IMPORTÂNCIA DA AVALIAÇÃO DA MORFOLOGIA ESPERMÁTICA NA INSEMINAÇÃO ARTIFICIAL (IA) NA ESPÉCIE CANINA

The constant growth in the field of reproduction in companion animals drives breeders to seek ways to evaluate the reproductive performance of their animals. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee on Animal Use of the Universidade Iguaçu – UNIG, under protocol PEBIO/UNIG No. 015/2023. The research was conducted at a Shetland Sheepdog kennel in the city of Rio de Janeiro. In July 2024, three artificial insemination (AI) procedures with fresh semen were performed on alternate days on a female dog. Prior to the artificial insemination (AI), gynecological and vaginal cytology exams were conducted for reproductive monitoring. Thirty days after the last artificial insemination (AI), an ultrasound examination was performed to confirm pregnancy; however, the female dog did not conceive. The AI was performed based on the andrological exam and, primarily, due to the male’s history of successful results in previous artificial inseminations. Nonetheless, after the negative pregnancy result, a sperm morphology evaluation was carried out 30 days after the procedure. A total of 200 cells were counted under an optical microscope with a 40x objective. The sperm morphology assessment was classified into major and minor defects. In the male's sample, 40.5% of the spermatozoa were found to be normal. Regarding the total defects, 49.5% of the spermatozoa exhibited abnormalities, exceeding the maximum recommended limit of 30.0%. The evaluation of gynecological and vaginal cytology exams is of utmost importance for reproductive health. The decision to analyze sperm morphology only after the AI resulted in the loss of the female’s estrus cycle and compromised the chances of reproductive success. This highlights the importance of assessing semen quality prior to the procedure, ensuring better results and improving the likelihood of successful artificial insemination.