World’s first test-tube puppies born in US

Humans have been using in vitro fertlisation (IVF) for almost 40 years, and now dogs can get the same treatment to help them conceive.

“With a combination of gene editing techniques and IVF, we can potentially prevent genetic disease before it starts”. Females only ovulate twice a year, and even then, they produce immature eggs that can’t be used for in vitro fertilization. Now, researchers have succeeded in breeding the world’s first in vitro fertilization (IVF) puppies, which could have implications in eradicating diseases in dogs – and in furthering understanding of human diseases.

“Importantly, it is becoming apparent that dogs and humans share many common biology, diseases and syndromes”, the BBC quoted Professor David Argyle, head of the school of veterinary medicine at the University of Edinburgh, who was not part of the study.

Meanwhile, back in July, the team of veterinarians, scientists and lab workers gathered around the impregnated female dog and watched her become the world’s first surrogate momma dog. In addition, the female canine tract plays a role in preparing sperm for fertilization, so researchers had to simulate those conditions in the lab.

For example, the African painted dog. “If we want to breed them in captivity and we collect, say, their eggs and sperm, we have to be able to do IVF to create new members of that species”.

“The seven healthy puppies born as a result of this work represent hope for their endangered counterparts”, said Nucharin Songsasen, SCBI research biologist and co-author on the paper. Jennifer Nagashima, lead author of the study, said the scientists were surprised at how many live births they achieved. Researchers at Cornell University and the Smithsonian Institute worked together on solving what the university called a “decades-long puzzle” on why in vitro fertilization techniques weren’t successful with dogs.

“We can freeze and bank sperm, and use it for artificial insemination”, Travis said.

Implementing these findings, the team has climbed to an 80 percent fertilization rate, at which point they freeze the embryos until the mother is physiologically ready. The puppies turn five months old this week. He goes on to say that it might help detect genetic traits that are more prone to disease and learning how to fix them. Their names are Ivy, Cannon, Beaker, Buddy, Nelly, Red and Green.