Use of the gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test to monitor gonadal function in intact adult male cats

• Published in: Reproduction in domestic animals 2017-02, Vol.52 (1), p.24-27
• Main Authors: Romagnoli, S, Baldan, A, Righetti, C, Fontaine, C, Scenna, L, Badon, T, Stelletta, C, Milani, C, Cecchetto, M, Mollo, A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal reproduction; Animals; Blood; Cats; Cats - physiology; Gonadotropin-releasing hormone; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - administration & dosage; Gonadotropins; Gonads - physiology; Hormones; Injections, Intramuscular; Injections, Intravenous; Intravenous administration; Male; Normality; Pituitary; Pituitary (anterior); Pituitary Gland - physiology; Side effects; Stimulation; Testosterone; Testosterone - blood
• ISSN: 0936-6768; 1439-0531
• DOI: 10.1111/rda.12771

Contents The gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test is a common procedure used to investigate normality of the pituitary‐gonadal axis in mammals. There is very little information on the technique, its efficacy and side effects in small animals and in particular no information for male cats. In dogs, such test is performed by intravenous (IV) administration. With cats, the number of times the animal needs to be restrained for blood sampling should be the least possible. The purpose of this study was to assess efficacy and side effects of the GnRH stimulation test in tomcats comparing the IV with the intramuscular (IM) route of administration. A GnRH stimulation test was performed in eight adult tomcats through IM or IV administration of 50 μg gonadorelin. The response of the pituitary‐gonadal axis was assessed by measuring serum testosterone on blood samples collected prior to and 1 hr following treatment. When considering each single group of cats, the post‐stimulation serum testosterone values were significantly higher than the pre‐treatment ones (p