Infertility in Dogs and Cats
Infertility in Dogs and Cats
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Primary/Most Common Cause (Husbandry Problems):
Primary/Most Common Cause (Husbandry Problems):
• Timing: Breeding must occur at the optimal time for the female.
• Timing: Breeding must occur at the optimal time for the female.
• Techniques.
• Techniques.
• Male Selection: Must involve a proven fertile male.
• Male Selection: Must involve a proven fertile male.
Less Frequent Causes (Infectious, Anatomical, Metabolic, and Functional)
Less Frequent Causes (Infectious, Anatomical, Metabolic, and Functional)
1. Infectious Causes
1. Infectious Causes
Infections may lead to abortion, neonatal death, fetal resorption, and apparent infertility.
Infections may lead to abortion, neonatal death, fetal resorption, and apparent infertility.
• Canine Brucellosis (Highly Contagious, Zoonotic Disease)
• Canine Brucellosis (Highly Contagious, Zoonotic Disease)
◦ Cause: Brucella canis.
◦ Cause: Brucella canis.
◦ Effects in Bitches: Abortion.
◦ Effects in Bitches: Abortion.
◦ Effects in Males: Infertility associated with orchitis and epididymitis.
◦ Effects in Males: Infertility associated with orchitis and epididymitis.
◦ Effects in Neutered Dogs: Diskospondylitis, osteomyelitis, uveitis, and lymphadenitis.
◦ Effects in Neutered Dogs: Diskospondylitis, osteomyelitis, uveitis, and lymphadenitis.
◦ Therapy: Effective therapy does not exist.
◦ Therapy: Effective therapy does not exist.
• Other Infectious Causes in Bitches
• Other Infectious Causes in Bitches
◦ Canine herpes virus
◦ Canine herpes virus
◦ Minute virus
◦ Minute virus
◦ Neospora caninum
◦ Neospora caninum
◦ Cryptosporidium
◦ Cryptosporidium
◦ Leishmaniasis
◦ Leishmaniasis
◦ Opportunistic bacterial infections: Escherichia coli and Salmonella.
◦ Opportunistic bacterial infections: Escherichia coli and Salmonella.
• Infectious Causes in Queens (Cats)
• Infectious Causes in Queens (Cats)
◦ Feline leukemia virus
◦ Feline leukemia virus
◦ Feline infectious peritonitis
◦ Feline infectious peritonitis
◦ Feline panleukopenia
◦ Feline panleukopenia
◦ Feline immunodeficiency virus
◦ Feline immunodeficiency virus
◦ Feline herpesvirus
◦ Feline herpesvirus
◦ Feline toxoplasmosis
◦ Feline toxoplasmosis
◦ Leishmaniasis
◦ Leishmaniasis
◦ Opportunistic bacterial infections: Campylobacter, Salmonella, E coli, Streptococcus spp.
◦ Opportunistic bacterial infections: Campylobacter, Salmonella, E coli, Streptococcus spp.
• Bacterial Issues in Males (Genitourinary Tract)
• Bacterial Issues in Males (Genitourinary Tract)
◦ Epididymitis and Orchitis: Should always prompt evaluation for brucellosis. Often secondary to other bacteria, most commonly E coli. Semen quality is usually markedly impacted.
◦ Epididymitis and Orchitis: Should always prompt evaluation for brucellosis. Often secondary to other bacteria, most commonly E coli. Semen quality is usually markedly impacted.
◦ Bacterial Prostatitis: Can be subclinical and contribute to subfertility/infertility, primarily by impacting semen quality.
◦ Bacterial Prostatitis: Can be subclinical and contribute to subfertility/infertility, primarily by impacting semen quality.
2. Anatomical Causes
2. Anatomical Causes
• Acquired and Congenital Problems.
• Acquired and Congenital Problems.
• Fibrosis of oviducts or uterine horns: Likely resulting from inflammation following infection or trauma.
• Fibrosis of oviducts or uterine horns: Likely resulting from inflammation following infection or trauma.
• Bilateral obstruction of the sperm ducts: Can cause azoospermia (absence of sperm) and infertility.
• Bilateral obstruction of the sperm ducts: Can cause azoospermia (absence of sperm) and infertility.
