You want your dog to have a set of puppies of their own but either traditional breeding hasn’t worked or you want to optimize the chance of breeding your female dog. Here, our Capitola vets discuss the various methods of artificial insemination for your dog.
Artificial Insemination
Humans have spent a lot of time domesticating dogs. Some archeological records show that we first domesticated dogs over 30000 years ago. As time has progressed and our understanding of animal husbandry has increased our understanding of how to breed animals for certain traits has increased. This continues to this day where we breed dogs to possess the attributes we desire be it aesthetic, function, or temperament. As you consider what genetics would give you the best puppies it may be suggested that you consider artificial insemination as an option to increase your conception chances since breeding fees can often range between 250-1000 dollars depending on the breeder and breed of dog. Artificial insemination also means that there are no worries about a stud getting too aggressive with the female.
In this post, we will discuss 3 methods of artificial insemination: transvaginal insemination, transcervical insemination, and surgical insemination.
Please keep in mind that while these methods are useful for your puppy ambitions tracking your dog's ovulation is a crucial step to ensuring success. Our vets in Capitola offer breeding services to evaluate your dog for breeding and aid in bringing your new puppies into the world.
Transvaginal Insemination
One of the least technical methods of artificial insemination is transvaginal insemination. The technique is done best using fresh never frozen semen. The semen is inserted into the dog by elevating the female dog's hind quarters and inserting a pipet of semen and making a deposit just outside the cervix. The dog’s hindquarters are left elevated for 10-15 minutes to insure the best chance of success and to hopefully increase the size of the litter.
This method should only be used for fertile females. The benefits are that breedings don’t require getting both female and male participants in the same area.
Transcervical Insemination
This method is a little more involved and often involves an endoscope to see the cervix entrance and then a special tool to breach the cervix and deposit the semen directly into the cervix. We do not recommend doing this yourself if you are an amateur breeder due to the higher risk of internal damage by breaching the cervix.
The benefit of this method is it can use frozen semen which means the options for stud are not as limited due to distance or timing.
Surgical Insemination
The most invasive method is surgical insemination. This is the recommended method if there are fertility issues on either side of the breeding process. The female is put under anesthesia and an incision is made into their uterus and the semen is deposited in the uterus at the desired location to aid in the conception rate. This method can be done with frozen or less underperforming semen.
Conclusion
All 3 methods are valid options for your dog’s breeding depending on the situation.
Please consult your vet about the timing of the breeding to track the estrogen levels in your dog to result in the best chance of success.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.