Abstract

An ideal contraceptive for male dogs should be 100% efficient, irreversible, inexpensive and with no side effects. Ultrasound was used as a male contraceptive in several species, including dogs. Studies are needed to determine minimal number of treatments, interval between treatments, part of testes that requires treatment, frequency or power of ultrasonic wave exposure and many more need to be investigated before its application in practice. A previous study concluded that three treatments of 5 min/treatment per day (2.5 cm2 transducer, 1 MHz, 1.5 W/cm2) are ineffective. In this trial, effects of two testicular ultrasound exposure protocols (differing in ultrasound treatment length and number of applications) on testicular size, consistency and volume, and sperm concentration and motility were evaluated. Twenty dogs were divided in two equal groups- A and B. All subjects were exposed to 1.5 Wcm2 of ultrasound on each testicle using Vetrison Portable ultrasound (Physiomed Elektromedizin AG, Germany; 2.5 cm2 transducer). Dogs in group-A received ultrasound for 5 min on alternate days for one week and dogs in group-B received ultrasound for 15 min inutes twice a day on alternate days. Sperm concentrations and motility evaluations were made before and 25 days after the end of treatments. Length and testicular width were echographically measured to calculate the volume. Semen collected was examined by using an integrated visual optical system for semen analysis for sperm concentration and for percentage of total and progressively motile sperms. All dogs were castrated at day 40 and gonads were collected for histological examination. Data concerning testicular volume were statistically analyzed with ‘Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank sum’ test (p £ 0.05); semen evaluation was statistically analyzed with ANOVA test (p £ 0.01). After ultrasound treatment, all dogs showed no local or systemic adverse effects, and no pain or skin burns. However, dogs in group A exhibited marked tenderness of testicles at palpation. Group A dogs showed a statistically significant reduction of the volume of both testis (left 9.6 ± 3.7 vs. 5.5 ± 3.6/cm3; right 9.6 ± 2.7 vs. 3.6 ± 1.4/cm3; p £ 0.05) while no reduction in testicular volume was noticed in dogs in group (left: 9.1 ± 1.4 vs. 9.2 ± 1.6/cm3; right: 9.3 ± 1.5 vs. 9.4 ± 1.7/cm3). Before the US treatment, mean volume of ejaculates was 10 ± 3.5 ml, sperm concentration was 300.8 ± 24.8 · 106/ml with an average percentage of total and progressive motile sperms of 88.2 ± 4.5 and 59.3 ± 5.3, respectively. After the ultrasound treatment, a zero sperm count was noticed in group A dogs (p £ 0.01), and no variation in B group. Histology evaluation showed interstitial fibrosis, widespread tubular atrophy and hyalinization of the basement membranes in group-A dogs and no changes were observed in group-B dogs. Our results demonstrated that ultrasound treatment for 5 min on alternate days for one week leads to irreversible testis damage consistent with permanent sterilization, while reducing the number of applicationseven with a longer treatment was ineffective on dog fertility

Autore Pugliese

• Lacalandra Giovanni Michele , Aiudi Giulio Guido

Tutti gli autori

• LACALANDRA G.M. ;AIUDI G.G.

Titolo volume/Rivista

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Anno di pubblicazione

2012

ISSN

0936-6768

ISBN

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Numero di citazioni Wos

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