Transcervical insemination techniques in the bitch

The technology to freeze and inseminate frozen semen has been around for ov er 30 years, but it is only relatively recently that there has been an upsu rge in its use as breeders take advantage of the benefits it offers to thei r breeding programs. This increased use is mainly because of the improved c onception rates now being achieved as a result of determining the critical factors for success. Defining the optimum time for insemination and develop ing methods for determining this critical time have had a significant impac t on improving the success rate; also important has been the recognition th at thawed semen should be deposited by intrauterine means rather than vagin ally.(1,) (2, 4, 10) This overcomes the effect that processing has on the a bility of the sperm to migrate through the cervix and reduces the sperm dos e perceived as required per bitch. The options to achieve intrauterine semen deposition are by surgical or tra nscervical insemination (TCI). In many parts of the world, the surgical opt ion is the method of choice because it is easy to perform and has no major learning period. Surgical insemination has some drawbacks, including the ri sk associated with general anesthesia and surgery and the fact that only a single insemination is realistic (and ethically acceptable). Many owners an d veterinarians prefer a nonsurgical transcervical option; in some countrie s, it is considered ethically unacceptable to perform intrauterine insemina tion surgically. Previous reports have indicated that TCI is not possible o r that it is feasible only in the anesthetized bitch. More recently, techni ques that contradict these opinions have been developed.(11) The problems f aced in any attempt to catheterize the canine cervix relate to its relative inaccessibility. In addition to frozen semen insemination, the ability to catheterize the ce rvix in the bitch provides clinicians with the opportunity to access the in trauterine environment without the need for surgery. This means that an ext ended range of procedures can be performed and that they can be done routin ely and repeatedly if necessary, without undue stress to the bitch.