Effect of Oral Administration of Selenium and Vitamin E on the Quality of Fresh, Refrigerated and Frozen Semen in French Bulldog Breed Dogs

ABSTRACT

Background: New methodologies have been developed seeking to maximize pregnancy rate in female dogs created in commercial kennels, and also in order to maintain the quality of canine semen after dilution, refrigeration or freezing. One of the main factors that generate damage to sperm is oxidative stress, to minimize sperm damage, selenium and antioxidants like vitamin E are administered, by oral administration, seeking to improve the quality of semen. The objective was to study the effect of vitamin E and selenium, by oral administration, in the quality of fresh, refrigerated and frozen semen in adult dogs French Bulldog breed.Materials, Methods & Results: Semen samples were collected from 5 adult dogs, French Bulldog breed, being 2 semen drawing before the daily oral supplementation with vitamin E and selenium (ESE®) and semen drawing at 20, 40 and 60 days after the beginning of oral supplement. The ejaculated samples were diluted in TRIS - fructose citric acid (3.28 g TRIS-hydroxy-methyl-amino-methane, 1.78 g of citric acid monohydrate and 1.25 g of D - fructose, dissolved in 100 mL of distilled water and added of 20% egg yolk and 6% of glycerol. The characteristics evaluated in fresh semen were volume (mL), color, appearance, concentration (x106 / mL), sperm motility (%), sperm strength (1 to 5) and morphology (%). For refrigerated and frozen semen were analyzed sperm