Retrograde ejaculation in a stallion.
Abstract: Retrograde ejaculation was diagnosed in a 10-year-old Arabian stallion. Despite behavioral signs consistent with ejaculation, the collection receptacle of an artificial vagina remained devoid of semen on numerous occasions. Catheterization of the urinary bladder yielded large numbers of spermatozoa, even when an ejaculate was obtained, whereas low numbers (< 1 X 10(6)/ml) of spermatozoa are found in the bladder of clinically normal stallions after ejaculation. Endoscopic examination of the urethra, seminal colliculus, and bladder failed to reveal abnormalities. Medical treatment with imipramine hydrochloride apparently resulted in improvement initially, but was not curative. Further diagnostic and treatment measures were declined and the stallion was castrated. For stallions that seemingly fail to ejaculate or for ejaculates that contain lower seminal volumes or numbers of spermatozoa than expected, obtaining a urine sample after ejaculation via bladder catheterization is a simple diagnostic procedure that may be used to investigate the possibility of retrograde ejaculation.
Publication Date: 2001-03-07 PubMed ID: 11229508DOI: 10.2460/javma.2001.218.551Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The study discusses a case of retrograde ejaculation in a 10-year-old Arabian stallion in which, despite display of behaviors indicating ejaculation, no semen was collected. Performing a catheterization on the stallion’s bladder revealed a large number of sperm cells. The condition wasn’t cured even after medication, leading to the stallion being castrated.
Understanding Retrograde Ejaculation
- Retrograde ejaculation is a disorder where, instead of semen being ejaculated out through the urethra, it flows backward into the bladder during orgasm.
- In this research, the Arabian stallion had the same disorder, as evidence was found of it repeatedly not releasing semen despite behaviorally appearing to do so.
- Stallions usually have low spermatozoa count in the bladder after ejaculation, but high count of sperm cells were noted in the stallion’s bladder, pointing towards the occurrence of retrograde ejaculation.
Diagnostic Process and Results
- The diagnosis of retrograde ejaculation in the stallion came after a series of assessments including an endoscopic examination of the urethra, seminal colliculus, and bladder. None of these inspections revealed any abnormalities.
- Following the diagnosis, the stallion underwent medical treatment with imipramine hydrochloride to trigger a normal ejaculatory response.
- Despite the treatment the stallion’s issue persisted indicating that the condition was chronic and not curable with the implemented treatment.
Treatment and Final Decision
- After observing that the intervention wasn’t successful in curing the stallion’s condition, it was recommended that the stallion be castrated.
- This drastic solution was undertaken due to the lack of other diagnostic and treatment procedures that could thoroughly solve the problem.
- The study claims that the simplest diagnostic procedure to confirm retrograde ejaculation is to collect and examine a urine sample after ejaculation via bladder catheterization.
Significance of the Study
- This case study presents a rare phenomenon of retrograde ejaculation in stallions, shedding light on the complex reproductive issues these animals may face.
- The report encourages further research and investigation to devise more effective treatments to address such issues in the animal reproductive health sector.
Cite This Article
APA
Brinsko SP.
(2001).
Retrograde ejaculation in a stallion.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 218(4), 551-527.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.2001.218.551 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843-4475, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Ejaculation / physiology
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horses
- Infertility, Male / diagnosis
- Infertility, Male / veterinary
- Male
- Spermatozoa / physiology
- Urinary Bladder / cytology
- Urine / cytology
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Gumber S, Courtney CL, Strait KR, Sharma P, Freebersyser JE, Crane MM. Retrograde ejaculation associated spontaneous sperm cystolithiasis in four rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Exp Toxicol Pathol 2013 Nov;65(7-8):1121-5.
- Cary JA, Madill S, Farnsworth K, Hayna JT, Duoos L, Fahning ML. A comparison of electroejaculation and epididymal sperm collection techniques in stallions. Can Vet J 2004 Jan;45(1):35-41.
- Bucci R, Parrillo S, Probo M, Varasano V, Romano A, Carluccio A. Case Report: Reproductive evaluation of a Murgese stallion with obstructive azoospermia, accumulation of hyaline material in the ampullae ducts, and corpora amylacea in vesicular glands. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1571637.
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