Effect of induced prostatic infection on semen quality in the dog

Chronic Escherichia coli prostatitis was induced in 6 dogs, with 5 sham-operated dogs serving as controls. Semen volume and sperm motility, concentration, and appearance were measured 3 times (every other day) before surgery and 3 times during the 3rd and 5th week after surgery. When values for these collections were compared, using a 2-factor analysis of variance, no significant differences (P greater than 0.05) were found. However, the percentage of normal sperm decreased markedly (from 92% to 61% to 64%) in 2 infected dogs because of an increase in primary (from 6% to 32%) or secondary (from 2% to 28%) sperm abnormalities. Testes from both of these dogs were histologically normal.