20/06/2017
INFERTILY IN FEMALE DOGS- Signs, Causes And Treatment.
Infertility in female dogs is the inability to produce live offspring.
Fertility requires a normal heat cycle and ovulation of healthy eggs into a healthy reproductive tract, followed by fertilization of those eggs by healthy s***m.
A female dog should only be termed “infertile” after she has had a thorough reproductive evaluation by an experienced veterinarian.
Dogs do everything to maintain their body, and if there is excess nutrition or vitamins, they reproduce.
In the wild dog pack, one or two alpha bi***es will cycle, while the rest do not. There may be 4 or more females, but their ovaries will stay in anestrus (quiet o***y) and out of heat. This is good – the best genetics will breed while the rest contribute to feeding. Skipping heats can send normal adult bi***es into anestrus, as well.
Signs Of Infertility
* Failure to copulate (i.e., an inability to successfully mate with a male dog)
* Normal copulation without subsequent pregnancy
* Too frequent cycling
* Failure to cycle
* Absence of heat cycles
* Prolonged time between heat cycles (prolonged inter-estrous interval)
* Abnormally frequent heat cycles (inter-estrous interval of 4 months of less between heats)
* Silent heats (no obvious outward signs of vulvar swelling or bleeding)
* Split heats
* Failure to achieve a tie during mating
* Failure to carry a pregnancy to term
* Reabsorption or mummification of puppies
* Abortion
Causes of infertility in Female dogs
Fertility requires a normal heat cycle and ovulation of normal eggs (ova) into a healthy reproductive tract, followed by fertilization of those eggs by normal s***m that are successfully introduced into the female.
There must be successful implantation of the embryos in the uterine lining, normal development of the fetuses, successful maintenance of the pregnancy and a successful delivery of live puppies.
These are the most common causes of infertility in female dogs.
Improper Breeding Management
This is most common cause of infertility in female dogs and it include failure of the dog owner to properly detect and assess the progress of the bitch’s heat (estrus) cycle, insemination at the wrong time and miscalculating the appropriate number of breedings to be accomplished per estrus cycle.
Silent heats, split heats, abnormally long heats, missed heats and irregular heats all occur in female dogs and can contribute to breeding management timing errors.
Infectious, Anatomical, Hormonal Or Other/Miscellaneous Causes
This is another common cause of infertility in female dogs
Infections of the va**na or uterus do prevent conception thus preventing the bitch from carrying her litter to term.
Vaginal infections (vaginitis) are usually caused by bacteria especially Brucella canis.
Brucellosis is a venereal disease that causes infertility in female dogs by either preventing conception or causing spontaneous abortion.
Infection with the canine herpesvirus can also lead to infertility.
Uterine infections can contribute to infertility, such as endometritis, pyometra/pyometritis and metritis.
Anatomical causes of infertility in female dogs are not common, but they do occur especially congenital strictures or constrictions inside the va**nal canal, and benign or malignant tumors. These prevent movement of s***m from the va**na through the cervix and into the uterus.
Blockage of the oviducts with tumors or masses can prevent ovulated eggs from successfully uniting with s***m thus leading to infertility in female dogs.
Ovarian abnormalities are common anatomical causes of infertility in female dogs. They include ovarian cysts and tumors, which can cause prolonged heat cycles or shortened intervals between cycles.
Cystic uterine endometrial hyperplasia is another common anatomical cause of infertility. Bi***es that have been spayed (have had an ovariohysterectomy) obviously have legitimate anatomical reasons for their infertility.
Bi***es with s*x disorders like hermaphroditism; pseudohermaphroditism; others have a lower chance of reproducing. These inters*x disorders are not common in female dogs.
Hormonal influences are among the most common causes of infertility in female dogs.
The most common hormonal cause of infertility in the bitch is hypothyroidism, or low circulating levels of thyroid hormones. Low levels of thyroid hormones can lead to lack of s*x drive (libido) and infertility.
The adrenal glands are paired structures located just above each kidney. They normally produce a number of important steroid hormones.
