SUCCESS WITH INTRAVAGINAL INSEMINATION OF FROZEN-THAWED DOG SEMEN - ARETROSPECTIVE STUDY

This retrospective study reports on the fertility of bitches (n=40) th at were inseminated into fornix vaginae with frozen thawed sperm from 9 sperm donors. In most bitches, the inseminations were repeated daily although, in 5 bitches, 1-2 d were skipped between some inseminations . All semen had been frozen by the same method and all prostatic fluid had been frozen at 18 degrees C prior to use. Sixteen Beagle bitches (Group 1) were inseminated with frozen-thawed semen to which 3-5 ml pr ostatic fluid had been added post thaw. Ten German Shepherds and 4 oth er bitches of similar size (Group 2) were inseminated after adding 6-1 0 ml prostatic fluid to the frozen thawed semen. Ten different German Shepherd bitches (Group 3) were inseminated without using prostatic fl uid. The volumes of individual insemination doses were 3,5-6 ml, 7-12 ml and 1-3 ml for Groups 1,2 and 3 respectively. The number of progres sively motile sperm per insemination varied from 9 x 10(6) to 300 x 10 (6). Sixteen of 16, 13 of 14 and 6 of 10 bitches conceived in Groups 1 ,2 and 3 respectively. The pregnancy rate of Groups 1 and 2 combined w as higher than that of Group 3 (P < 0,01). The mean number of foetuses per bitch bred was 5,2 (SD 3,2) for Group 2, which was higher than th e 2,4 (SD 2,8) of Group 3 (P < 0,05). Intravaginal insemination of bit ches with frozen thawed sperm, to which dog prostatic fluid is added, is a practical alternative to intra-uterine insemination.