Chemical castration of cats: the essence of the method, drugs, pros and cons

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The desire to reproduce is inherent in nature in all animals. But often the period of sexual hunting in a cat brings a lot of trouble not only to the owner, but also to the pet itself. The animal becomes restless, aggressive, leaves foul-smelling marks. And what can we say about the ever-increasing number of cats in cities!

That is why it is often necessary to resort to castration (or sterilization, if we are talking about cats). If the owner does not want to expose the pet to surgical intervention, then a chemical castration method will help. Thanks to him, you can stop all the urge to breed in your pet.

Chemical castration of cats is considered a more humane option compared to surgery, because surgery under general anesthesia is always associated with a high risk. Yes, and a full-fledged postoperative care for the pet is simply necessary. But there are also disadvantages to chemical castration of cats.

Pros and cons of the method

During medical castration, a hormonal drug is injected into the body of an animal,oppressive sexual desire. As a result, all the functions associated with reproduction fade away in the pet.

At the same time, chemical castration of cats and chemical sterilization of cats are very similar.

There are several ways of the procedure:

• contraception with medication (injections or tablets);
• implant - special substances are introduced under the skin;
• radiation exposure.

The advantages of the procedure are:

1. Reversibility. The process can be stopped at any time. If the owner of the animal decides that he would like a kitten from his pet, it is enough to stop injecting the drug. Older cat owners often do this when they want to alleviate an impending loss.
2. No risks of surgery - infections, allergies to anesthesia drugs, difficulties with suture healing.
3. Painless. Undoubtedly, the chemical method gives the cat less pain and suffering than the operating one.

Cons of the procedure:

1. The method is based on hormonal drugs, the effect of which on the body, as a rule, has not yet been fully studied. In addition, they have side effects and often lead to oncology, which can only be de alt with surgically.
2. Duration by time. When choosing a chemical castration method, you need to understand that it will last the entire period of the animal's fertility.
3. Chemical castration drugs often lead to weight gain and hair loss,unlike the classic castration method.
4. The cost of chemical castration will be higher than a single operation, since you will have to constantly buy medicines.

To choose a specific type of procedure, it is necessary to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each method. It should also be understood that the chemical method has not yet been sufficiently studied, and therefore there is no information about its possible consequences.

Medicated contraception

Medicated castration means:

1. Taking pills or drops.
2. Injections to the animal.

Sex-barrier, Contra-Sex, Kot Bayun, Sexcontrol and others are used as pills. This is the most economical method of contraception. And he comes to the rescue in situations where the pet's sexual desire needs to be suspended only for a while. But the constant use of hormonal drugs leads to the development of cancerous tumors, and those cats who are diagnosed with liver problems should not use them at all. It is not for nothing that such drugs (“Sex Barrier” and others) are banned in many countries, and some even provide for criminal prosecution for their use to reduce the reproductive function of pets. Unfortunately, in our country, the packaging of these products does not contain reliable information about the side effects of their constituent substances.

Side effects

The drug "Covinan" is used as an injection, but itused for cats. According to scientific research, a tumor in response to the introduction of such drugs can form in any organ of the animal, the activity of which is regulated by hormones. As for drugs for cats, they can cause the development of diabetes and impair the functioning of the endocrine system. It is impossible to predict how this or that medicine will affect, but then you will have to be treated for pathologies for the rest of your life.

So, it must be admitted that the simplicity of the method of chemical castration of cats is offset by serious side effects, the onset of which is often difficult to predict.

Radiation exposure

This technique is used infrequently due to the fact that not only the reproductive organs, but the entire body of the animal are exposed to radiation. The essence of this type of castration of cats is to irradiate the testicles, as a result of which their activity is suspended. The rest of the body is covered with an apron. The dosage for irradiation is determined by the veterinarian, after examining the animal.

Pros of the method

Experts note as benefits:

1. Painless. The animal does not experience any pain during the procedure.
2. Some doctors talk about the relative safety of the method, but others argue with them. But if we analyze other methods, then, perhaps, radiation exposure will be the most harmless of them.

This procedure is quite expensive, there is not much equipment for it in our country.

Indianexperiment

In 2011, Indian veterinarians made an amazing discovery. Solving the problem of limiting the number of homeless animals, they discovered a "miraculous" remedy that has a contraceptive effect. It turned out to be calcium chloride, which had previously been actively used in medicine and veterinary medicine for other purposes.

This substance was introduced into the testes of animals. The ideal dosage was found to be 0.25 calcium chloride at a concentration of 10%. Five minutes after the administration of the substance, the animals showed slight signs of discomfort, in some the testes swelled. But after a while, all unwanted reactions stopped.

As a result, the production of sperm decreased in animals, thus it was possible to reduce the number of stray cats and cats. However, the method requires further study.

Implant method

The most gentle way of chemical castration of cats is to implant a chip under the skin of the animal at the withers. The chip itself is a small cylinder about the size of a grain of rice, and the drug will dissolve over time.

The drug in the implant begins to work after about six months, its effect lasts up to a year and a half. This is the main drawback of the tool. Mating a cat within a six-month period after the administration of the drug will result in offspring.

"Suprelorin" - a drug for non-surgical castration

Currently, the drug "Suprelorin" is used for medical castration of cats. It is injected under the skin of an animal in the form of an implant. The active ingredient is deslorelin. The drug is produced by the French company Virbac. Suprelorin is supplied to Russia for cats at a dosage of 4.7 mg.

Deslorelin in the implant is combined with a fatty base, due to which the effect of slow release of the active substance is achieved. Thus, deslorelin is gradually absorbed into the blood. The effect of the drug is that under its influence the production of sex hormones stops, both male in cats and female in cats.

Specialists, noting the benefits of deslorelin, say that it has no side effects, unlike other substances with a similar effect.

Features of the use of "Suprelorin"

Since the drug was originally produced for the sterilization of dogs, its use for chemical castration of cats has its own characteristics. The active substance shows its activity 14-30 days after administration. The amount of testosterone in the animal decreases, sexual function is completely suppressed. The cat ceases to mark the territory, show aggression, make inviting sounds. But it is impossible to name the exact duration of the implant. Usually this period is from 6 to 37 months. After the removal of the implant, sexual function is restored within 3 months.

Among the side effects are swelling at the site of implantation of the chip, as well as a decrease in the testicles. The testicles may also swell.

Vets advise using this castration method on adultsanimals. Studies of the effect of drugs on young individuals have not been conducted. Which method of castration to choose, each owner of the animal decides for himself. It is important to weigh the pros and cons of each method before making a decision.