Adrenal dysfunction or insufficiency can interfere with the production of s*x hormones that are necessary for proper reproductive function.
Two common adrenal disorders in domestic dogs, Cushing’s Disease (hyperadrenocorticism) and Addison’s Disease (hypoadrenocorticism) and usually prevent female dogs from conceiving and carrying a litter to term.
The tiny pituitary gland, located deep in the brain, is critically involved in producing and releasing hormones that start and regulate the estrous cycle. Any disease or disorder of the pituitary can cause canine infertility due to abnormal heat cycling. This can include failure to ovulate, abnormal ovulation pattern or timing, persistent heat cycle, primary congenital anestrus (never having a heat cycle), split heat, silent heat and false pregnancy/pseudopregnancy.
Other causes of infertility in female dogs include genetic factors, which can contribute to embryonic defects and fetal malformation. These, in turn, can lead to mummified, reabsorbed or aborted puppies.
Other factors that can influence a bitch’s ability to conceive and carry a litter to term, including environmental conditions (noise, crowding, poor hygiene/sanitation, psychological factors, temperature extremes and exposure to harsh weather), stress, poor or inadequate nutrition, vaccination and immune status, external and internal parasite management programs, administration of certain medications and the bitch’s overall systemic health.
Psychological factors
equally contribute to infertility in female dogs, for example, many bi***es raised exclusively as house pets are shy breeders, because they have not had much social contact with other male dogs and found it hard to be mounted by male dog.
Some male dogs are overly aggressive during mating, which can traumatize the bitch and create an unpleasant, fearful association with s*xual activity.
Close inbreeding can also interfere with normal fertility in subsequent generations.
Prevention And Treatment of Infertility
Sound Breeding Practices
The primary goals of treating infertility in female dogs are to identify and rectify the underlying cause of the condition. In the majority of cases – but not all of them – the cause is ineffective breeding management practices.
Sound and well-managed breeding programs and practices on the part of both the stud and the bitch owners, proper physical and medical examination should be carried out prior to breeding the bitch. The male dog should be bred to another bitchto test his ability to impregnate.
Good Nutrition
If you have a number of females not cycling, the first thing to look at is the diet and vitamins. Low quality protein and imbalanced vitamins can be the cause; you can correct cycling if they have the right diet, vitamins, and minerals. � Ensure you maintain your female dogs on good canine nutrition .Well fed dogs cycle normally and come on heat on.�A qualified veterinarian will be able to advice the dog owner on a very suitable and efficient diet that is readily available which can be fed to dogs for high performance.
Good nutrition is also important for conception to take place as well as the development of foetuses during pregnancy.�Dogs should also be given be given vitamins and mineral supplement recommended by reputable veterinary doctor to promote good reproduction ability.
�Proper Health Care
�Dog owners should take proper care of their dogs by through regular vaccination, deworming, regular tick bath and regular veterinary checkups
The dog owner should regularly observe his dogs on a daily basis for sign of illness and if detected the dog should be immediately taken to a reputable veterinary hospital for prompt treatment.�Always take your female and male dogs to a qualified vet for a thorough clinical examination before mating.
Proper Chemotherapy
Use gonadotropin, a hormone which induces ovulation in animals unable to do so normally.
If breeding practice is not the cause of this infertility your veterinarian will begin treatment for other underlying causes for infertility.
In other cases, the treatment must be tailored to a specific underlying medical problem.
Bi***es with va**nal or uterine infections can be treated with appropriate antibiotics. Spaying is the last option in cases of severe uterine infections like pyometritis and pyometra.
If the bitch is pregnant, sometimes hormone injections can be given in an attempt to preserve her pregnancy to term. This is somewhat risky and not always successful.
Prostaglandin therapy can be used to treat cystic endometrial hyperplasia .
Dogs with persistent estrus (prolonged heat cycles) can be given human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) or gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GRH) in an effort to induce ovulation and bring the heat cycle to an end.
Have other ways to treat infertility in dogs? Please leave your hints in the comment section.
