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Chile has made a breakthrough in dog sterilization by introducing a vaccine that can neuter or spay dogs for a year.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports that the vaccine can prevent sexual behavior and reproduction for a year, providing an alternative to permanent surgeries.
Leonardo Saenz, an Associate Professor from the University of Chile’s veterinary sciences faculty, stated, “This is the first vaccine of this type in the world for dogs.”
Saenz and his team have been working on developing the vaccine since 2009, and it has started distribution in Chile this month.
The vaccine works by stimulating antibodies and halting the production of sex hormones in both male and female dogs for a year.
Saenz explained, “Everything is blocked: sexual activity and fertility.”
The vaccine, named the Egalitte vaccine, has been patented in 40 countries, including the United States, Argentina, Brazil, and the European Union.
In Chile, the Egalitte vaccine costs $50 USD per shot.
AFP also mentioned that a 27-year-old student, Mr. Ivan Gutierrez, took his dog to a veterinary clinic in Santiago to receive the vaccine.
“I didn’t really want him to have the operation,” he said, echoing the concerns of other dog owners regarding surgical castration.
The clinic’s veterinarian, Dr. Mariela del Saz, stated that most owners are apprehensive about traditional dog sterilization methods due to the risk of cardiorespiratory arrest.
AFP noted that the vaccine is expected to be available in several dozen countries soon.
