INFERTILITY IN FEMALE DOGS SORTING OUT
The inability of a female dog to become pregnant or to carry a pregnancy to term is a top concern of breeders. A plethora of causes could contribute to a female’s failure to produce a litter of puppies. “Ninety-five percent of the consultations I do relate to poor breeding management. It is the No. 1 reason for infertility,” says Andrea Hesser, DVM, DACT, a board- certified veterinary reproduction specialist, who practices at the Animal Medical Center of Richardson (Texas). Miscalculated heat cycles, infertile stud dogs, breeding too soon between pregnancies and lack of genetic testing are examples of breeding management errors that can sidetrack canine pregnancy. Reproductive health issues involving uterine infection, inflammation and cysts can also shortchange a female’s pregnancy success. “For a lot of dogs, we don’t know or can’t document exactly why they didn’t get pregnant,” Dr. Hesser says. “Failed fertility sometimes is simply due to breeding timing.” PROBLEMS CONCEIVING “Breeding timing is closely tied to the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge and the rise in progesterone, which trigger ovulation and pinpoint the fertile window in which to breed. Most females ovulate around 2 days after the LH surge,” Dr. Hesser says.
“We want to see a 3 ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter) rise in progesterone over 24 hours to confirm ovulation,” she says. “You may not realize a female has ovulated if you are not taking blood samples to test progesterone. The peak fertile period is from 2 to 4 days following ovulation.”
BREEDING TECHNIQUE CONSIDERATIONS
Surgical Insemination
The technique used in breeding impacts the placement of semen in the female’s reproductive tract and ultimately pregnancy. Transcervical insemination (TCI) and surgical AI deposit semen directly into a female’s uterus; vaginal AI places semen in the vagina requiring sperm to navigate the cervix and uterus to reach the oviducts for fertilization. The breeding protocol and semen type also influence fertility. One method is to breed a female starting 1 to 2 days after ovulation and breeding every 24 to 48 hours using a combination of TCI and natural breeding or TCI and vaginal AI with fresh or chilled semen during her fertile window. Fresh semen typically lives 5 days or longer in the uterus and oviducts, and fresh chilled semen lives up to a week or more. Frozen semen survives 12 to 24 hours after thawing and requires either TCI or surgical approaches for success.
Oviduct
Transcervical Insemination
(TCI) + Natural Breeding
Oviduct
Vaginal AI
Missouri Pet Breeders Association | Page 43
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