Externship Grant Report

I spent my canine theriogenology intensive externship at Veterinary Village in Lomira, WI. I was interested in this practice because Dr. Greer is a well-known contributor to canine theriogenology. I was involved in blood draws for progesterone testing and interpreting these results on both the front end timing to determine ovulation timing and subsequent breeding timing as well as on the back end to determine if and when a bitch was ready to whelp or proceed to having a Caesarean section. I also assisted with semen collection for use as fresh, fresh-chilled, or frozen semen for future breedings. Veterinary Village is an International Canine Semen Bank with semen freezing, storage, and shipping capabilities. I was also included in various insemination procedures from vaginal artificial insemination to transcervial insemination using the endoscope to surgical insemination.

I was an active part of nearly a dozen Caesarean sections. Some of these were planned and scheduled ahead of time and a few were emergencies. It is common to plan and schedule a Caesarean section in a bitch that has over 10 puppies because it is common for them to not have the endurance to complete the whelping process with that many puppies. It is also common to plan and schedule a Caesarean section in a bitch that only has 1 or 2 puppies because it is common that they will not have a strong enough signal to the body to initiate whelping. I helped to resuscitate puppies and to process the puppies following a Caesarean section.