by Stacy Kaaki

Created on: January 29, 2009

Artificial Insemination (AI) is the process of impregnating a female dog, or bitch, when natural mating cannot be achieved, or is undesired. In fact, there are times when artificially inseminating a bitch is necessary to achieve a desired breeding, such as when a stud dog is located far from the bitch, or in the case of an important stud dog that has died, but whose sperm has been stored for future use. Females who are unwilling to stand for the stud dog, or inexperienced stud dogs who just can't figure out what to do are also good candidates for AI.

To obtain the sperm, the dog must be manually stimulated. This is usually done by hand. When the dog is sufficiently stimulated, a bulb will form and this is when the dog is ready to ejaculate. There are three kinds of ejaculate that the dog will emit. The first ejaculate is a clear liquid, with very little sperm. The second ejaculate contains the majority of the sperm. The third ejaculate again contains very little sperm. The sperm is collected in a sterile container and mixed with extenders to prolong the sperm's life. This process is usually done in a veterinarian's office, where the vet will review the sperm for quantity and quality, and can either prepare the sperm for storage (frozen), for shipment to the waiting female (fresh chilled), or if the female is there for immediate insemination (fresh).

Insemination into the bitch can be accomplished either vaginally or surgically. With vaginal insemination, a tube or rod is inserted into the bitch's vagina and carefully advanced until it is at the cervical opening with a gloved finger. When everything is in the proper position, the sperm is injected through the tube into the vagina at the cervical opening. The tube is removed; however, the finger remains in the vagina to stimulate the female to contract, which pushes the semen further into the uterus. It is best to elevate the bitch's hindquarters for 10 or 15 minutes after insemination, and to keep her activity limited. Normal activities can be resumed after one hour.

Surgical insemination is a surgical procedure where the semen is inserted directly into the uterus with a needle. The bitch is anesthetized and the uterus is surgically exposed. A needle is used to inject the semen directly into the uterus. This process has a conception rate similar to natural mating.

It is important to first evaluate the health of both the stud dog and the bitch to confirm that they are healthy enough for breeding. The bitch will also need to be closely monitored to determine the optimal time for insemination to ensure conception. Different states have different laws surrounding artificial insemination, so it is best to confirm the laws in your particular state to determine who is allowed to legally perform AI in your state. Some kennel clubs also have restrictions like DNA profiling, or additional paperwork that may have to be done, in order to register a litter that was conceived through artificial insemination, so contact the kennel club prior to breeding if you plan to register the litter.

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