Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma have been cultured from the cranial vagina and prepuce of healthy, fertile animals. However, when females are housed in crowded kennels, close contact and environmental conditions can lead to increased numbers of these organisms, resulting in infertility and pregnancy losses. Providing adequate space, a clean environment and separation of individual breeding animals will greatly reduce the risk of abortion resulting from these and other bacterial infections. Canine herpesvirus abortions have been associated with chronic infertility and cannot be effectively treated at present. Affected females should be isolated from susceptible pregnant animals.
Viral abortions are most often due to the stress of clinical disease in the bitch.
These can be prevented by routine vaccinations. Pregnant females should not be vaccinated with modified-live vaccines, as these could adversely affect fetal survival. Consulting a veterinarian prior to beginning a breeding program can help establish preventive management practices that will result in the birth of healthy litters. Copyright 1999 University of Missouri. Published by University Extension , University of Missouri-Columbia.