More on Cat and Dog contraceptives--some ready to go

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Status of Current Approaches ACC&D Press Releases Media Coverage of ACC&D and Non-Surgical Contraception Publications
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10,000 Dog Zinc Gluconate Study in Mexico Dr. Carlos Esquivel has presented newly available results from a field program using zinc gluconate in 10,000 dogs in Mexico. The study was conducted from November 2003 to June 2006. Esquivel, head of the Mexican VMA and Dean of Continuing Education with the Universidad Autonoma Nacional de Mexico, concluded that their study demonstrated that the product is safe and effective, and can be a valuable tool in getting male dogs sterilized in the field. Overall, sterilization via injection had much greater cultural acceptance than castration in Mexico. Esquivel reports that public health outreach vaccinates 15-18 million dogs annually for rabies, and zinc gluconate has potential for reducing those populations via sterilization.

Below we’ve included brief descriptions of some of the more promising approaches. For a more thorough review of recent research, please see the Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Non-Surgical Contraceptive Methods of Pet Population Control.

Product: ChemSpay® From: Senestech Status: Early stage development (dose levels, formulation) in dogs. Preliminary work in cats. What it is: An industrial chemical that has been shown to deplete the ovarian follicles and cause sterility in rodents. Some preliminary data showing this effect is also seen in dogs.

Product: Suprelorin® From: Peptech Animal Health Status: Approved and available for use in male dogs in Australia (6 month and 12 month doses) since December 2004 and New Zealand (6 month dose only) since September 2005. Peptech has announced plans to seek approval for future global use. What it is: A deslorin (GnRH agonist) implant for male dogs resulting in sterility for six or 12 months (both durations available).

Product: Neutersol® From: Abbott Laboratories Status: Neutersol is approved by the FDA for use in the US. Neutersol is currently unavailable, however the patent holder announced in November 2006 that they are working with Abbott Laboratories, which will be manufacturing and distributing the product in the U.S. in the “near future”. Neutersol may be approved for use in male cats in the future. ACC&D Perspective: Zinc gluconate (brand name: Neutersol®) is the only non-surgical pet sterilant approved as safe and effective for use in the US. Zinc gluconate is cheaper and easier to administer than surgical sterilization is to perform.

Product: Gonazon® From: Invervet France. US approval will be sought. A silicone implant provides one-year reversible contraception for female dogs and cats. ACC&D Perspective: Dr. Driancourt announced some limited data in cats showing that when the implant is not removed, queens had suppression of estrus over an extended period of time – nearly three years so far. This raises the possibility that the product might be useful in the control of feral cat populations.

Product: GonaCon™ From: National Wildlife Research Center of the USDA Status: Data is being submitted to the EPA initially for approval for use in deer and other cervids. Separate studies underway assess potential for use in dogs and feral cats. GonaCon has been shown (in preliminary research) to be effective in approximately 75% of female cats for 2 and ½ years to date. We believe GonaCon may have potential to fill a niche in feral cat colony management.

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