Does your breeding stallion have a tinge of blood in his semen after a routine collection for artificial insemination? Or do you notice physical lesions on his genitalia during pre- or post-breeding washing? These are tell-tale signs of hemospermia-literally, blood in the semen-a condition that is not only detrimental to fertility, but can also negatively impact stallion welfare and industry economics.
Lisa Pearson, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACT, theriogenologist at Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, reviewed the common causes and treatment options for stallions with this condition at the 2013 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Dec. 7-11 in Nashville, Tenn.
Veterinarians typically diagnose hemospermia at the height of breeding season, when live cover or collection schedules are at their busiest.
"One of the mainstays of treatment for all cases is sexual rest, which has severe economic consequences on the stallion's reproductive performance," Pearson said.
Causes of this condition, however, vary, and Pearson discussed several of them during her presentation.