Shipping
cooled semen:
a service
every small animal practitioner can provide
Within
two months of the AKC announcement to allow cooled (not frozen) semen
litters, we had a cooled semen litter of five Dachshunds in Hawaii.
We had six out of eight litters in Japan using cooled Beagle semen.
Our shipping kits are sent to any veterinarian wanting to provide this
service for their clients. I take pride in the fact that our shipping
kit was computer tested years ago and now other marketing companies
use the same packaging kit.
Commitment
to ongoing research
Research
has been ongoing in spite of the fact that we are not funded nor joint
ventured with any big money firms. Our research has always ended up
helping breeders directly or indirectly. We were using progesterone
testing (1988) before the in-house Elisa tests became available. Two
firms now manufacturing in-house progesterone tests used our data to
develop their kits. When we couldn't find institutions addressing our
concerns we conducted our own research. Which mycoplasma species should
we be concerned about? Does mycoplasma have any correlation to post
thaw results? Does any bacteria affect post thaw results?
During
our first decade,
only one other
facility's frozen semen impressed me
Whenever
I thawed semen from George Govette of C.L.O.N.E., I was thrilled! When
I contacted him about changing our protocols to match those he developed,
George in Pennsylvania had more non-surgical frozen semen litters on
the ground than all frozen semen facilities combined . He had developed
a freeze and thaw protocol that was much simpler than ours for the inseminating
veterinarians to successfully master.
Also Govette
shared my concern that due to lack of frozen semen litter success by
a Smith Kline start up company, that company had started promoting surgical
insemination of frozen semen to breeders and veterinarians. George and
I were demoralized that due to lack of research of the "moneyed"
company, bitches would be subjected to unnecessary surgery. We agreed
to cooperate to try to promote the use of frozen semen with non-surgical
inseminations.
Our
goals of education and accessible service
Education
and resources for breeders and veterinarians have a high priority. Besides
lecturing all over the world, we hold seminars monthly. Our artificial
insemination kits, videotape, books, are used in Universities, Colleges,
and by breeders worldwide. Our seminars concentrate on reproductions
assessments and treatments for the bitch and stud. It is our intent
to make breeders educated consumers of veterinary reproductive medicine.
We are seeing clients in our San Diego facility, and continue to provide
unique and quality service for our clientele.
Our
first decade was exciting, progressive and satisfying. Our next decade
is proving to be more innovative and dynamic. If we can help your or
your clients in any way, please contact us!
The
litters keep arriving,
no progesterone testing
or surgical inseminations in those days
After
the first litter, we shipped semen seven times and had six litters. All
litters were produced by veterinarians using whatever artificial insemination
method they happened to know. Back then, the only training we offered
was one page of written thaw instructions. Those were the days before
progesterone testing and surgical inseminations. Now, of course, we have
a videotape on artificial insemination equipment. In our clinic, we now
place semen in the oviducts in a non-surgical procedure, do surgical inseminations,
and us the "old method," intervaginal inseminations. Canine
Cryobank, Inc. purposefully developed its Freeze/Thaw process and services
so that a private practice veterinarian may successfully inseminate with
thawed semen.
After
realizing that
we couldn't do it alone,
we found a reproduction specialist
Steve
and I realized during the first year of operation that canine frozen semen
was not going to be the multi-million dollar business that human sperm
banking is today. First, dog people want a certain stud and nothing can
dissuade them to switch dogs. Dog owners are concerned about inheritable
genetic disease and phenotype. People going to a human sperm bank never
ask about the genetic makeup of the sperm besides hair color, height,
and race. They do often ask if the donor was a student in a professional
discipline. Dog owners will decide on a particular stud and move heaven
and earth to breed to that dog!
The
other reason custom semen banking for dogs would always be limited:
Not enough semen was capable of withstanding the processing. The incidence
of infertility was dramatic in purebred dogs and we had no way of helping
those dogs. We needed a reproduction specialist.
In
1984 after finding out there were very few small animal reproduction
specialists, we convinced Priscilla Stockner to move to California and
start her specialty practice in conjunction with the sperm bank. She
was uniquely qualified for our growing business. Besides her veterinary
degree, Priscilla had a Master's in Reproductive Physiology and an MBA.
And, just as important as her research and academic background, she
had been an active dog enthusiast, raising, showing and hunting several
breeds.
Other
veterinarians became licensees
including one from Europe and Japan
Priscilla
wanted to educate other veterinarians in reproduction protocols for
the serious breeder and fancier. She and I traveled all over the world
lecturing on small animal reproduction for the practitioner. Over the
years we trained nine veterinarians in reproduction assessment and secondarily,
in frozen semen procedures. We always made it very clear to our licensees
that frozen semen would be a limited "hook" for their practice.
Any increased revenues would be generated from the much needed reproductive
protocols.
