By Samantha Bartlett

A professor in the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. CheMyong Jay Ko is developing a method for sterilizing animals without surgery. Dr. Ko started working on the project to help veterinarians spend more time on healing animals and less time on elective surgeries.

He discovered that multiple doses of a synthetic estrogen given to neonate rodents halted their sexual development. The administration of estorgen during the window of reproductive organ development prevents the maturity of sex organs and halts the development of sex-related behaviors. 

Dr. Ko’s technology is an injectable pellet that releases hormones in cats and dogs. The product is made by Dr. Ko’s company, Epivara, and is called iSpay and iNeuter. He has also developed iNeuter-S as an alternative for castration in male pigs. Dr. Ko states that although the technology stops the development of the reproductive organs, the overall growth of the individual is not affected. 

The products developed by Epivara are still waiting for approval through the FDA and USDA. The full regulatory approval will likely take about $25 million per species. Dr. Ko has received several grants as well as money from private investors to help with development and testing. 

Meanwhile in Chile, a vaccine has been created that sterilized dogs for a year. A faculty member from the University of Chile’s veterinary sciences department, Fernando Saenz, has been working with his team since 2009 to develop the vaccine. The product is currently being distributed throughout Chile. The vaccine stops the production of sex hormones for one year in male and female dogs by stimulating antibodies.  The vaccine, known as Egalitte, has been patented in 40 different countries.