3. Environmental/Physical Causes
3. Environmental/Physical Causes
• High environmental temperature.
• High environmental temperature.
• Excessive conditioning resulting in increased body temperature.
• Excessive conditioning resulting in increased body temperature.
◦ Note: Both high temperature and excessive conditioning can induce either temporary or permanent azoospermia. Kennel or cattery management must allow breeding males to remain cool during the summer.
◦ Note: Both high temperature and excessive conditioning can induce either temporary or permanent azoospermia. Kennel or cattery management must allow breeding males to remain cool during the summer.
• Scrotal dermatitis.
• Scrotal dermatitis.
4. Metabolic Causes (Rare, except in severely ill individuals)
4. Metabolic Causes (Rare, except in severely ill individuals)
• Hypothyroidism in Males: Has no effect on libido or semen quality.
• Hypothyroidism in Males: Has no effect on libido or semen quality.
• Hypothyroidism in Female Dogs: May cause prolonged interestrous intervals.
• Hypothyroidism in Female Dogs: May cause prolonged interestrous intervals.
5. Functional Problems (Hormone/Ovarian Issues in Bitches)
5. Functional Problems (Hormone/Ovarian Issues in Bitches)
• Prolonged Estrus:
• Prolonged Estrus:
◦ Causes: Estrogen-producing ovarian cysts, functional ovarian tumors, or exogenous estrogens (including human transdermal hormone replacement therapy).
◦ Causes: Estrogen-producing ovarian cysts, functional ovarian tumors, or exogenous estrogens (including human transdermal hormone replacement therapy).
◦ Management: Exogenous hormones should be discontinued. Laparotomy with histological examination is usually indicated. Medical attempts to induce ovulation (using human chorionic gonadotropin, follicle-stimulating hormone, GnRH) are usually unrewarding.
◦ Management: Exogenous hormones should be discontinued. Laparotomy with histological examination is usually indicated. Medical attempts to induce ovulation (using human chorionic gonadotropin, follicle-stimulating hormone, GnRH) are usually unrewarding.
• Prolonged Diestrus:
• Prolonged Diestrus:
◦ Causes: Luteal cysts or a progesterone-producing ovarian tumor.
◦ Causes: Luteal cysts or a progesterone-producing ovarian tumor.
◦ Management: Ovariectomy with histological examination is indicated. Medical manipulation with prostaglandins is usually unrewarding.
◦ Management: Ovariectomy with histological examination is indicated. Medical manipulation with prostaglandins is usually unrewarding.
6. Prostatic and Testicular Neoplasia (Males)
6. Prostatic and Testicular Neoplasia (Males)
• Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH): Does not affect fertility. Commonly results in hemospermia, which interferes with membrane stability during semen cryopreservation, making it unsuccessful.
• Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH): Does not affect fertility. Commonly results in hemospermia, which interferes with membrane stability during semen cryopreservation, making it unsuccessful.
◦ Treatment: Successfully treated with finasteride (1–5 mg, PO, every 24 hours).
◦ Treatment: Successfully treated with finasteride (1–5 mg, PO, every 24 hours).
• Cystic Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Nonmalignant, results in hemospermia. May predispose the dog to septic prostatitis if the cysts undergo bacterial colonization.
• Cystic Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Nonmalignant, results in hemospermia. May predispose the dog to septic prostatitis if the cysts undergo bacterial colonization.
• Prostatic Neoplasia (Cancer): A serious condition that impacts fertility. Usually causes marked clinical signs such as pain, dysuria, and tenesmus.
• Prostatic Neoplasia (Cancer): A serious condition that impacts fertility. Usually causes marked clinical signs such as pain, dysuria, and tenesmus.
• Testicular Neoplasia: Can be functional (producing estrogen) and cause infertility.
• Testicular Neoplasia: Can be functional (producing estrogen) and cause infertility.
◦ Management: Unilateral gonadectomy of the affected testis may allow the remaining testis to regain sperm production.
◦ Management: Unilateral gonadectomy of the affected testis may allow the remaining testis to regain sperm production.
◦ Prognosis: Guarded.
◦ Prognosis: Guarded.
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