Our
licensees are enthusiastic, dedicated progressive veterinarians from
all areas of the country, Japan, and Belgium. They traveled to California
and spent two days training with Priscilla in all facets for reproduction
assessment and treatment. All of our licensees have had frozen semen
litters or have frozen semen that produced frozen semen litters.
Canada
didn't have a frozen semen litter
we
accepted the challenge of international shipping
International
shipping of semen is complicated and, at times, frustrating. We were
proud to have a litter in Sweden the first year in business, not realizing
that one litter means people want you to send it again! The Canadian
Kennel Club told us there had never been a litter in Canada. So, we
gritted our teeth when working with the import regulations and Canine
Cryobank had the first frozen semen litter in Canada --eleven Borzois.
Licensee Dr. Betty Trainor sent semen to South Africa and Dr. Dan Bruke,
licensee in New Mexico, sent semen to Australia. Betty's litter was
eleven Rhodesian Ridgebacks and Dan's was seven Soft Coated Wheaten
Terriers.
Since
1981, Carol Scott Bardwick has produced approximately 17,000 pups personally,
either by artificial insemination with fresh, cooled, or frozen semen
or natural breedings.
Worldwide, many other pups have been produced by veterinarians and breeders
trained by Bardwick
including Dr. K. Kawase in Japan, Dr. Bogaarts in Belgium, Dr. Ian Gunn
in Australia. In the U.S. veterinarians instructed by Bardwick in collecting/ evaluation/ and frozen/cooled semen processing include Dr. Dan Burke, of New Mexico, Dr. Betty Trainor of Massachusetts, Dr. Nik of Oklahoma, Dr. Dan Jordan of Colorado, Dr. Jon Bettridge of Alaska, Dr. Dana Bliefer of California. Bardwick also instructed Stanford University researchers in frozen semen protocols for use in a narcoleptic Doberman research colony and Dr. Steve Van Camp of North Carolina State Veterinary School for its research colony for investigating muscular degenerative diseases. |
Partner Animal Fertility Clinic,
Escondido, California 1983-1998
This veterinary clinic was the first in the country to specialize
in canine and feline reproduction. Protocols for implementing small animal
reproduction and purebred dog and cat specialty medical services into
the small animal practice mix of other veterinary practices were developed
and taught to veterinarians worldwide through seminars, lectures, at the
yearly American Animal Hospital Association national meetings, the Theriogeneology
Society Annual Meetings, American Veterinary Associations meetings, and
various California Veterinary Association gatherings.
In 1982-1983 the need to precisely time inseminations was very urgent.
Vaginal cytology was cumbersome and inexact. Using a large kennel of Malamutes,
Bardwick investigated the possibility of timing inseminations with the
rise in progesterone levels in the blood. Eventually, a company in England
developed a test adequate to time inseminations in canines with input
from our field data and thus assuring the future of canine semen industry.
A licensing agreement with the development team Dr . R. Hinkle and R.
Herd for their intrauterine insemination technique enabled Canine Cryobank
licensees to place through the cervix, non surgically, poorer quality
frozen, cooled or fresh semen.
In 1981-1982, monthly seminars were offered to breeders to elevate their
breeding skills in semen collection and evaluation, insemination and progesterone
testing of the bitches.
Lectures/Seminars
Bardwick's
articles reproduction have appeared in numerous magazines including Dog
World, Dog Fancy, AKC Gazette, Canine Chronicle, Kennel Review, Doberman
Reporter, Lhasa Apso Reporter, Great Dane Reporter, Dachshund Reporter,
Mastiff Newsletter.
In response to international demand for updates on canine reproduction, cooled semen, and frozen semen, Bardwick has lectured to veterinarians and breeders in Australia, Tasmania, Japan, Canada, and France.
Executive
Producer: Videotape Production 1991-present
"Artificial Insemination in Canines"
An instructional videotape that demonstrates the correct collection procedures
for small, medium, and large dogs; intervaginal insemination, sperm counts,
and progesterone testing, this tape has been purchased by Veterinary Technician
Schools and is distributed by Camolet Farms Premate progesterone testing
kits.
Editor,
Reproduction Resources:
Newsletter for Conscientious Breeders
1991-1995
Periodic reports from case files in the Animal Fertility Clinic files
and summaries of reproductive lectures, posters, presentations from the
Theriogeneology Society and International meetings on Animal Reproduction,
etc. of interest to the purebred dog fancy.
Television,
Radio, Print Media exposure
Due
to the uniqueness of its business, Bardwick has been asked to explain
and discuss the Canine Cryobank's business on many television shows including A Current Affair, an internationally syndicated telemagazine show
, and every evening local news , including NBC, CBS, ABC, in Los Angeles
and San Diego. Radio hosts Fred Harvey, nationally, and a multitude of
local radio shows nationwide such as Monterrey, CA. Buffalo, NY. Phila.
PA. Utica, NY , the Jeff and Jer Show in San Diego, CA.