Evaluation of combined assessments of serum anti-Müllerian hormone and progesterone concentrations for the diagnosis of ovarian remnant syndrome in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the usefulness of combined assessments of serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and progesterone (P4) concentrations for diagnosis of ovarian remnant syndrome (ORS) in dogs. DESIGN: Prospective case series. ANIMALS: 602 bitches that had previously undergone ovariohysterectomy or ovariectomy without hysterectomy and that were being evaluated for ORS. PROCEDURES: Serum AMH and P4 concentrations were measured in a single serum sample obtained from each of the 602 dogs; results were classified as positive, negative, or inconclusive. Following AMH testing, submitting veterinarians were offered reimbursement for shipping and histologic evaluation of any tissue removed during treatment of dogs for which serum samples had been assessed. RESULTS: Tissue samples were provided from 53 of 55 dogs that underwent surgical abdominal exploration. Of 48 dogs with histologically confirmed ORS, 25 were positive for both AMH and P4 and 23 were positive for AMH or P4 or test results were inconclusive. No dogs with histologically confirmed ORS were negative for both AMH and P4. Tissue samples that included no ovarian tissue were obtained from 5 dogs that were positive for both AMH and P4. In 2 dogs that were negative for both AMH and P4, no ovarian remnant was identified and no tissue was removed at the time of exploratory surgery. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that combined determination of AMH and P4 concentrations in a single serum sample can be an effective diagnostic test for spayed dogs suspected to have ORS. Histologic analysis of excised tissues to assess the completeness of surgical treatment in dogs with ORS is warranted.

Measurement of serum anti-Müllerian hormone concentration in female dogs and cats before and after ovariohysterectomy.

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), or Müllerian inhibitory substance, is a hormone that is best known for its production by fetal testes in mammals and as the inhibitor of Müllerian (paramesonephric) duct development in males. However, following the development of the Müllerian ducts into the oviduct, uterus, and upper vagina in female mammals, the ovaries produce AMH, which can be found in measureable amounts within the peripheral circulation, especially in adults. The ovaries appear to be the sole source of AMH in the circulation; therefore, it may be a useful marker in clinically relevant situations when an assessment of the presence or absence of ovaries or ovarian remnants in dogs and cats is important. To that end, a commercially available, human-based assay was evaluated for the measurement of AMH in dogs and cats. A preliminary assessment involved a single test on a set of serum samples from dogs that were submitted to a diagnostic endocrinology laboratory for other tests. Favorable preliminary results led to a more formal assessment of the assay using serum samples from dogs and cats with the presence or absence of the ovaries known by surgical confirmation. Overall, a single measurement of serum AMH concentration was highly effective at distinguishing ovariohysterectomized from intact adult animals. In addition, the assay also accurately identified several cases of ovarian remnant syndrome.