Midwest Animal Hospital
Reproduction Services
Our Pet Reproduction Services
The primary breeding services we can provide through each stage of the process include:
Pre-Breeding
OFA testing
Breeding exams
Stud Services
Semen collection
Semen evaluation
Chilled semen shipping
Storing and shipping frozen semen
Bitch Services
Ovulation timing
In-house progesterone testing
Artificial insemination (AI)
Transcervical insemination (TCI)
Surgical insemination
Post-Breeding/Whelping
C-sections
Litter evaluation
Tail docking
Dewclaw removal
Deworming vaccinations
Progesterone Testing
At Midwest Animal Hospital, we can run progesterone tests in-house to help determine breeding schedules for females. Timing is critical at this stage, and our testing capabilities have the advantage of a 2-hour turnaround. By contrast, referring to a lab can take up to 24 hours! We understand the time-sensitive nature of animal breeding and how important it is to produce quick, accurate results for our clients.
The purpose of testing a female’s progesterone levels is to help breeders identify when ovulation will occur. Testing can be performed as early as five days into the heat cycle. Progesterone must reach a specific level to establish a breeding schedule.
In-House Semen Storage and Shipping
We are not only capable of shipping frozen semen to various locations within the state and around the country; we can also evaluate and store semen in our durable freezing unit. We store the semen in liquid nitrogen, which means it can be kept indefinitely. All semen samples are privately owned by the breeders and used only with their permission.
Another advantage of storing semen in this way is that it allows you to “go back in time” and breed animals using healthier semen to avoid passing on harmful recessive traits to future litters.
Artificial Insemination
Artificial insemination is beneficial if a male and female show no interest in mating. Midwest Animal Hospital offers both surgical and transcervical insemination (TCI). While surgical insemination requires sedating the female, TCI can be performed on the female without putting them through the stress of anesthesia.
TCI involves using an endoscope and passing it through the vaginal canal and into the cervix. The camera mounted on the end of the endoscope allows us to visualize and better position the inseminator and depose the semen into the uterus.
Additional advantages to this procedure include:
No anesthesia risks and therefore fewer health risks to the female
Far less risk of trauma and infection
Female can return home immediately after
Together, these factors can help to produce higher conception rates.
