Dr. Mary Sebzda, our board-certified reproduction specialist, will perform semen collections for both dogs and cats. With her expertise, she can also immediately evaluate the semen collected for health and viability.
Chilling and shipping canine semen offers significant logistical, financial, and genetic diversity advantages for breeders.
The Newport Harbor Animal Hospital Difference:
Dr. Mary Sebzda is a board-certified specialist in animal reproduction and has many years of experience in providing reproductive services such as canine semen collection and shipment. We are very proud of our quality control when it comes to canine semen shipments. We start with a physical exam to be sure our male canine patients are in good health, free of obvious congenital or genetic defects that may adversely affect health and that our patients have been consulted on completed genetic screening and health screening such as Brucella canis testing.
WE examine collected specimens for quality using the following parameters: overall sperm count, total motility and progressive motility and morphology. We aim to submit samples of 200 million live, progressively motile and morphologically normal cells or higher. We also save a small amount of processed and extended semen at our clinic at 4 degrees Celsius to observe motility over 24 and 48 hours to assess viability at these timepoints while the larger portion is out for overnight shipment. This helps us troubleshoot quality control problems that may have occurred with the sample itself or in route with the courier. Our goal is to collect and ship samples that are of excellent quality, capable of establishing a pregnancy, in a timely fashion.
Key Reasons for Chilling and Shipping Canine Semen
- Eliminates the Need for Animal Transport: The primary reason is to avoid the stress, health risks, and high costs associated with physically transporting the stud dog or the bitch over long distances.
- Access to Superior Genetics: Breeders can access top-quality stud dogs from anywhere in the country, broadening the genetic pool and improving breed lines by reducing geographical limitations.
- Manages Scheduling Conflicts: It allows breeding to occur even if the stud dog is unavailable due to show schedules, trials, temporary illness, or other logistical issues.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Generally, shipping semen is less expensive than arranging for the transport and boarding of an animal.
- Preservation of Genetics (Short-term): Chilling semen with special extenders helps preserve its viability for several days (typically 24 to 48 hours). This is a simpler and less expensive process than freezing semen (cryopreservation), which requires specialized liquid nitrogen equipment for long-term storage.
- Maximizes Stud Use: A single high-quality ejaculate can be divided into multiple breeding doses, making more efficient use of a valuable stud dogs semen for more than one side-by-side artificial insemination.
- Health and Safety: It removes the risk of injury or transmission of diseases that can occur during natural mating or animal transport. Since Studs are advised to have a current Brucella canis test, this also adds to health and safety of the breeding pair.
- Overcoming Mating Difficulties: Chilled semen used in artificial insemination (AI) can bypass natural breeding problems such as behavioral issues (e.g., a maiden bitch or a stud that is unwilling to tie), size mismatches, or certain anatomical barriers.
Just a few more tips on successful semen collection and domestic shipment (within the United States of America):
Please note that collection of canine semen requires an experienced stud dog or the use of a teaser female (female in heat to entice the male). If you are not able to bring a teaser female with you to the appointment, then please let us know so we can modify the timing of your appointment to fit when a teaser female will be available in the clinic. Be sure that your breeding dog is routinely screened for Brucella canis at least every 6 months (ideally prior to each breeding or semen collection).
Be aware that holidays and weather can interfere with prompt overnight delivery by courier so plan ahead and check with both the recipient and current weather conditions that the shipment will arrive in time for the breeding. Also plan to bring your stud dog in the a.m. as we need to arrange for courier pick up of the sample in the afternoon.
Finally, not all breed clubs permit registration of offspring born to dogs where artificial insemination (and not natural mating) was used or where one or both dogs do not have an open registration. Make sure you check your breed club’s code of standards to be sure you are compliant.