Reproductive Services

Breeding Management

Dogs have been breeding successfully on their own for a very long time. We are available, however, for those times when things don't go as smoothly as you'd like. Ovulation timing, assisted breeding techniques such as artificial insemination, and infertility diagnostics and treatment are just a few of the options available to solve breeding problems and provide you with the litter you've been hoping for. Please call us to discuss the issues you may be having and to explore the options that may best suit your particular situation. We are here to help.

Two Dogs relaxing and laying next to each other.

Artificial Insemination

Depending on the location and availability of the stud dog and bitch, semen may be collected for immediate use (fresh semen) or processed for use at a different location or later date (chilled or frozen semen). Ovulation timing is necessary to identitfy the bitch's optimal breeding time. A combination of vaginal cytology, progesterone and LH tests will ensure that breeding is performed during the bitch's fertile period in order to maximize the chances of a successful breeding.

We are fully committed to helping you achieve the best results in conception rates and litter sizes. This may sometimes require testing and procedures to be performed after hours or on weekends and we are fully staffed to accommodate these needs.

Ovulation Timing

Identifying the most fertile period in a bitch's cycle is critical to the success of a breeding program, with poor timing (breeding at the incorrect time) being the number one reason bitches don't conceive. Knowing when a bitch ovulates also helps define her exact due date, making it so much easier to plan accordingly for whelping. Ovulation timing is best accomplished with vaginal cytology and progesterone testing. Our state-of-the-art in-house progesterone machine gives us results in 2 hours, making it so much easier to plan breedings, especially when using chilled or frozen semen. Additional testing such as an LH test provides even greater timing precision which is particularly important for frozen semen breedings. Because we know how important accurate ovulation timing is to a successful breeding outcome, we are available 7 days a week to give you results within 2 hours.

Pregnancy Diagnostics

Ultrasound is the most effective method of pregnancy diagnosis and provides breeders with the earliest diagnosis (as early as 18 days after conception) as well as the ability to determine approximate puppy count and fetal viability. We usually recommend that appointments for pregnancy diagnosis be scheduled approximately 23-26 days after the last breeding in order to most accurately determine puppy count. We offer a complimentary recheck ultrasound exam for pregnancy diagnosis which can be very useful in cases where fetal sac viability is questionable early on and resorption is likely.

Radiographs are particularly useful during the last 7-10 days of pregnancy for optimal visualization of fetal structures and determining puppy count. It's also a great way to identify any abnormalities that may cause complications during whelping such as oversized puppies or fetal deformities. Positioning of the fetuses in the uterus can also be determined and sometimes help owners prepare for elective C-sections when needed.

Semen Freezing

Semen freezing provides stud dog owners the ability to indefinitely preserve their genetic potential and overcome hurdles created by distance or availability. Hamby Road Animal Hospital is a full-service, AKC-approved, semen freezing facility that offers onsite storage capabilities as well as the option of shipping semen anywhere in the world.

A full semen evaluation is performed on each sample prior to freezing. Minimum standards of semen quality must be met on all ejaculates prior to freezing, as the quality of the semen will directly affect the results obtained from breedings using frozen semen. Sperm donors (identified with a tattoo or microchip) will also be tested for Brucellosis and examined for some form of permanent identification (tattoo or microchip).

The number of breedings obtained from a single ejaculate can vary greatly depending on the age, size, and breed of the donor dog, usually varying between 2-4 breedings.

C - Sections

In canine reproductive medicine, emergency C-sections are frequently required when whelping complications occur. We also perform elective C-sections to avoid potential problems during delivery, or to provide optimal conditions for maximal puppy survivability particularly in breeds with known whelping difficulty such as Bulldogs.

We are fully staffed to provide you and your dog with a smooth experience from beginning to end, including on-site pre-anesthetic bloodwork testing, safe anesthetic protocols, post-operative Laser treatment for faster healing, canine fresh frozen plasma administration to newborns, tube-feeding instruction, post-operative dewclaw removal and tail docking, an in-house incubator for puppies, and more. Our goal is for your bitch's delivery to be as smooth as possible and for you to feel completely at ease with puppy care before leaving.

Ovarian Sparing Spay / Vasectomy

The question of whether or not to spay or neuter pets has recently been the subject of significant controversy as some data suggests that sex hormones may provide somewhat of a protective effect on health and disease, potentially leading intact animals to benefit from greater longevity. Ovarian sparing spays and vasectomies are two alternative surgical procedures that provide pet owners the opportunity to preserve the animal's hormonal status intact without allowing for unwanted pregnancies. For more information regarding whether either of these procedures may be a good alternative for your pet, please refer to Parsemus Foundation or call any time to discuss. We look forward to helping you make that important decision.