Diagnostic tests in canine andrology - What do they really tell us about fertility?

Dog breeders often require breeding soundness evaluations which include andrological examinations of the genital organs, hormone measurements, and semen analyses. During the past decades, a considerable number of research results have been published, allowing diagnoses of specific andrological conditions and fertility assessment. For specific examinations, however, no standard procedures have been defined and for some parameters different reference ranges have been published. Therefore, examination results from different facilities are difficult to compare and profound conclusions regarding health and fertility of a male dog are not always possible. Conventional semen examination, however, is still useful in identifying deviations or no deviations from normality, especially if confounding factors are taken into account and if the exam is repeated in case of inconclusive findings. A standardization of examination procedures and reference ranges would help to harmonize the exchange of examination results and interpretation of the findings.