Zeuterin™ is the first ever FDA approved injectable sterilization in the U.S. However, it is not new to the market. It was actually introduced in 2003 under a different name, and then pulled in 2004 with Ark Sciences claiming they were having “supply problems.”
It is now back and people are eager to jump on the bandwagon without asking too many questions. But is the drug really a better option? What exactly does it do? How will your dog react?
How Zeutrin Works.
According to the Ark Sciences website, “after injection, the compound diffuses in all directions from the center of the testis. Zinc, in the specific concentration used, is a spermicide and proven to destroy spermatozoa in all stages of maturation in the seminiferous tubules, rete testis and epididymides. The result is permanent and irreversible fibrosis in the testicle rendering the dog sterile.”
While many of us probably envision a quick, vaccine-like injection and then home with our now-sterile dog, this is not the case. The procedure is actually quite in depth and tricky, which veterinarians must be trained on. Your dog will be given one injection into each testicle, which has to be placed at just the right location and then done slowly – over 5-12seconds per injection. The amount of drug used must also be calculated accurately and your dog needs to be sedated as it is uncomfortable. In addition, because your dog will still look intact, he will be tattooed with a small green “Z” for identification purposes. He will also retain about 50% of his testosterone.
Post procedure recovery includes pain, discomfort (some dogs vomit due to pain), and swollen testicles. Your dog will need pain medicine in order to stay comfortable and activity will need to be limited just like with a traditional neuter.
Is It Better Than Traditional Neutering?
Health
Victoria Stilwell, celebrity dog trainer and host of Animal Planet’s “It’s Me or The Dog,” and her vet, Dr. Duffy Jones weigh in about the pros and cons to the drug. Stilwell is busy working on some new projects, including a new large-scale show with a major network that celebrates the human-animal bond, she was kind enough to spare a few minutes to talk with us about the pros and cons of Zeutrin.
No one is sure about long-term effects because it hasn’t been around long enough for us to know. Tests and trials in the labs can only go so far. In addition, it is important to note that chemical sterilization will not prevent against prostrate or testicular cancer the way neutering does.
And, while there are risks to the traditional method, as least we know what those are and we also know that almost every dog lives a fully, healthy life after being neutered.
“Neutering controls overpopulation, which is what we want,” Stilwell contines. “So Zuetrin does give an option to those who do not want to neuter because it ruins the ‘appearance’ of the dog.” With the new drug, the dog will still look “entire.”
Dr. Jones, owner and practicing veterinarian of Peachtree Hills Animal Hospital in Atlanta, Ga. also worries about long term effects, such as tumors at the injection site and ulcers from improperly placed injections, something that happened back in 2003.
