I am on doing progesterone tests for a bitch Im using frozen semen on. Vet told me she ovulated yesterday so Insemination on Saturday. I trust my vet its just this is all new to me with Frozen.....all my years breeding Iv only ever done natural matings.
I would like to hear peoples experiences of using Frozen.

Thanks :)

Have used frozen three times, general rule is that eggs must be at prime ripeness as frozen semen lives for a matter of hours rather than days, so three / four days post ovulation is around ideal. I did TCI on day 3 & 4 post ovulation last time. Sadly never got pups to frozen semen, tried on two different bitches but know folks who have got litters. Good luck

My 2 experiences - 2 bitches, 2 different repro specialists, frozen sperm from 2 different dogs - no pups unfortunately. Both bitches went on to have live litters with natural matings.

Hope you have success.

Thanks. So the days are good just fingers crossed and wait :/ lol

Sadly in my breed after various attempts over the years only two litters in a 30 year period.

If using an overseas stud I'd always visit the stud for a natural mating if at all possible, costs are likely to end up similar, with greater chance of success.

Friends in Australia have just had an AI litter today from semen taken from a dog in 1992.  This is the first successful AI mating they've had since the 90's using the same semen.  We have had three successful AI litters, in the breed I have, in the UK.

Hi Christine, would you mind if I asked the breed and the specialists you used?

I haven't actually had any bitch mated by AI here but I believe the 3 bitches in Large Munsterlanders that were inseminated, the vet was Gil Simpson (Averis) - Sireva Weimaraners.

You do seem to have an advantage because as a breed they seem to be very fertile with natural litters often being huge.

You can say that again.  The AI litter born yesterday is 7 puppies!

It would seem the bigger the breed the lower the success rate.
In my breed the average is < 50%
Aileen

Just curious Christine W, do you know how many straws were used.

I'll try to get more details if & when I can.   I'm itching to see photos myself!

It would be very interesting to know how many previous attempts were made with this semen, plus the sperm motility. Also if they have any ideas as to what might have been done differently on this occasion to produce such a good sized litter. They must be delighted their persistence paid off in the end!

That sounds about right as 7 from a Munster litter who often have 14 is about half.

The average litter size (live reared) in my breed based on my own experience is just under 6 (have ranged from 3 - 9, but most often 4 - 7).

So a 502% reduction you'd be lucky to get three.

My oldest (13 years old now) is from a frozen AI mating, it was a repeat from an earlier mating. I have no idea if other attempts were made, but litter 1 had 6 puppies and litter 2 had 7. Medium size breed where 6-8 is about average.

Was this surgical or Tran cervical. 

As I understand our relative poor success rate is partly because our vets consider surgical implantation as too invasive, and the KC don't approve of it either.

> Was this surgical or Tran cervical. 
> As I understand our relative poor success rate is partly because our vets consider surgical implantation as too invasive, and the KC don't approve of it either.

I have no idea - but it was so long ago, it was before the KC changed the rules on AI.

I find all this very helpful. My bitch was inseminated TCI on Saturday so I will let everyone know the outcome. The semen post thaw was only 50% motility so I have my doubts. I have been told I should have done surgical but was too late to apply for permission from KC. All this is new to me but I have found the whole process very stressful lol.

There have not been any AI litters in my own breed in the UK however in the USA it is fairly common, often with semen from long dead dogs, some straws have been frozen for close to 30 years and the success rate is over 95% with litters on the large size for the breed.  Our breed average litter size for a natural mating is 5 - 6, recent AI litters I know of in America using frozen semen that has been stored for varying periods of 2 up to 22 years have yielded 8 to 12 healthy pups each time.  I have only ever heard of 1 failure to conceive from AI there and that was using semen imported from a UK male though the same male has supplied straws to other countries with similar failures (handling, preparation, and storage faults at this end I suspect).  Australia also has seen more AI litters with similar success rates as the US in the breed.  TCI is the normal method.

> I should have done surgical but was too late to apply for permission from KC

You dont have to apply beforehand. You just send the form signed by the vet stating why surgical was done in with the registration application..

Ok thanks for that. Tbh it was too late as I would of had to travel to another vet for sugical but at least I know for next time if she isnt pregnant. The vet said the semen motility was average and I just have to keep my fingers crossed.

What was the progesterone reading on Saturday when you had the TCI done
Which vets did you use in the end

I certainly think surgical AI is not something you can just have done and then tell the KC : -

There are two general methods adopted for insemination:

a) Non-surgical, which is usually done trans-cervically using a catheter and/or an endoscope

b) Surgical, requiring general anaesthesia

These approaches have different 'welfare debts' for the bitch being inseminated. It is generally considered that the 'welfare debts' of the non-surgical methods are extremely low and so the benefits from using AI need not be too large to justify the use of this technology to achieve insemination. For this reason, the Kennel Club will allow registration of AI litters produced from non-surgical approaches, provided that all of the above requirements are met.

The Kennel Club is advised by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons that surgical insemination as described in b), has "many disadvantages for the bitch", and so has a higher 'welfare debt'. This means that the benefits accrued from its use will have to be considerable to offset this 'welfare debt'.  The RCVS advises veterinary surgeons that surgical AI is justified "only for exceptional reasons", and requires the vet to "record in the bitch's clinical records why trans-cervical insemination is not a practical option and the justification for the invasive procedure".

The Kennel Club will therefore require justification of the net benefit to the bitch in conceiving as a result of this "invasive procedure".

They would need to be approached first for permission.
Aileen

They did not do a reading on Saturday. She was tested by idexx on Wednesday morning at 18.7 and I was told to Inseminate Saturday morning. I used a vet in Cambridge.

I believe that if a TCI cannot be undertaken then the vet can proceed to surgical insemination. The reasons must be explained on the form and registration is not automatic ( as with TCI ) but must be approved by general committee. To my knowledge non have been refused registration in such circumstances.

I just thought I would update. My girl has been scanned today and confirmed in pup......the vet saw 4-5 puppies :)

Great news .. Who did the insemination ?

Was that Monika von-Heimendahl (sp)

That's fantastic news. 

Hi Keith from Fit and fertile did the insemination. Sorry I wrote Cambridge by mistake (iv just read my older post) i meant Preston.

Did you have it done at Fit & Fertile by Keith, or at the vets in Warrington they work with?

Keith did the insemination....they were a great help with everything.

Just an update.....my girl delivered 8 puppies on Wednesday and all are doing well. :)

congratulations :)

Great to hear a success story with AI :)

Excellent

Excellent

Brilliant, bet you're well chuffed.