Lecture 12: Canine Andrology Flashcards
3 fractions of semen
1: prostatic (clear)
2: sperm rich (cloudy white)
3. prostatic (clear)
normal canine penis
bulbus glandis
- extrude prior to erection
- penile examination
- ensure detumescence post collection
sperm evaluation: motility and shape
motility = > 70 - 80% normal shape = > 80% morph normal
determining concentration of sperm
use a hemacytometer
dilute sperm 1:100
count # in central box –> total # in millions/ml
total sperm # =
volume x concentration
estimate 10 million/pound body weight
what does total sperm # depend on?
collector technique, presence of estrous teaser bitch, weight/size of dog
cytology prep
H&E stained semen smears. seeing WBCs is ABNORMAL
what are the 4 types of abnormal semen quality
azoospermia
oligospermia
teratozoospermia
asthenozoospermia
azoospermia =
ejaculation of seminal fluid that does not contain sperm
causes of azoospermia and dx
causes: intersex animals, germinal cell aplasia, bilateral cryptorchidism, testitcular trauma, autoimmune orchitis, testicular neoplasia
dx: palpation, karyotype, culture, brucella testing, ultrasound, aspiration, biopsy
oligospermia
decreased number of sperm
causes of oligospermia
- not necessarily infertile
- idiopathic, seasonal, testicular neoplasia, prostatic disease, orchitis/brucella, hypothyroidism, illness, drugs (steroids, estrogen, ketoconazole, chemo)
teratozoospermia =
decreased percentage of morphologically normal sperm
teratozoospermia - abnormalities correlated with infertility, acquired causes
no breed, age disposition
<70% morphologically normal sperm
- abnormalities correlated with infertility: midpiece attachment, midpiece ultrastructure, microcephalic sperm, proximal droplets
- causes: testicular tumors, orchitis, prostatitis, fever, obesity, sex abstinence
asthenozoospermia =
general characteristics
progressive motility of less than 70%
- often associated with teratozoospermia
- may be first indication of infection
- causes same as teratozoospermia
- primary ciliary dyskinesia
- iatrogenic causes: latex exposure, water soluble lubricants
alkaline phosphatase
present in high concentrations of semen
- originates from tail of epididymis
- > 5,000 IU/L in normal ejaculatory fluid
- <5,000 IU/L incomplete ejaculation
- bilateral obstruction of ejactulatory ducts
prostate
- only accessory gland
- smooth, bi-lobed
- encircles urethra
- androgen-dependent
- 1st and 3rd fractions of semen
benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH): characteristics and tx
- androgen dependent and age-related (> 5years)
- can be asymptomatic or cause incontinence, tenesmus
- “ribbon-like” stool, meaturia
- symmetrical enlargment
- non painful on palpation
tx: castration, finasteride (proscar), 5alpha reductase inhibitor
prostatic neoplasia
CASTRATED dogs
- adenocarcinoma
- typically older dogs (> 10 years)
- asymmetrical, enlarged, firm
- calcification imaging
- lung, bone metastasis
- grave prognosis
brucella canis
- gram negative aerobic coccobacillus
- limited host range - dogs and wild canines
- intracellular infection
- zoonotic!!
- reportable!!
brucella canis: transmission, dx
transmission: acquired thru mucous membranes, oronasal contact with vaginal discharge, seminal fluids, urine, fomites!!
dx: screen every 6 months, RSAT test - sensitive, not specific (false positives common)
infection difficult to clear, shedding less likely in castrated animals
tom infertility issues
- penile hair rings: pain and mating failure
- mate preference
- karyotype or intersex issues (male calico and tortise shell)
- cryptorchidism
- nutritional testicular degeneration/atrophy
- orchitis - bacterial (trauma, bites)
- FIP
nutritional testicular degeneration/atrophy in toms
deficiency in riboflavin or EFA linoleate
deficiency or excess Vitamin A
FIP in toms
peritonitis extends to tunic surrounding testis
