THERIOGENOLOGY
Our Expertise
The Theriogenology Program at the LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital manages reproduction in horses, dogs, and other animals. Approximately 65 percent of our patients are equine, 25 to 30 percent are canine, and the remaining 5 to 10 percent are other species such as cattle, goats and sheep.
Services
Stallion
- Fertility evaluation
- Semen cryopreservation (freezing)
- Collection and preparation of semen for fresh cooled semen, including those stallions requiring special handling such as centrifugation to maintain fertility We have a breeding phantom and an ovariectomized mare that allows us to collect semen from almost any stallion at any time.
- We have a computer-assisted semen analyzer, including phase contrast microscopy and fluorescence microscopy (state-of-the-art analysis) that enables us to objectively analyze multiple factors of sperm motility and use live/dead stains.
Mare
- Fertility evaluation
- Breeding management, including natural cover, artificial insemination with either fresh, cooled or frozen semen
- Embryo collection and transfer or shipping to recipient location
- Full capabilities for embryo collection and transfer or shipping
- Pregnancy diagnosis
- Assisting with problems during pregnancy or at foaling
- Assisting with difficult foalings
- Endoscopy (low dose insemination)—allows insemination with a very low dose of semen, for example with frozen semen or stallions with low sperm count
- Laser surgery capability
- Transvaginal ultrasound probe for oocyte collection, twin reduction--allows us to perform assisted reproduction for techniques including follicular aspiration and oocyte collection; also provides the capability to perform twin reduction at a later stage of gestation than usually can be accomplished by manual crushing
Canine
- Breeding management, including breeding with fresh cooled and frozen semen
- Transcervical insemination
- Infertility work-up
- Collection and preparation of semen for fresh cooled semen
- Semen cryopreservation (freezing)
- Pregnancy diagnosis
Bovine, Sheep, Goats
- Breeding soundness evaluation of males
- Pregnancy diagnosis
- Fertility evaluation of cattle
- Dystocia assistance (difficulty giving birth)
What to Expect
- Small animals (pets) are seen in the Stephenson Pet Clinic.
- Large animals (horses and livestock) are seen in our Large Animal Hospital.
- Our Large Animal Hospital has room for trailers to pull up adjacent to our barn and outpatient paddocks.
- We will come out to get your animal and lead it into the barn.
Faculty and Staff
Faculty
Residents
Fional Herzog, DVM
Veterinary Technicians
Ashley Foret
Maxon Graham