Semen Analysis
Collection on Stud Is Taken and Evaluated Using Microscope.
Motility is evaluated. Total motility is the number of sperm
moving; while progressive motility is the number of sperm moving in a straight line across the field of
view in the microscope. In addition to the number of sperm moving, the speed at which they move is also assessed – this is
called velocity of movement. A grading scale of 0 – 5 is typically used, with 0 being dead sperm and 5
being those that are moving as fast as is possible across the field. Most dogs are in the 3‐4 range. The next step is to determine a sperm concentration. The last step of the standard semen evaluation is evaluation of sperm morphology or cell shape for evaluation of sperm head size and shape and duplication; some, but
not all, abnormalities of the DNA may be visualized; the midpiece, or motor apparatus of the sperm, can
be evaluated for normal thickness, length and shape, attachment, and the sperm tail, or propeller, can be assessed for