Veterinary Andrology and Reproductive Techniques

DIAGNOSIS, PROGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Diagnosis

• It is based on the clinical signs noted above.
• Culture of the semen is usually an unsatisfactory method for diagnosing the causative bacterial agent because of the contamination from the sheath.
• A new technique based on Galloway’s procedure, was developed to collect non- contaminated urethral samples from the bulls.
• A tranquilizer was administered to quite the bull and allow withdrawal of the penis.
• Rectal massage aided the protrusion of the penis from the sheath.
• The penis was washed with an antiseptic solution and the urethra was irrigated with sterile saline.
• A 25 cm sterile silastic tube was inserted up the urethra leaving about 4 cm protruding.
• Rectal massage of the seminal vesicles , prostate and ampullae resulted in the collection of their secretions in to sterile vials for cultural purposes.

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Prognosis

• Prognosis in seminal vesiculitis is fair to poor depending upon the causative agent , the presence of other foci of infection in the reproductive tract, the duration and severity of the infection and value of the male.
• Males with brucella infections, tuberculosis or mycoplasmosis of the seminal vesicles, or those with secondary lesions of the testes, epididymides, ampullae or prostate should be slaughtered.
• Many young bulls with the seminal vesiculitis syndrome with catarrhal or degenerative seminal vesiculitis overcome the infections spontaneously in a few months.
• During this period their use for breeding purposes is questionable.
• Bulls with active acute lesions of seminal vesiculitis with a discharge of pus in the semen should not be used for artificial insemination as only rarely will the antibiotics used in extended semen destroy the organisms present.
• Many bulls with seminal vesiculitis caused by organisms other than brucella or mycobacterium may be used naturally or even artificially with quite satisfactory conception rates especially if a large amount of mucopurulent material is not present in the ejaculate.
• In C.pyogenes infection, the gland is usually left severely indurated and largely destroyed.
• Acute cases of seminal vesiculitis tend to become chronic and chronic cases, if abscessation does not occur, tend to become fibrotic and indurated similar to the mammary gland following a severe infection.
• In long-standing chronic cases, pus or high leucocytes numbers are seldom observed in the semen.

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Treatment

Treatment with high doses of broad spectrum antibiotics, or antibiotics to which the causative agent is sensitive, for two weeks or longer together with mild massage of the vesicular gland to remove its contents may result in recovery or elimination of the infection in some males after 2 to 6 months.

• In recent years surgical removal of the affected vesicular gland has been recommended for selected bulls in artificial insemination studs. Following surgery heavy prolonged antibiotic therapy was recommended.
• Regular and frequent examination of the genital tract and semen for a year or more should be followed after treatment.

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