Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Seminal vesiculitis and blocked ampullae occurring simultaneously in a stallion.
- Journal:
- Journal of equine veterinary science
- Year:
- 2025
- Authors:
- Huggins, L et al.
- Affiliation:
- William P. Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A Gypsy Vanner stallion was having trouble breeding and produced an unusual, thick, grey semen. After a thorough examination, the vet found that he had an infection in his seminal vesicles (the glands that help produce semen) and also discovered that his sperm ducts were blocked. The stallion was treated with antibiotics and had his semen collected regularly for five weeks, but the quality remained poor. After additional treatment directly to the infected area, the infection cleared up, and although the semen quality was still low, he was able to successfully breed two out of five mares, which resulted in confirmed pregnancies.
Abstract
A Gypsy Vanner stallion presented with a history of subfertility and abnormal dense, grey ejaculate. Reproductive examination including ultrasound, cytology, and bacteriology confirmed the diagnosis of seminal vesiculitis. After evaluation of several ejaculates, bilateral blocked ampullae were confirmed by azoospermia and a low level of alkaline phosphatase (30 IU/L) in the filtered fraction. Continuous semen collections, along with oral antibiotics treatment, were performed at the owner's facility for five weeks. After readmission, a successful collection was obtained with a high concentration and low motility. Seminal vesiculitis persisted, local antibiotic treatment of the seminal vesicles (SV) was initiated using video endoscopy, to improve response to treatment. After completing a total of 7 weeks of oral and local SV treatment, the seminal vesiculitis resolved. Despite persistent low semen quality, the stallion has successfully impregnated 2 out of 5 mares (40 %), with confirmed pregnancies and heartbeats.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40499696/