CYTOLOGIC EVALUATION OF EARLY MAMMARY INFECTIONS IN BITCH Iosif VASIU1, Marina SPÎNU1, Mihaela NICULAE1, Flaviu TĂBĂRAN1 and Florinel Gheorghe BRUDAŞCĂ1 University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Str. Manastur, No. 3-5, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, iosifvasiu@yahoo.com Introduction Scarce data is available regarding bitch milk cytology. Some of the highest inflammatory cell counts are found in cases of Lactatio sine graviditae and after puppies are weaned, in which cases milk is being resorbed. Mammary glands with galactostasis are prone to develop a strong inflammatory cell response, because the gland becomes engorged with milk (Olson and Olson, 1984). Shanga et al., (2011) demonstrated that in 70 % of the mammary gland tumors or infections, the local milk cellular population increases. Presence of degenerative neutrophils with engulfed bacteria may suggest cases of acute mastitis. In acute mastitis cases, neutrophils have severe degenerative nuclei and can present phagocytosis (Olson and Olson, 1984). The aim of this study was to identify early mammary infection based solely on bitch milk cytology. Picture 3. Degenerative neutrophils, Picture 4. Phagoytosis; Erythrocytes, foamy cell; Materials and methods A total of 10 milk samples were collected into sterile tubes by manual expression after a thorough disinfection of the mammary glands using Betadine (Martín et al., 2010). Interpretation of milk cytology was carried out after lacto sediments were obtained. One drop of milk was used to prepare smears from the obtained sediments. The smears where stained by using the May-Grünwald Giemsa technique. Picture 5. Degenerative neutrophils, phagocytosis; Results and disscutions Milk cytology showed monocytes, neutrophils, lipofage, epithelial cells, erythrocytes, bacterias and phagocytosis of cellular debris and microorganisms on the smears. In 2 cases, presence of degenerative neutrohpils, macrophages with engulfed fat droplets, cellular debris and bacteria suggested an acute inflammatory response of the glandular tissue. Picture 6. Degenerative neutrophils, foamy cells. Conclusions Based on milk cytology alone, it was possible to suspect if the mammary gland suffered from subclinical or acute mastitis. Correlating cytology with other laboratory test (i.e. biochemical, haematological) can emphasize the diagnostic. Picture 1. Degenerative neutrophils; References Martín R., Olivares Mónica, Pérez, Xaus J., Torre Celina and Fernández L., (2010). Identification and evaluation of the probiotic potential of lactobacilli isolated from canine milk, The Veterinary Journal, 185:193-198. Olson P., N. and Olson A., L., (1984). Cytologic evaluation of canine milk. Vet. Med/ Small Anim. Cl. 79:641-646. Sangha Shivani, Singh A., Sood K., N. and Gupta K., (2010). Specificity and Sensitivity of Cytological Techniques for Rapid Diagnosis of Neoplastic and Non-neoplastic Lesions of Canine Mammary Gland, Braz J Vet Pathol, 4(1):13-22.   Picture 2. Epithelial Cell;