SA Infertility - Common Presentations

Question 1

what are the most common causes of infertility in the bitch

Answer 1

mistimed breeding

use vaginal or progesterone assay

Question 2

what does it mean if the bitch is not cycling by 2 yrs old

Answer 2

primary anestrus

Question 3

what are causes of primary anestrus

Answer 3

Husbandry

Previous OVH

Silent heat

Hermaphroditism

Hypothyroidism (T4/TSH)

Systemic disease

Question 4

what is an abnormally long inter-estrus length and what might cause this

Answer 4

>12 months

breed (wolf dog)

hypothyroid

Question 5

what is an abnormally short inter estrus interval and its causes

Answer 5

breed (GSD)

split heat (check progesterone)

uterine disease (cystic endometrial hypoplasia > PG)

Question 6

if the bitch is in persistent estrus what could be the causes

Answer 6

ovarian cyst

granulosa cell tumour

Question 7

what could be the reasons for the bitch not allowing mating

Answer 7

Dominant female

Congenital vaginal septum/stricture (scope)

Vaginal fold prolapse

Question 8

what could be the reasons for the male not able to achieve intromission/ejaculation

Answer 8

Submissive/frightened male

Pain

• Spine, hindlimbs, prostate

Poor libido

• GnRH

Question 9

what could be the reasons a pregnancy is not maintained

Answer 9

Canine herpes virus

Canine brucellosis (not seen in UK)

Subclinical uterine infection

Culture and sensitivity

Hypoluteoidism (supplement progesterone?)

Question 10

what could be the reasons a bitch does not conceive

Answer 10

Consider inadequate semen quality

• No sperm in ejaculate (azoospermia)
• Too few sperm in ejaculate (oligozoospermia)
• Abnormal motility and/or morphology

Need to get a sample

Question 11

what are abnormal estrus patterns

Answer 11

split estrus

ovarian remnant syndrome

ovarian cyst(s)

ovarian tumour(s)

Question 12

what is split estrus

Answer 12

Bitch apparently comes into season

Only pro-estrus (bleed)

Doesn’t ovulate

Signs regress, then back to anestrus

Returns to estrus with full ovulation 2-4 weeks later

Question 13

what are ovarian cysts

Answer 13

Follicular cyst (estrogen)

Luteal cysts

Other non-functional

Question 14

what are signs of ovarian cysts

Answer 14

Prolonged anestrus

Estrus

Infertility

Pain

Question 15

what are ovarian tumours

Answer 15

Uncommon in dogs and cats

Granulosa cell tumour

Epithelial tumours

Sometimes metastasize locally

May produce estrogen

OVH to treat (send for histopathology)

Prognosis depends on type

Question 16

what are cystic endometrial hyperplasia

Answer 16

Prolonged luteal phase in the bitch

Uterine wall under alternating estrogen and progesterone influence

Becomes hyperplastic and cystic with time

Prone to pyometra

Often infertile

Ultrasound to show wall changes

Question 17

what is shown here

Answer 17

cystic endometrial hyperplasia

Question 18

what are common causes of infertility in the male dog

Answer 18

Poor breeding behaviour

Poor libido

Musculoskeletal problems

Azoospermia

Poor semen quality

Prostatitis

Prostatic abscess

Prostatic neoplasia

Question 19

what are the types of azoospermia

Answer 19

pre-testicular

testicular

post-testicular

Question 20

what are the causes of pre-testicular azoospermia

Answer 20

Apprehension

Hypothyroid

Question 21

what are the causes of testicular azoospermia

Answer 21

Cryptorchidism

Neoplasia

Question 22

what are the causes of post-testicular azoospermia

Answer 22

Occluded epididymis

Question 23

what could be the reason for abnormal #, motility or morphology of sperm

Answer 23

Retrograde ejaculation (check cystocentesis)

Hypothyroidism

Prostatic disease

Testicular disease

• Brucellosis (not seen in UK)
• Neoplasia

Question 24

what are the signs of benign prostatic hyperplasia

Answer 24

Most entire dogs develop this with age

Blood from penis, tenesmus, difficult defecation

Rectal:

• Enlarged, often non-painful prostate

Ultrasound:

• Enlarged and diffusely hyperechoic

Question 25

how is benign prostatic hyperplasia treated

Answer 25

Castration/delmadinone acetate (Tardak)

Now option of Osaterone (Ypozane, Virbac)

• Anti-androgen
• Prostate specific
• No effect on fertility

Question 26

what are causes of infertility in the male cat

Answer 26

Poor breeding behaviour

Poor libido

Musculoskeletal problems

Poor semen quality

Question 27

what other things need to be considered in the tom cat

Answer 27

Dental disease

• Scruff biting during normal mating

Phimosis/persistent frenulum/diphallos

Genetic abnormalities (triploidy 38 XXY)

Question 28

what are causes of infertility in the queen

Answer 28

Infectious causes (FIV, FeLV, feline panleukopenia, Chlamydophila felis, FIP)

Endometritis

• Discharge/thickening

Question 29

what is the diagnostic approach to fertility problems

Answer 29

Manage expectations

Thorough general history

• Diet
• Drugs
• Systemic disease

Reproductive history

Mating/cycle description

Physical examination

• Check external genitalia
• Prostate
• Testes

Urinalysis

Hematology/biochemistry, endocrine, infectious disease testing

Imaging

Vaginal cytology/progesterone assays

Semen collection and analysis

Referral

Question 30

what are the methods of AI in the bitch

Answer 30

Fresh/chilled/frozen

Method:

Intravaginal

Transcervical

Surgical

5 days after LH surge