Reproductive Services

Veterinary Associates has been at the forefront of companion animal reproduction in New Zealand for many years. We are Auckland’s leading canine reproduction clinic

The Services provided include:

• Reproductive health checks
• Fertility examinations for both males and females
• Ovulation timing – progesterone testing and interpretation
• Semen evaluation including motility assessments, full sperm counts and morphology
• Artificial insemination (fresh, chilled and frozen)
• Semen collection & freezing
• Chilled semen services
• Storage of canine semen
• Frozen semen implantation
• Import and export of semen including customs clearance
• Infertility management
• Ultrasound pregnancy diagnosis
• Trans cervical insemination (ultra uterine insemination by means of endoscope guided catherization)

Semen Freezing

There are huge benefits when using frozen semen including:

• Semen can be stored indefinitely
• Semen can be imported and exported easily
• No need to keep a male stud dog
• No long distance travel to stud dogs
• Huge potential to improve the New Zealand gene pool
• Can prolong the breeding life of a particular stud dog – even once he has passed away!

What does it all involve?

Semen is collected from a stud dog. It is generally necessary to have a female dog in season to use as a “teaser” to stimulate the male. Once the semen has been collected it is evaluated macro and microscopically. If suitable, it is diluted using a proprietary diluent/extender which protects and nourishes the sperm during the freezing process. Once diluted, the semen is divided into pellets and is then frozen according to a strict protocol using liquid nitrogen at -196 degrees C. The semen can be stored indefinitely at this temperature.

Frozen semen needs to be deposited directly into the uterus and is therefore inseminated surgically or by TCI. Success rates for frozen semen implants typically vary between 70 and 80%. Timing is the critical factor. It is necessary to run a series of progesterone tests to determine the optimum time for insemination.

Importing and Exporting Frozen Semen

If you are importing semen into New Zealand from Australia then follow this link: Importing Frozen Semen

If you are exporting frozen semen from New Zealand to another country follow this link: Exporting Frozen Semen

If you are unsure about what to do then please contact us before you just go ahead. Mistakes can be very costly!!

To find out more send us an email.

reproduction@netvet.co.nz

Reproduction

We offer a large range of specialized reproductive services including semen freezing, surgical insemination, transvaginal insemination (AIs), transcervical insemination (TCI) and caesareans.

We offer services to breeders or owners who would like to collect semen and have it stored for future use or to be sent elsewhere for use without the need to send the male there. This means that you can store semen for a large number of years and never lose the ability to have your dog sire more pups. A single collection could potentially be split into numerous mating vials that could be used at separate times or over different females.

Trans-cervical insemination

This offers us an anaesthetic free option for precise insemination using state of the art equipment which ensures a much higher conception rate than traditional transvaginal insemination.

With TCIs, a thin scope with a camera is used to visualise the cervix and a thin catheter is passed through the cervix into the uterus where the semen is directly placed. This means that all the sperm cells are placed in the uterus where they are needed.
During the entire procedure you will be able to be with your animal keeping them calm. You will also get to watch the process on our screen.
After the procedure is finished your animal will go home as if nothing happened and there is no need for wound care.

Surgical insemination

This is usually used for frozen semen, high value or import matings. This is carried out under a general anaesthetic. Your animal will have a small wound similar to a spey wound. Even though this is more invasive, this procedure carries the highest conception rate.