News
Vets express concern over dangerous contraceptive for stray dogs
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya
The ministry’s Public Health Veterinary Services has requested 50,000 doses of the Depo-Provera contraceptive from the World Health Organization (WHO) to carry out dog population control as a project proposal.
However, the Sri Lanka Veterinary Association, the State Veterinary Association, and animal rights activists have expressed concerns about the drug and separately written to the WHO regional office in Colombo calling for discussions and to stop using the drug on dogs.
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- Due to the economic crisis, the Government is unable to spend on sterilisation surgeries. (File pix)
They have also written to the veterinary council and other authorities, while a group of animal welfare activists, has also written to the WHO regional representative seeking advice, intervention, and support to ensure the drug is not introduced on female dogs, nor promoted in Sri Lanka.
A senior official of the Ministry of Health said the decision was taken due to the economic crisis and that the Government was unable to spend on sterilisation surgeries.
Public Health Veterinary Services director L D Kithsiri said he requested 50,000 doses of Depo-Provera from the WHO to carry out dog population control as a project proposal. He said he only carried out decisions by ministry superiors.
Dr Kithsiri said there was research related to the use of Depo-Provera in dogs and that it was not banned. He said the drug’s effects on dogs would be monitored.
Dr Kithsiri said the Government hoped to train medical officers of health and public health inspectors to monitor the dogs and administer the contraceptive injections.
The ministry has intervened in dog population control as most local authorities — except for a few — are not able to handle the task.
The Sunday Times learned that though the ministry carries out rabies control programmes, by virtue of law, the controlling of rabies in dogs lies within the purview of local authorities according to the Rabies Ordinance, and Dog Registration Ordinance. Accordingly, local authorities are vested with the power of controlling the dog population and of taking action against nuisance dogs.
Scientific evidence reveals the adverse effects of the administration of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA)/Depo-Provera as a contraceptive for female dogs. A large number of investigations have been done all over the world.
Research has shown adverse side effects such as increased appetite, weight gain, polydipsia and slight depression. Progestin treatment should be restricted to female dogs in anestrus or early proestrus.
Not only that, female dogs in late proestrus, estrus or dioestrus, if treated, may result in abnormal stimulation of the reproductive tract and uterine pathology due to the presence of increased progesterone.
Pyometra is a secondary infection that occurs because of hormonal changes in the female reproductive tract. Following estrus (heat), the hormone progesterone remains elevated for up to two months and causes the lining of the uterus to thicken in preparation for pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur for several consecutive estrus cycles, the uterine lining continues to increase in thickness until cysts form within the uterine tissues (a condition called cystic endometrial hyperplasia).
The thickened, cystic lining secretes fluids that create an ideal environment for bacterial growth. In addition, the muscles of the uterus cannot contract properly, preventing fluids that have accumulated to be expelled.
Sri Lanka Veterinary Association President Dr Dilan Satharasinghe told the Sunday Times the WHO representative had been asked to arrange a discussion. A letter has also been sent to the Veterinary Council of Sri Lanka.
“We are concerned. This off-label drug has to be administered under the strict supervision of veterinary surgeons as the hormonal and estrus cycles of the animals have to be monitored and vaccination should be given at the proper time. Apart from that, the drug is only viable for six months after administration,’’ he said.
Injecting the drug without proper monitoring could lead to side effects that would compromise the animal’s welfare and even be fatal to female dogs and also kill puppies in the womb, he said.
The association considers the move impractical. A veterinarian cannot be assigned to monitor each stray dog and learn of their condition before the use of the drug.
The State Veterinary Surgeons Association said Government authorities are acting without considering the welfare of dogs.
State Veterinary Surgeons Association Chief N T Hewagamage told the Sunday Times: “This drug, when administered to stray dogs without monitoring, could lead to many complications.’’
The chief veterinary surgeon of the Colombo Municipal Council, Dr M Ijaz explained that if Depo-Provera is not given during the proper reproductive cycle of dogs, complications occur and some of these can be life-threatening.
“These side effects can be triggered by short-term treatment even with a single dose. Such side effects are potentially serious, involving emergency surgery or medical treatment and may even lead to death.
Animal rights activists point out that suppressing reproduction in dogs will not reduce rabies. Dogs needs to be vaccinated.
Animal rights activist Champa Fernando, who is also the secretary of the Kandy Association for Community Protection through Animal Welfare (KACPAW), said using contraceptives for 50,000 dogs is not a solution for eradicating rabies in dogs.
She said that as the director of public health veterinary services, being a veterinarian himself, she was aware of the extreme effects of the drug, and “it is highly unethical to use the drug on the dogs knowingly.”
Lawyer and animal welfare advocate Lalani Perera said a reference had been made to the need to use Depo-Provera, as an alternative for population control, especially in stray dogs. “Certain countries have prohibited the use of Depo- Provera since it cannot be considered a humane method.”
It undermines the “no kill policy” declared in 2006, whereby vaccination against rabies and sterilisation, and or neutering of dogs, became the humane method of controlling the dog population.
When contacted, the WHO’s Colombo Office said that it would respond to emailed questions, but had not replied by Friday evening.
The Veterinary Council has written to relevant people to immediately stop using Depo-Provera on dogs. The registrar, Dr L N A de Silva said the council is also monitoring the situation.
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