Wagtails Canine Semen Analysis

 

I have been testing dog’s semen for over 10 years, having worked with one of the top fertility experts I gained a great knowledge over the years. Here at Wagtails  I offer evaluation of the dogs semen including morphology, mortality and total sperm count. If any abnormalities are found I will send you a report stating what they are and you can interpret the information yourself or if needed take it to your vet. The reason I do this is because I cannot verbally tell you what I think is wrong with the semen because this is classed as a diagnosis and anyone doing so is breaking the veterinary surgeons act and this is an offence. It is also against the ethics of veterinary nursing and I must abide by this.  I can suggest you may want to seek veterinary advice if there is any  suspect of any problems such as prostate problems but I cannot actually say “ this is a prostate problem”. 

 

 

Why test your dogs semen?

• If you have a young stud dog you may want to see if he is fertile before offering him to stud.

• It is a good idea to test stud dogs if they have not been used for a while, this also flushes out their system and gets rid of old sperm.

• If your dog has been receiving any drug therapy it may be worth checking the semen because some drugs can have an effect on the production. This also goes for if they have had an illness.

• Your dog may have missed a bitch and you want to ensure it is not your dog’s fault.

• To assess the quality before you have it frozen.

• Investigate any infertility problems.

• To check the semen if your dog has had an issue with his prostrate.

 

What to expect.

 

If possible it is worth having a bitch in season present to use as a tease bitch, this makes your dog more acceptable when collecting semen.  If you do have a tease bitch, make sure you have someone to help hold her.  The dog will also feel more relaxed if they are in a strange environment.

Do not worry if you cannot find a bitch we will try and carry out collection and testing without one. Most dogs that have been used at stud and do not mind you around their genitals and been stimulated are usually fine. However it must be noted that some dogs can withhold ejaculation if they do not have a bitch present. 

Ensure your dog urinates prior to collection any urine in the sample will kill the semen.

Once the dog has produced the sample I will test it immediately under the microscope because we do not want to expose the sample to any chill. Once I have checked the semen I will then do a sperm count and report back.

 

What Am I looking For?

 

• Colour – this should be milky any sign of blood may kill the sperm. If the semen is clear this indicates poor quality or in some cases complete absence of sperm production.

• Motility – this evaluates the percentage of the sperm that is actively swimming.

• Morphology – this indicates the quality of the semen. Active, dead or abnormal. It is checked for abnormalities of head, neck, mid piece and tail.

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What does the results mean?

 

• Motility -  most fertile dogs have 90-95% motility anything below 80% indicates a reduction in semen production.  But this can also be normal in dogs over 5-6 yr of age.

• Morphology – when examining the sperm, we look for abnormalities of the head, neck, mid piece and tail. Knobbly heads and curled tails indicate fertility problems, some may even have detached tails. We also look to see if the semen is swimming in a correct manner, any that appear drunk or move slow also indicates a problem. 

• Red blood cells – can be seen in dogs over 5 years they come from the prostate gland even if there is absence of any prostate problems.

• White blood cells – this indicates the presence of prostate disease, they come from the lining of the prepuce and side of the penis. Any white blood cells are found then I suggest you seek veterinary advice.

• Abnormal morphology – this could be due to infection, secondary fever, trauma to the testicles, or can even be a birth defect. It is also seen in animals with autoimmune disease or the treatment of cortisol. More than 10% primary or 20% secondary abnormalities is believed to be inherited at birth!

 

Useful Tips For Successful Mating.    

 

• Take a vaginal swab from the bitch and have it sent away for culture and sensitivity. This ensures that the bitch is free from infections that may prevent pregnancy due to the bacteria killing the sperm. It also prevents your dog from picking up any infections that in turn if left undetected may lead to the dog been infertile.  This also aims for an healthy pregnancy for the bitch because it ensures there is no infection present and prevents reabsorption or abortion. Most infections can be treated prior to mating if the bitch is swabbed as soon as she comes into season.

• Progesterone testing – this is the best method to determine when a bitch is ovulating and indicates the best time for mating. It involves a blood test sent to the lab (not in house vet test) and the level of progesterone is tested. This is great especially if you are travelling a long distance because you know that the bitch is ovulating. It is also good if you are wanting to use a stud dog that has low fertility because the eggs are present for penetration. The blood test is usually taken at day 7 and then accordingly depending upon the result. I have known some bitches ovulate around day 32, 21, and even 2. 

• It must also be noted that they can be different styles of a bitches cycle and tis can differ each time they are in season. The health of the puppies is determined by the quality of the semen, ovulation time, infection control and the insemination techniques used.

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Idexx Lab offer a pre mate service you can phone up and ask them to send a kit out which includes the swab and blood tubes. You just need the vet to take the sample. They are really good and only suggest blood testing when they think necessary rather than some vets that will rip you off.

 

Assisted Mating.

 

If you are having trouble mating your dog and bitch then I can assist you in the mating, I have been successful at getting natural mattings. A.I can also be offered especially if you have a stud dog that may have had an injury.

I charge a handling fee of £20 plus travel depending on radius.  

 

Semen Evaluation 

 

£25 plus travel depending upon radius if I travel to you.

£15 for re evaluation 

I will not charge a fee if I do not collect a sample except fuel cost.

 

Please note it is important that you let me know if you dog may be aggressive prior to collection so that we can restrain him correctly for health and safety towards yourself, others and me.