Content
- Surgical Contraceptive Methods for Dogs
- Chemical Contraceptive Methods for Dogs
- Other contraceptive methods for dogs
Deciding to adopt a dog and bring it home is a great responsibility, which is not only about meeting the needs of our pet and trying to provide it with the best possible well-being, it is also necessary to be responsible for its our dog's reproduction.
A litter of puppies not planned, runs the risk of ending up with these animals abandoned or in kennels, so as responsible owners we cannot let this happen.
In this PeritoAnimal article we will talk about the different contraceptive methods for dogs that you can use.
Surgical Contraceptive Methods for Dogs
surgical methods affect irreversibly and permanently the reproduction of our pet and can be used in both males and females. However, in the case of a surgical intervention, we must follow the advice and recommendations of the veterinarian, who will tell you about the risks in each specific case and will advise you on the best intervention to carry out the sterilization.
- in females: An ovariohysterectomy is usually performed, ie the removal of the ovaries and uterus. After this procedure the bitch will not be able to become pregnant nor will she show sexual behavior. There is a second option known as laparoscopic sterilization, where the intervention is not as aggressive, but even so, equally satisfactory results are achieved, however, the cost is much higher and may not be affordable.
- in males: The safest surgical contraceptive method for dogs is orchiectomy, which involves removing the testicles. As a result, sperm are not synthesized and, in addition, there is a decrease in the dog's sexual behavior, as well as in territoriality and dominance instinct. However, the simplest method is vasectomy, where the vas deferens that carries sperm is removed. As a result, the dog is unable to reproduce but its sexual behavior remains intact.
Chemical Contraceptive Methods for Dogs
When we talk about chemical method we are talking about use of synthetic hormones that interact with our pet's organism, more specifically with the central nervous system, which by capturing high levels of hormones suppresses our pet's natural hormonal cycle.
Contrary to what you might initially think, this method is not only valid for female dogs, but also for males. Once the administration of hormones is stopped, the animal's reproductive cycle returns to normal.
- in females: the hormones we give you will be aimed at prevent the bitch's ovulation and therefore a possible pregnancy. For this purpose we can use progestins or female hormones (medroxyprogesterone acetate, megestrol acetate and progesterone) or androgens or male hormones (testosterone and mibolerone). Although different types of implants can be used, these hormones are usually administered orally.
- in males: in males the administration of chemical hormones is carried out through intratesticular injection and sometimes, in addition to being administered hormones, irritating substances are administered that aim to change the functionality of the ducts that transport sperm, thus preventing their mobility. These contraceptive methods are known as chemical vasectomy and orchiectomy.
Before using chemical methods to control the reproduction of our pet, the veterinarian must carry out a physical exploration, which can be complemented with analytical tests. In addition, it will take into account the complete history of the animal, as these drugs can cause several side effects as well as alteration of sexual characters. In addition, some substances used in chemical methods still need a greater number of studies to assess their use.
Other contraceptive methods for dogs
The contraceptive methods for puppies that we show you are the most used options, however, in the case of bitches, the possibility of introduce an intrauterine device which mechanically blocks entry to the vagina and prevents pregnancy. However, the placement of this device requires major surgery and it is very complex to adjust it in the vagina of each bitch, for this reason, its use not usually recommended.