Review Article

Non-surgical contraception in male dogs and cats

Andrzej Max , Piotr Jurka, Artur Dobrzyński, Tom Rijsselaere

¹ Department of Small Animals Diseases with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Warsaw University of Live Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

² Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium

1. Acta Sci. Pol. Zootechnica, 14(1), 2015, 3‒14

Abstract. Orchiectomy results in irreversible sterility and may trigger a number of side effects such as underdevelopment of external genital organs, disturbances in the musculoskeletal system, obesity, increased risk of diabetes mellitus or hypothyroidism and behavioral problems. Therefore alternative methods of contraception have been developped during the last decades. This paper presents the clinical use of GnRH analogues with agonistic and antagonistic activity, chemical sterilization by intratesticular injections and the application of reproductive toxins, progestins and the possibilities of immunocontraception. The working mechanism, clinical results and possible side effects of these methods are discussed. The methods of non–surgical contraception, used adequately, are currently considered to be simple and effective.

Keywords: dog, cat, male, non-surgical contraception