"Breeding and Beyond"
Dr. Chris. Girling, has a special interest in Canine Reproduction.
Your first Reproductive Visit.
Your first Reproductive Visit will be around half an hour with one of our Reproductive Nurse's. At your first appointment, we will discuss what type of breeding you are planning, (Frozen, Chilled, Fresh or Natural Breeding) and answer any questions you may have about breeding your bitch. We also give you a breeding information package, full of information on Breeding, whelping and puppy care.
Please contact the clinic to make an appointment. Clinic tours are also available on request.
The transcervical insemination
(TCI) is performed with the bitch in a standing position. Neither sedation nor anaesthesia is required. A fiber optic scope is used vaginally to visualize the opening to the cervix. A flexible catheter is manoeuvred through the cervix into the uterus.
The semen is gently pushed through the catheter from a syringe. The veterinarian can visualize that the semen flows easily into the uterus and does not flow back into the vaginal tract.
The transcervical insemination does not replace the surgical insemination as it does not allow for uterine evaluation, but is a significant improvement over the vaginal method of insemination.
A surgical insemination
The bitch is given a short acting intravenous injection of Alfaxan. An endotracheal tube is placed and the bitch is connected to a gas anesthetic, Sevothane. Even though the total surgical time is usually no longer than 10-15 minutes the bitch is connected to surgical monitoring.
A 2-3 inch incision is made on the abdomen through the skin and underlying muscle. The uterus is isolated and evaluated. The semen, whether fresh collected, fresh chilled or frozen, is inseminated though a small hypodermic needle into the uterus. The veterinary surgeon can see and feel the uterus fill as the semen is deposited. There is no incision in the uterus proper. The incision is sutured and in most cases the bitch is sent home within an hour post-surgically.
A bitch that has had surgical inseminations is not more prone to needing a ceasarean section nor having whelping difficulties. Having a surgical insemination does not decrease the number of times a bitch can be bred.
We have a in House Immulite Assay , with most Progesterone results ready in 2 hours.
The bitch is unique when her estrous cycle is compared to that of other domestic species. The bitch ovulates her eggs into a progesterone environment rather than estrogen as occurs in other domestic species
The ova that the bitch ovulates are not ready for fertilization until a final meiotic division takes place. The time for ova maturation is a minimum of 48 hours post ovulation. This factor is especially important when short lived semen such as frozen semen is being used.
Ultrasound
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Gestational sacs are visible as early as 24 days past the LH peak.
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There is usually little doubt when the black, hyperechoic gestation sac is observed, that the bitch is pregnant.
