Single, transcervical insemination using frozen-thawed semen in the Greyhound: a case series study.
Transcervical insemination (TCI) has generated recent interest as an assisted reproductive technique in the dog. A case series study was performed to determine if TCI using frozen-thawed semen was a viable technique to offer in a general veterinary practice setting. Over a period exceeding 28 months, 137 Greyhound bitches were presented for assisted breeding. A single, timed insemination using a rigid cystoscope to aid in transcervical deposition of a frozen-thawed semen dose was given within 72 h after the behaviorally estrual bitch had a > 4 ng/mL serum progesterone concentration and estrus-categorized vaginal cytology. Litter size, pregnancy and whelping rate were collected; their association to semen center and stud dog were quantified. Of the 137 bitches, 117 were bred for one cycle and 20 were bred for two or more cycles, giving a total of 161 single, timed inseminations. Pregnancy rate was 89.4%, with 141 (87.5%) whelping. Litter size was 6.9+/-2.7 (mean+/-S.D.) pups. Semen center (P=0.84) and stud (P=0.79) had no effect on pregnancy. These results were quite favorable when compared to prior TCI studies, and are possibly due to the use of a single breed (i.e., Greyhound) with good fertility. This study supported the application of TCI, in Greyhounds, as a successful and viable service to offer in private practice. Additionally, these results have value in their use for benchmarking future breed-specific and TCI research. Serendipitously, the apparent fecundity results obtained in this observational study suggests a possible greater appreciation be given to breed composition and choice in assisted reproductive technique studies.
Pretzer
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SD
Abilene Animal Hospital, PA, 320 NE 14th Street Abilene, KS 67410, USA.
Lillich
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RK
Althouse
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GC
D000818:Animals; D002584:Cervix Uteri; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000662:veterinary*; D004285:Dogs; D030762:Estrous Cycle; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D008098:Litter Size; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000662:veterinary*
D011374:Progesterone