Canine Theriogenology for Dog Enthusiasts
From Wikipedia, the definition of Theriogenology: Theriogenology is the branch of veterinary medicine concerned with reproduction, including the physiology and pathology of male and female reproductive systems of animals and the clinical practice of veterinary obstetrics, gynecology, and andrology. Theriogenologists are veterinarians with advanced training in animal reproduction and obstetrics. In the United States, most theriogenologists are board-certified by the American College of Theriogenologists.
I had the opportunity to participate in a six week course on Canine Theriogenology during the spring/summer of 2013 through Coursera. It was offered as a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) by the University of Minnesota, and was presented by an outstanding educator and practitioner-Dr. Peggy Root of the University of Minnesota School of Veterinary Medicine. The goal of the course was to provide dog owners with an understanding of reproduction and to allow us to make informed decisions when discussing reproductive issues with our own veterinarian. We were taught the basics of reproductive anatomy and physiology, diseases and problems that can arise from the reproductive organs, and control of reproduction (i.e. current spay/neuter recommendations). While taking this course I was making arrangements for a fresh-chilled semen breeding for Tigg, so the explanation of progesterone testing and the sequence of the estrus process were especially timely. In addition, the pros and cons of spay/neuter recommendations were provocative and I reassessed our routine recommendations for spay/neuter of the pet puppies we place.
The course provided a prodigious amount of information, much of it the same as is presented to first-year Veterinary Medicine students. The course notes were often derived from the same notes prepared for future veterinarians. However, Dr. Root kept the topic and the slide presentation quite lucid, never getting more complicated than needed to get the points across. This was a rewarding and sensible approach to take-people interested in breeding their dogs got the information they needed without being patronized or overwhelmed with too much information. In addition, the controversies surrounding recommendations for spay/neuter were geared towards dog owners. The intent was to present the facts to us and allow us to make our own decisions for the benefit of our dogs.
Dr. Root does not currently plan to repeat the course in the near future. This is unfortunate, since it is exactly the type of program that hobby breeders and dog enthusiasts should have access to on a regular basis. She graciously agreed to my request to publish the course notes and slide presentations on my web site, specifically because future offerings of the course are in doubt. I am focusing on two of the major topics of the course, accessible by clicking on the links below:
1. use of progesterone testing to perform breedings
2. current state information on spay/neuter recommendations (NOT YET ACTIVE-UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
In addition, I am including materials I used to chart the breeding management for Tigg's fresh chilled semen litter, and encourage you to develop a similar tool to track your future progesterone testing and breeding strategy.
My goal in providing the first topic is to encourage other breeders to understand and use progesterone testing for either natural service or AI breedings. Progesterone testing allows breeders to consider of a wider range of stud dogs and as a side benefit it can promote more reliable and higher conception rates. Progesterone testing can improve gene pool diversity and promote hybrid vigor by allowing breeders to consider using dogs at stud far outside their local area that are genetically distinct from their current stock. As to the second topic-spay/neuter recommendations, there are no clear-cut guidelines that all breeders and owners can routinely follow. However, depending upon lifestyle and circumstances, it may not be in the best interest of a breed to routinely recommend early spay/neuter without being cognizant of the health-related repercussions of those decisions.
The course provided a prodigious amount of information, much of it the same as is presented to first-year Veterinary Medicine students. The course notes were often derived from the same notes prepared for future veterinarians. However, Dr. Root kept the topic and the slide presentation quite lucid, never getting more complicated than needed to get the points across. This was a rewarding and sensible approach to take-people interested in breeding their dogs got the information they needed without being patronized or overwhelmed with too much information. In addition, the controversies surrounding recommendations for spay/neuter were geared towards dog owners. The intent was to present the facts to us and allow us to make our own decisions for the benefit of our dogs.
Dr. Root does not currently plan to repeat the course in the near future. This is unfortunate, since it is exactly the type of program that hobby breeders and dog enthusiasts should have access to on a regular basis. She graciously agreed to my request to publish the course notes and slide presentations on my web site, specifically because future offerings of the course are in doubt. I am focusing on two of the major topics of the course, accessible by clicking on the links below:
1. use of progesterone testing to perform breedings
2. current state information on spay/neuter recommendations (NOT YET ACTIVE-UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
In addition, I am including materials I used to chart the breeding management for Tigg's fresh chilled semen litter, and encourage you to develop a similar tool to track your future progesterone testing and breeding strategy.
My goal in providing the first topic is to encourage other breeders to understand and use progesterone testing for either natural service or AI breedings. Progesterone testing allows breeders to consider of a wider range of stud dogs and as a side benefit it can promote more reliable and higher conception rates. Progesterone testing can improve gene pool diversity and promote hybrid vigor by allowing breeders to consider using dogs at stud far outside their local area that are genetically distinct from their current stock. As to the second topic-spay/neuter recommendations, there are no clear-cut guidelines that all breeders and owners can routinely follow. However, depending upon lifestyle and circumstances, it may not be in the best interest of a breed to routinely recommend early spay/neuter without being cognizant of the health-related repercussions of those decisions.