Equine Andrology

Question 1

reasons for performing a BSE

Answer 1

• prepurchase
• before the breeding season
• problem

Question 2

history of breeding stallion

Answer 2

• athletic background
• physical health
• breeding history
  
  • program type
  • pregnancy rates
  • management
  • vaccinations

Question 3

physical exam for BSE

Answer 3

• identification
• TPR
• eyes (see stimuli)
• legs
• mouth
• respiratory system, cardio
• body condition
• possible heritable conditions
• reproductive tract

Question 4

physical examination of reproductive tract

Answer 4

• preliminary assessment of external genitalia
  
  • before semen collection
• thorough examination
  
  • penis- after sexual arousal; before washing
  • testes and accessory sex glands
    
    • after semen collection

Question 5

penile abnormalities

Answer 5

• trauma
• paraphimosis
• penile paralysis
• priapism (can’t withdraw penis due to prolonged erection)
• tumors (usually SCC)
• habronemiasis
• infections

Question 6

paraphimosis

Answer 6

• inability to retract penis back to the prepuce
• various causes
  
  • trauma
  • inflammation
  • phenothiazine tranquilizers

Question 7

treatment of paraphimosis

Answer 7

• replacing penis into prepucial cavity
• hydrotherapy
• massage
• local ointments
• abx
• NSAIDs

Question 8

evaluation of stallion’s sexual behavior

Answer 8

• during semen evaluation, or separate
• receptive to estrous mare
• gentle handling
• “friendly environment”
• precopulatory responses
• copulation
• ejaculation

Question 9

swabs for bacterial cultures

Answer 9

• pre-wash
  
  • prepuce
  • body of penis
  • fossa glandis
• post-wash
  
  • urethra
• post-ejaculation
  
  • urethra
  • semen

Question 10

local bacerial infectious

Answer 10

• bacteria that may cause venereal diseases
  
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae
  • Taylorella equigenitalis (CEM-reportable disease)

Question 11

semen collection

Answer 11

• collect 2 samples approximately 1 hour apart

Question 12

methods and equipment for semen collection in stallion

Answer 12

• artificial vagina (Colorado, Missouri)
• condom
• manual stimulation
• pharmacologically induced
• mount source
  
  • jump mare
  • phantom

Question 13

stallion semen evaluation

Answer 13

• volume
• color (and smell)
• +/- pH
• motility
• concentration
• morphology

Question 14

evaluation of motility of equine sperm

Answer 14

• total (%)
• progressive (%)
• velocity (1-4)
  
  • ≥ 60% progressive

Question 15

determining concentration of sperm

Answer 15

• number of sperm in 1 mL of semen
• hemocytometer
• spectrophotometer
• total sperm number (10⁹) = volume (mL) x concentration (10⁶ sperm/mL)

Question 16

evaluate sperm morphology in stallion

Answer 16

• ≥ 60% normal
• various methods
  
  • phase-contrast
  • eosin-nigrosin
  • diff quick
• sperm defects
  
  • individual defects %

Question 17

evaluation of stallion scrotum

Answer 17

• visual inspection
• palpation
• ultrasound evaluation
• testicular boipsy
• aspiration cytology

Question 18

visual inspection stallion scrotum

Answer 18

• symmetry
• shape
• integrity of skin

Question 19

palpation of stallion scrotum

Answer 19

• presence of both scrotal testes
• texture
• sensitivity
• local temperature
• mobility within vaginal cavity
• location of tail of epididymis
• presence of palpable abnormal structures

Question 20

measuring stallion scrotum

Answer 20

• calipers, ultrasound
• total scrotal width
  
  • correlated with volume of testicular parenchyma
  • correlated with sperm production capacity
  • concern when less than 8 cm
• all dimensions of testes
  
  • ​testicular volume can be calculated-corelated with daily sperm output

Question 21

scrotal abnormalities

Answer 21

• enlarged scrotum
  
  • torsion of spermatic cord
  • hernia
  • testicular tumor (seminoma)
  • periorchitis
  • hydrocele

Question 22

torsion of spermatic cord ≤ 180˚

Answer 22

• no clinical signs
• still fertile, blood flow still good

Question 23

torsion of spermatic cord >180˚

Answer 23

• severe colic
• scrotal swelling
• testicular ischemia
• negative effects on contralateral testis
• treatment
  
  • ​surgical

Question 24

inguinal/scrotal hernia

Answer 24

• intestines enter the vaginal cavity through the vaginal ring
• predisposing factors
  
  • enlarged vaginal ring
  • breeding
  • exercise
  • transport

Question 25

diagnosis & treatment of inguinal/scrotal hernia

Answer 25

* dx * **rectal palpation** * inguinal rings * **ultrasound** evaluation * intestines in vaginal cavity * tx * **surgical** * **castration** recommended (hereditary?)

Question 26

stallion internal genitalia

Answer 26

* vas deferens: ampulla * vesicular gland * prostate gland * bulbourethral gland

Question 27

occluded ampullae

Answer 27

* incidence: **rare** * etiology * **unknown** * individual predisposition: **"sperm accumulators"** * low frequency of ejaculations * **physical causes** * **cystic** abnormalities

Question 28

clinical signs of occluded ampullae

Answer 28

* **azoospermia** (no sperm in ejaculate) * large numbers of **tailess sperm heads**

Question 29

diagnosis of occluded ampullae

Answer 29

* **rectal palpation** * prominent ampullae * **ultrasound evaluation** * enlarged lumen of ampullae * hyperechoic content in terminal parts of deferent ducts

Question 30

treatment of occluded ampullae

Answer 30

* **manual massage** per rectum * administration of **oxytocin** before ejaculation * **frequent ejaculation**

Question 31

seminal vesiculitis

Answer 31

* incidence: **rare** * etiology * **bacterial infection** * *Klebsiella aeruginosa* * *Pseudomonas pneumoniae* * *Streptococcus zooepidemicus*

Question 32

clinical signs of seminal vesiculitis

Answer 32

* infertility * poor semen quality * pyospermia * hemospermia

Question 33

diagnosis of seminal vesiculitis

Answer 33

* **clinical signs** * **inflammatory cells** in semen * **positive culture** results * +/- urethroscopy

Question 34

treatment of seminal vesiculitis

Answer 34

* **endoscopic lavage of vesicular glands** * **endoscopic infusion of abx** into vesicular glands lumen * **systemic abx** +/- enrofloxacin

Question 35

testing for Equine Viral Arteritis

Answer 35

* **serum neutralization** or **complement fixation** * blood serum * **virus isolation** or **detection of viral nucleic acid** * semen

Question 36

BSE classification

Answer 36

* **satisfactory** * **questionable** * **unsatisfactory**

Question 37

satisfactory breeding prospect

Answer 37

* **free of venereal pathogens** * **≥60% progressively motile sperm** * **≥60% morphologically normal sperm** * **≥ 1 billion** progressively motile, morphologically normal sperm * natural service book (40 mares) * AI book (120 mares)

Question 38

what does a BSE actually assess?

Answer 38

* **fertility potential only,** not actual fertility * test results are **only valid for the day of the exam** * cannot be used to guarantee what the animal will do in the future