semen shipping

[venuslamb]

I was wondering if anyone here has ever done atificial insemination from shipped semen. I am planning to breed my rottie with a fine stud in Ca. The only problem is that my girl is coming into heat a month early. So, due to conflicting schedules on both parts, I will be unable to take my girl to Ca. The only solution we can both think of is artificial insemination. As neither one of us has done AI before, I am unsure as to how to go about it. We have both talked to our local vets, and then I talked to the licensed breeder here in UT. She is quite sure that the vet has to ship to another vet and not just the owner. I am well aware of the paperwork involved with AKC and AI, but does a vet have to do it? Thanks ~Venus~

[CanadianRotts]

Hi:

Having recently completed an surgical A.I. with our girl, I can offer the following.

1. Find an ICG Vet immediately.
2. Find out the clinic's success rate with implants/AI's.

We used a wonderful ICG Vet here in Canada, who had his Masters in Canine Reproduction, and is very familiar with implants on large dogs. (He does tons of Bullmastiffs, but we were the first Rottie client. http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/eek.gif )

Frozen semen was shipped from the ICG Vet in Colorado to our ICG clinic. This way, they require a DNA profile, and/or scan of microchip/confirmation of tattoo of both sire/dam. We were required at the clinic daily to pull blood for the progesterone/luteinizing hormone testing. Once our girl's LH levels peaked, we then counted 5 days from the surge to the implant.

Regardless, IMO if you are dealing with fresh extended or frozen semen, I would wholeheartedly suggest that you have your Vet either implant it via the non-invasive fibre-optic or surgical implant. It was the *only* route for us to go, considering the astromonical cost of the stud fee, shipping, rental containers, and FedEx.

The ideal motility of sperm after the thaw should be above 50%. (Our boy had 85% motility! http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/biggrin.gif)

I would have liked to use the fibre-optic
method, but unfortunately it's only available at the University of Guelph, and I was not willing to drive there. I don't know if I would do surgical again, it's a stressful operation...for both owner and dog!

It has not even been 1-month since our girl was implanted, although we are hoping that she is pregnant, our DVM gave us the odds of 1-5 implants do not take...and fully aware of that, I am willing to take the odds.

I am currently waiting on a litter from a bitch, bred via frozen and implanted surgically with semen shipped from the UK...apparently that bitch bounced right around immediately.

We are planning on breeding to a deceased dog via the fibre-optic method this June. Hopefully, between the 2 breedings, ONE will work!

Good Luck!

[venuslamb]

WOW!!! Sounds like I might be better off finding a way to CA. Exactly how astronomical is the cost of the whole thing, collection, shipping, implantation..etc? If it is cheaper to drive, I would rather do that, it is only 12 hours to Ca from here after all, and im sure my girl would be a lot less stressed. Anyway, I hope everything goes well for you!!! Good Luck!

[CanadianRotts]

By all means, if you can drive, DO IT! http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/smile.gif Achieving a natural breeding, IMO, is the best route.

Semen - US$1000
Overnight Shipping
/Rental of Container - US300
Progesterone
Testing, Initial work up - $450.00
Surgical Implant - $300.00
Gas (for 4-hr round trips) - $150.00

Spectacular Puppies -- Priceless
http://www.rottweiler.net/rottie/smile.gif

I don't think I would do another surgical A.I. The operation was fairly complicated, and I hate putting my dogs under anathesia for any reason, including x-rays.

[Orville Story]

I agree with CanadianRotts on several aspects. The most important is to use an ICG trained vet. I prefer the surgical implants doing either Frozen or Chilled Semen. It has always been a simple procedure for my girls. If you can get Chilled vs Frozen then Chilled is better. However, Frozen does have it's advantages as far as timely shipping. The Chilled must be collected and shipped within a time frame that may include a weekend which always complicates matters. The Frozen is already collected so the only matter to time out is the shipping.

My cost is very similar to the one listed by CanadianRotts, with the exception of the stud fee being slightly higher.

Good luck.

Orville

[This message has been edited by Orville Story (edited April 05, 2000).]