Reproduction of Small Animals: Physiology, Pathology and Performance, Second Edition
A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Reproduction".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 3159
Special Issue Editors
Interests: small animal; equine; exotic; wildlife; breeding management; performance of large-scale working dog colonies; male and female infertility; ultrasonography; semen biology; canine semen cryopreservation; contraception in small animals; isolation and characterization of extracellular vesicles; 3D cell culture models of oviductal and endometrial organoids to study disease; canine and feline reproduction and artificial reproductive technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: breeding; small animals; transcervical insemination; reproduction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: animal reproduction; canine pyometra; small animals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Since the late 1970s, fundamental research focusing on the unique reproductive physiology of the bitch has brought about a greater understanding of the LH surge, ovulation, and the events surrounding the estrous cycle. This research has led to advances that have improved overall reproductive performance, especially with the use of chilled or frozen–thawed semen samples. Additionally, the development of a basic understanding of specific unique reproductive features, such as luteolysis in the canine, has furthered our understanding of pregnancy, non-pregnancy, and pathologic conditions such as pyometra. Furthermore, novel pharmacological drugs and devices for the treatment of many reproductive conditions and diseases in small animal species have evolved from these early fundamental studies. This work has also paved the way for additional research into non-surgical contraceptive solutions with potential worldwide welfare and ethical implications.
More recently, advances in semen evaluation, handling, chilling, and cryopreservation, along with advances in artificial insemination technologies, such as transcervical endoscopes, have allowed for significant improvements in reproductive performance, genetic gain and, importantly, welfare aspects for female small animal species. However, despite these exciting advancements, there is still much research to be done, particularly in the canine. In-vitro fertilization and blastocyst production, which are so commonly achieved in many other species, are still an area of ongoing research for canine species, especially in wildlife. This makes the development of novel technologies such as gene editing, extracellular vesicles, and 3D organoid culture systems even more important in their application to reproduction in the canine species, especially for the preservation of our endangered small animal species for future generations.
The aim of this Special Issue is to present recent research and reviews on the unique reproductive physiological features of our small animal species and to stimulate interest in the evolving technologies in hopes of furthering this exciting field.
Dr. Fiona K. Hollinshead
Dr. Greg Burns
Dr. Natali Krekeler
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- artificial insemination
- contraception
- litter size
- transcervical insemination
- in vitro fertilization
- ovulation
- LH surge
- semen cryopreservation
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