A Day at the
SPERM BANK
A primer on artificial insemination
BY EVA ENGVALL
N2 or nitrogen tanks
A recent attempt to breed my Whippet via artificial insemination ( AI ) provided me with an education that I had not expected . In addition to learning more about AI itself , I also discovered an entirely different part of the dog world . My previous experience in dogs was limited , mostly focused on AKC conformation shows and performance events , such as lure coursing and agility . But it soon became clear to me that there is more to the dog world than shows and performance events .
I traveled to the Canine Cryobank in San Marcos , San Diego County , Calif . It is operated by Carol Scott Bardwick , who has been in the business for more than 30 years . The beginning was serendipitous , she says : After her husband graduated from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine , he wanted to move to Los Angeles to practice . They ended up in a house across the street from a human sperm bank . This was soon after the AKC had approved registering dog litters
A major and important part of the business at Canine Cryobank is sperm banking .
resulting from frozen semen . Carol went to the human sperm bank to learn more about sperm banking , and eventually started her own sperm bank for dogs .
Since 1981 , Carol has produced approximately 17,000 pups , either by artificial insemination with fresh , cooled or frozen semen , or by natural breedings . Worldwide , many other pups have been produced by veterinarians and breeders trained by Carol .
Her very efficient staff includes Susan Wells , who worked as a nuclear medicine technician before joining Canine Cryobank 20 years ago . Sue showed and bred Great Danes when she first began working at the sperm bank . Another invaluable staff member , Maria Teresa Sanchez , is a California State University certified biotechnology technician . She was first hired to perform progesterone tests , but she then became an all-around , take-charge force in the effort to make pups for people to love .
COURTESY EVA ENGVALL
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