A male dog with excellent breed type, exemplary temperament and healthy genetics that exudes vigor and vitality is a gem to find. If he is also a natural breeder with high fertility, breeders are warranted to try to preserve his breeding potential.

“All males at some point in their lifetime will have reproductive issues if left intact.” 
- Victor Stora, DVM, DACT, a board-certified veterinary reproductive specialist, who practices at GoodVets in Brooklyn, New York.  

“Even a short-term spell of infertility can have dire consequences,” he advises.

“The prognosis of recovery from infertility is grave to poor,” says the longtime breeder of Shetland Sheepdogs under the House Istoria kennel name.  

“Managing a stud dog requires being knowledgeable about clinical signs of a reproductive problem and trying to understand functional causes if he is unwilling to breed,” Dr. Stora says. “For example, failure to achieve an erection is almost always due to immaturity, though it could relate to arthritic or bone pain.”

Inflammation and infection from viruses, bacteria or fungi can contribute to reduced fertility in male dogs. Congenital defects, trauma, tumors and aging also wreak havoc on a male dog’s potency as a producer. Telltale signs may include redness, swelling, bloody discharge, excessive licking, difficulty urinating and pain.

“Any part of a male’s anatomy from the prepuce, the sheath of skin that protects the non-erect penis, to the urethra, testicles, prostate and epididymis, which stores and matures sperm, could be the culprit of a fertility problem,” Dr. Stora explains.  

The most common cause of male infertility is a small gland near the urinary bladder. The prostate, which produces fluid that supports and transports sperm during ejaculation, can go haywire when disabled by infection as well as other causes, particularly aging.

BPH Is a Common Disorder of Intact Males

Benign prostate hypoplasia (BPH) is an enlarged prostate often filled with cysts containing infection. It is the most common condition affecting intact male dogs. Due to the proximity of the bladder to the prostate, a dog may concurrently have a urinary tract infection.  

“BPH affects more than 50 percent of intact males by age 5 and more than 80 percent of intact males by age 6.” Dr. Stora says. “However, dogs of all ages, even 2-year-olds, can develop the condition.”

– Victor Stora, DVM, DACT

“In about 30 percent of dogs, the prostate becomes significantly large,” he says. The expanding size of the prostate can be very painful, though not all dogs experience pain. The prostate may press on the urethra and rectum making it difficult for some dogs to urinate and defecate.

Besides an enlarged prostate, clinical signs of BPH may include a bloody discharge from the penis; hematuria, or bloody urine; and hematospermia, or blood in semen.  

“You should look for dripping blood or sperm from the penis,” Dr. Stora says.

A definitive diagnosis is based on an ultrasound that may show cystic areas or calcium oxalate stones—another potential cause of BPH. “An ultrasound will also indicate whether the urethra is compromised,” Dr. Stora says.  

“The curative route is castration, which allows the prostate to return to normal size about a month after surgery,” he says.  

“Alternatively, a preventive course involves medical management,” he explains. “Reducing inhibitors, such as finasteride, can be prescribed to inhibit the conversion of testosterone into its active form, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which causes the prostate to get larger and can lead to cyst formation.”  

Prostatitis May Be Life-Threatening

Left untreated, BPH can develop into a potentially more severe condition—prostatitis.  

Prostatitis can result in sepsis throughout the body or even peritonitis, a severe bacterial infection in the thin membrane of the peritoneum that lines the abdomen.

“Older intact male dogs are at risk for prostatitis from a bacterial infection, hormonal imbalance, trauma or even tumors,” Dr. Stora explains.  

“Although chronic prostatitis comes on slowly and may cause decreased fertility, acute prostatitis is a medical emergency in which everything goes wrong immediately,” he says. “In these cases, fluid-filled cysts may form a large abscess, trapping bacteria and rupturing, which can cause a life-threatening septic state.”  

Clinical signs of prostatitis are similar to BPH though; in addition to a bloody discharge, a dog may be lethargic, lose its appetite, have fever and a hunched stance.

Diagnosis of prostatitis is based on a complete blood count, serum biochemistry, renal testing, cytology and cultures with sensitivity to determine the bacteria type.

“Treatment of chronic prostatitis is challenging because few drugs are able to enter the prostate due to the blood prostatic barrier,” Dr. Stora says. “Antibiotics are the staple to fight the bacteria that typically originate in the colon and GI tract. Fecal bacteria like E. coli can rapidly colonize the prostate and cause massive problems.”

Acute prostatitis may require hospitalization that includes surgery and aggressive intravenous fluid therapy. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are often prescribed to treat the inflammatory, painful state.  

“Preserving a quality intact stud dog for breeding is not worth the risk of causing a serious, potentially life-threatening health condition,” Dr. Stora advises. “If you don’t need a stud dog to reproduce anymore, it’s a good idea to neuter him.”  

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Assessing a Stud Dog’s Breeding Soundness

Before collecting a stud dog or booking a breeding, it behooves a breeder to have a breeding soundness exam (BSE) performed by a veterinarian to assure his virility as a producer.  

“Short of a stud dog recently siring a litter of puppies, a BSE is the only way to definitively know about his fertility,” says Victor Stora, DVM, DACT. “Sexual activity in some males has been known to last until age 12 or longer. Ideally, a stud dog should be examined annually.”

Dr. Stora outlines a thorough breeding soundness exam:

• A complete medical history including vaccination and veterinary records detailing dates of illnesses and injuries
• A complete reproductive history including previous sperm evaluations, females bred successfully and frequency of ejaculation. Travel history, nutrition, medications and kennel environment are reviewed as they can affect fertility
• Physical examination to evaluate overall health and body condition
• Reproductive examination to evaluate sperm motility, morphology and concentration and observe the dog’s libido during collection and check the prostate