**7. Therapeutic management**

To propose a treatment for any of the different conditions of congenital aplasia of the uterine-vaginal segment in dogs is a difficult task. For unicornuate uterus no direct negative effects arise from the defect by itself, and there are no additional risks for the health of the bitch other than those associated with age in intact females.

For the different segmental aplasia of the uterus (concerning the uterine horns, body or cervix) no effective therapeutic approach is available, and ovariohysterectomy remains the solution to avoid future health problems for the bitch, associated to fluid retention in the uterus with posterior inflammation.

In the case of segmental stenosis of the vagina, the treatment of the defect may be attempt to maintain the breeding status of the bitch, unless a large segment of the vagina is missing, which could bring potential problems during mating and delivery (Viehoff & Sjollema, 2003). Anastomosis of the vagina and vestibule may be attempt through episiotomy (Kyles et al., 1996; Viehoff & Sjollema, 2003). The success of the technique has yet to be ascertained in more severe cases of agenesis of the vaginal segment.


Table 2. Resumed guidelines for reach a diagnosis in congenital segmental agenesis of the uterine-vaginal segment in dogs.

Congenital Aplasia of the Uterine-Vaginal Segment in Dogs 177

Congenital agenesis of the uterine-vaginal segment in dogs consists of a wide range of defects that usually progress undetected until development of associated side effects of the defect, such as mucometra and hydrocolpos, or recurrent cystitis or chronic vaginitis. Surgical correction of the congenital abnormality is seldom possible. Thus it is important to be aware of the most adequate approaches for its early diagnosis, allowing to exclude the

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**8. Conclusions** 

**9. Aknowledgements** 

**10. References** 

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