title: Semen quality, testicular B-mode and Doppler ultrasound, and serum testosterone concentrations in dogs with established infertility.
abstract: Retrospective examination of breeding records enabled the identification of 10 dogs of normal fertility and 10 dogs with established infertility of at least 12 months of duration. Comparisons of testicular palpation, semen evaluation, testicular ultrasound examination, Doppler ultrasound measurement of testicular artery blood flow, and measurement of serum testosterone concentration were made between the two groups over weekly examinations performed on three occasions. There were no differences in testicular volume (cm(3)) between the two groups (fertile right testis = 10.77 ± 1.66; fertile left testis = 12.17 ± 2.22); (infertile right testis = 10.25 ± 3.33; infertile left testis = 11.37 ± 3.30), although the infertile dogs all had subjectively softer testes compared with the fertile dogs. Infertile dogs were either azoospermic or when they ejaculated, they had lower sperm concentration, sperm motility, and percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa than fertile dogs. Furthermore, infertile dogs had reduced sperm membrane integrity measured via the hypoosmotic swelling test. Infertile dogs had significantly lower basal serum testosterone concentrations (1.40 ± 0.62 ng/mL) than fertile dogs (1.81 ± 0.87 ng/mL; P < 0.05). There were subjective differences in testicular echogenicity in some of the infertile dogs, and important differences in testicular artery blood flow with lower peak systolic and end-diastolic velocities measured in the distal supratesticular artery, marginal testicular artery, and intratesticular artery of infertile dogs (P < 0.05). Notably, resistance index and pulsatility index did not differ between infertile and fertile dogs. These findings report important differences between infertile and fertile dogs which may be detected within an expanded breeding soundness examination.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Carnivore Reproduction, Veterinary School, State University, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Electronic address: mirley.souza@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mírley Barbosa
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, The University of Nottingham, Loughborough, UK.
authors.forename: Gary C W
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: England
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Carnivore Reproduction, Veterinary School, State University, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antônio Cavalcante
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Mota Filho
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila Louise
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Ackermann
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Carnivore Reproduction, Veterinary School, State University, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carmen Vládia Soares
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Carnivore Reproduction, Veterinary School, State University, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela Guedelha
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Carnivore Reproduction, Veterinary School, State University, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Herlon Victor Rodrigues
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Carnivore Reproduction, Veterinary School, State University, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Nicodemos
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Piauí, Amílcar Ferreira Sobral Campus, Floriano, Piauí, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jussiara Candeira Spíndola
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Linhares
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eunice
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oba
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Carnivore Reproduction, Veterinary School, State University, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lúcia Daniel Machado
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000662:veterinary*; D013737:Testis / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone
keywords: Dog; Infertility; Pulse-wave Doppler; Testis; Ultrasonography