Age: 3 years
Diagnosis: Canine Reproduction
Breed: Belgian Tervuren

Procedure: Transcervical Insemination (Canine Reproduction)

Marji's owners came to Dr. Cain to breed their maiden bitch with frozen semen from an accomplished dog that had since passed away. During their first pre-breeding exam, Marji's owner requested she be inseminated using the Surgical Insemination method. Marji's owners elected to try the TCI procedure and committed to driving several hours every other day to San Ramon for progesterone testing.

Marji's owners elected to try the TCI procedure and committed to every other day progesterone testing. The frozen semen was sent in advance and after interpreting the progesterone results and determining the right time for breeding, Dr. Cain successfully performed two TCI procedures 24-hours apart.

Marji returned for a mid-term ultrasound appointment which revealed she was carrying 5-6 fetuses. Marji delivered 5 happy and healthy puppies a few weeks later.

Summary
Dr. Cain works with her clients to develop customized breeding programs and will recommend procedures that work best for owners and their pets. In Marji's case, there were two options available for insemination. Both the surgical and TCI methods achieve the same result by allowing deposition of semen into the uterus, however, anesthesia is not required for TCI -- thus reducing the risks to the pet. In addition the owner will appreciate another benefit of TCI: the cost is significantly lower than surgery.