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Hess RA, Park CJ, Soto S, Reinacher L, Oh JE, Bunnell M, Ko CJ. Male animal sterilization: history, current practices, and potential methods for replacing castration. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1409386. [PMID: 39027909 PMCID: PMC11255590 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1409386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Sterilization and castration have been synonyms for thousands of years. Making an animal sterile meant to render them incapable of producing offspring. Castration or the physical removal of the testes was discovered to be the most simple but reliable method for managing reproduction and sexual behavior in the male. Today, there continues to be global utilization of castration in domestic animals. More than six hundred million pigs are castrated every year, and surgical removal of testes in dogs and cats is a routine practice in veterinary medicine. However, modern biological research has extended the meaning of sterilization to include methods that spare testis removal and involve a variety of options, from chemical castration and immunocastration to various methods of vasectomy. This review begins with the history of sterilization, showing a direct link between its practice in man and animals. Then, it traces the evolution of concepts for inducing sterility, where research has overlapped with basic studies of reproductive hormones and the discovery of testicular toxicants, some of which serve as sterilizing agents in rodent pests. Finally, the most recent efforts to use the immune system and gene editing to block hormonal stimulation of testis function are discussed. As we respond to the crisis of animal overpopulation and strive for better animal welfare, these novel methods provide optimism for replacing surgical castration in some species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rex A. Hess
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
- Epivara, Inc, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Chan Jin Park
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
- Epivara, Inc, Champaign, IL, United States
| | | | | | - Ji-Eun Oh
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Mary Bunnell
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - CheMyong J. Ko
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
- Epivara, Inc, Champaign, IL, United States
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Romagnoli S, Krekeler N, de Cramer K, Kutzler M, McCarthy R, Schaefer-Somi S. WSAVA guidelines for the control of reproduction in dogs and cats. J Small Anim Pract 2024; 65:424-559. [PMID: 38804079 DOI: 10.1111/jsap.13724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- S Romagnoli
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, Viale dell'Università 16, University of Padova, Legnaro, 35020, Italy
| | - N Krekeler
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - K de Cramer
- Department of Production Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - M Kutzler
- Dept of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, 112 Withycombe Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - R McCarthy
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, 01536, United States
| | - S Schaefer-Somi
- Center for Reproduction, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, Vienna, 1210, Austria
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Vasetska A, Körber H, Pilgram C, Schuler G, Aslan S, Saral G, Binli F, Akal E, Selcuk M, Ay S, Findik M, Fontaine CS, Goericke-Pesch S. The use of a 4.7 mg deslorelin slow release implant in male dogs in the field. TIERARZTLICHE PRAXIS. AUSGABE K, KLEINTIERE/HEIMTIERE 2023; 51:231-241. [PMID: 37820614 DOI: 10.1055/a-2142-4194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Slow-release GnRH agonist implants (SRI) are used for reversible medical downregulation of testicular function in male dogs as an alternative to surgery. The 4.7 mg deslorelin SRI should reduce testosterone after 6-8 weeks and induce castration-like effects for 6 months (mon). However, some individual variation is described in the field in regard to onset and duration of effect. For this reason, we aimed to study the effects of the 4.7 mg deslorelin SRI in a larger cohort. MATERIAL AND METHODS In total 50 intact, healthy male dogs (12-48 months, mon; 9-40 kg) were treated with a 4.7 mg deslorelin SRI into the umbilical area (TG, n=45) or served as untreated controls (CG, n=5). CG dogs were surgically castrated after measurement of testicular dimensions and blood sampling for testosterone. In TG, SRIs remained for 5 mon in place and subsequently 3-7 male dogs were surgically castrated at removal (week, W 0) or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 10 weeks later. Examination parameters were testicular dimensions (before treatment, at 4, 8, 12 W, 5 mon, weekly until castration), testosterone (before treatment, at 8 W, 5 mon, castration) and testicular histology (castration). RESULTS Whereas examination parameters did not differ between CG and TG before treatment, testicular volume and testosterone was significantly reduced at all time points during treatment. In all but 3 (8 W) and 2 male dogs (5 mon) testosterone was basal during treatment before removal, whereas the parameters were significantly reduced compared to pre-treatment in the respective dogs. After implant removal, testosterone and testicular volumes increased. However, different to earlier studies, the "restart" was more variable with individual basal testosterone until W7, but also physiological testosterone concentrations in W2. Similarly, histological testicular findings at castration were quite variable: besides an arrest on spermatogonia and spermatocytes, elongated spermatids with normal spermatogenesis were found in individual dogs. CONCLUSION Our study confirms the efficacy of the deslorelin SRI, but also individual variation especially regarding reversibility of effects on endocrine and germinative testicular function. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Deslorelin SRIs offer a suitable alternative to surgical castration with individual variation to be considered when used in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiia Vasetska
- Reproductive Unit - Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Hanna Körber
- Reproductive Unit - Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Caroline Pilgram
- Reproductive Unit - Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Gerhard Schuler
- Veterinary Clinic for Reproductive Medicine and Neonatology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Germany
| | - Selim Aslan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Gulsah Saral
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Firdevs Binli
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Eser Akal
- Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Murat Selcuk
- Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Serhan Ay
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Murat Findik
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey
| | | | - Sandra Goericke-Pesch
- Reproductive Unit - Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
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Cunto M, Ballotta G, Zambelli D. Benign prostatic hyperplasia in the dog. Anim Reprod Sci 2022; 247:107096. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2022.107096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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Stempel S, Körber H, Reifarth L, Schuler G, Goericke-Pesch S. What Happens in Male Dogs after Treatment with a 4.7 mg Deslorelin Implant? II. Recovery of Testicular Function after Implant Removal. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12192545. [PMID: 36230286 PMCID: PMC9559295 DOI: 10.3390/ani12192545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although deslorelin slow-release implants are widely used in the clinic, detailed published information about the recovery of testosterone concentrations (T), semen quality, and testicular and prostatic volume (TV, PV) after treatment is still missing. This article aims to characterize changes during restart after a five-months treatment and subsequent implant removal. Seven male Beagle dogs were treated with deslorelin (treatment group, TG), and three saline-treated dogs served as controls (CG). Deslorelin implants were removed after five months (D ex), followed by detailed andrological examinations for TV, PV, semen collection, and blood sampling for T-analysis with/without GnRH/hCG stimulation tests. TV, PV, and T increased rapidly after D ex in TG, not differing from CG from D91 (TV), D49 (PV), and D14 (T). The first sperm-containing ejaculates were collected between D49 and 70, whereas the samples were normospermic between D84 and 133. A T increase (>0.1 ng/mL) subsequent to the GnRH/hCG stimulation test was observed from D28/29 onwards, respectively. Histological assessment of testicular tissue at the end of the observational period (D149 after implant removal) revealed normal spermatogenesis. Our data confirm that the restart of endocrine and germinative testicular function is highly variable, but nevertheless, all of the effects induced were reversible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Stempel
- Reproductive Unit, Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Hanna Körber
- Reproductive Unit, Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Larena Reifarth
- Reproductive Unit, Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Gerhard Schuler
- Clinic for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Andrology of Large and Small Animals, Klinikum Veterinärmedizin, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Sandra Goericke-Pesch
- Reproductive Unit, Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation, 30559 Hanover, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-511-9538508
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