. There was no significant differ ence in the effect of MPA on the prevalence of uterine lesions between older and younger bitches. There was no effect of parity on the preva lence of uterine lesions.