Our goal is to make the import/export process as easy as possible for both the importer and the exporter. With over 10 years of experience, we have made many contacts, and can thus ensure a route that is both easy and cost-effective. We:
- Offer a variety of freezing methods.
- Work with a variety of freezing companies.
- Prepare all necessary documents for health, import, permits, and licenses.
- Work with the USDA to meet all requirements.
Customer service is important to us and in order to reach every customer in the most time-efficient way possible, we operate primarily off of emails for export communications to accommodate a high volume of requests.
Fees vary depending on the details of your shipment. It depends on the number of clients sharing the shipment and the country of export, with group shipments ranging from $675 - $1500 and solo shipments averaging $2000 - $2500, and a $1000 tank deposit.
Once contact is made, you will receive an export questionnaire and an invoice for the deposit, which averages $250 and is applied to the total cost of the export. If export doesn’t proceed, the $250 deposit will be not be returned and the customer is billed by the hour for a canceled export.
The U.S. currently has no restrictions on the import of canine semen. When ample time is allowed, semen can often be imported without tanks being returned from export. AKC requires that all dogs collected for export must have:
- AKC DNA
- A 3- generation DNA
- Release of ownership to the importer, which should accompany the shipment
Planning for your shipment is crucial as countries may require:
- Vaccine programs
- Laboratory testing completed during a specific time frame
- Post collection exam 2-6 weeks following collection
- Quarantine of semen
- Re-examination of donor dog as long as 6 months after collection
Note: You must contact our export office prior to vaccinations and blood sampling of canine.
Each country has different requirements for testing and vaccination in preparation for exports, so you must be fully aware of the necessary protocol. If your dog has improperly had their blood sampled or vaccinated, it may result in a non-qualifying situation.
Most countries require the stud dog to be microchipped as the form of identification as most foreign registries and agricultural departments do not accept DNA or registry numbers as identification. The donor dog will need to have a microchip implanted before collection. The dog’s microchip should be scanned as the time of vaccination, blood sampling, and collection. The microchip number must be present on all documents including lab reports, rabies, lepto vaccine certificates, and health documents.
The importer is responsible for contacting the agricultural department in their country of import for current requirements and import permits. (For Australia, UK, and some other countries, the import permit will be supplied.)
- Procedures for Collecting Canine Semen for Shipping
- Artificial insemination of the shipped Canine Semen
The proper technique for collecting the semen from the stud dog is:
- Use clean apparatus that is not contaminated with soap or other residues.
- Collect the semen at room temperature (no lower than 65°F). Once the dog starts to ejaculate, the normal progression of events is for the ejaculate to first appear as a clear liquid, then turn to a milky white, then back to a clear fluid. If you are using the ICSB collection kit, this will easily be seen in the collection tube.
- Once the milk portion of the ejaculate is obtained and the clear third portion begins to appear, cease collecting from the dog.
- Pour the semen into the screw cap tube containing the shipping media (which should be between 65° and 98°F), place the screw cap back on the tube securely, and package the semen as per the instructions.
- Ship either Federal Express Priority One, or United Parcel Service. United Parcel Service may have better temperature control in their cargo hold.
- Write on the kit “DO NOT FREEZE.”
When the shipped semen arrives, it should be evaluated for motility before the insemination. In some cases, the shipped semen can be divided for at least two inseminations, 24 hours apart, if desired. This is determined by microscopic evaluation for quantity and percent motility after the semen arrives for the insemination.
- Remove the semen from the small bag, mix gently, and place the tube of semen-media in a body-temperature water bath (no warmer than 98 degrees Fahrenheit) for 5 minutes.
- Mix the semen gently by inverting the tube slowly 2-3 times.
- Place a small drop of the semen on a body-temperature (97°-98° F) microscope slide. Place a coverslip on the specimen, let warm at body temperature for 30 seconds, then quickly transfer to a microscope and observe motility at 100x.
- Mix the specimen gently again and draw the semen into your insemination equipment, being careful not to draw air up through the semen as you load.
- Deposit the semen vaginally at the opening of the cervix. Elevate the bitch’s hindquarters for 5-10 minutes after insemination to allow the semen to pool at the cervix.
If you are using the ICSB artificial insemination kit, follow the instructions for depositing the semen at the cervical os. If you have any questions regarding the procedures or wish to order any of the supplies, feel free to contact us.
Reproduction
After ovulation, progesterone levels will stay elevated whether the bitch is pregnant or not. After 2 months of elevated progesterone levels, the female will return to approximately 0ng.
- Ovulation. The eggs require roughly 48 hours to become fertile and will stay this way for another 48 hours.
- Due Date. Once it is determined that the bitch is pregnant, the due date is 63 days from ovulation.
- Insemination Date. The doctor is able to set an insemination date by ovulation timing, type of semen used (fresh, fresh chilled, or frozen), and method of insemination.
Canine Progesterone Testing
• Begin testing 7-8 days after the start of vulvar swelling and bleeding
• Test every 1-3 days until ovulation
• A doctor will review levels to determine ovulation
Serum Progesterone Levels
Anestrus prior to heat cycle <0.2ng
Ovulation 5ng
Post ovulation >5ng
Methods of Canine Artificial Insemination
If the male and female are both reproductively healthy, this is the best option. No sedation is needed, and the semen is inserted through a soft, inflatable tube. This allows for evaluation of the male’s semen.