Antifertility Effect of Busulfan and Procarbazine in Male and Female Coyotes

Antifertility effects of two cytostatic agents, busulfan and procarbazine, were evaluated using 43 captive breeding pairs of adult coyotes. Nineteen pairs served as untreated controls. Only the male or female of remaining pairs was treated. Females received either 8 mg busulfan/kg or 6 mg procarbazine/kg just prior to onset of the breeding season. Males were treated once with either 8 mg busulfan/kg just before onset of breeding or with 4 mg busulfan/kg or 6 mg procarbazine/kg about 1 mo before onset of the breeding season. Uterine implantation sites were counted in females of all breeding pairs postpartum via laparotomy. Busulfan given to males at 4 mg/kg or to either females or males at 8 mg/kg significantly reduced implantation sites compared to untreated controls. Thus, busulfan may be successful in controlling population in coyotes in the field where both the male and female of a breeding pair may ingest the compound. However, multiple doses at a lower rate would be preferred because dosages greater than 10 mg/kg resulted in mortality. Although procarbazine has a mode of action similar to busulfan, doses of 6 mg procarbazine/kg did not reduce implantation sites or disrupt normal spermatogenesis. Increased doses need to be evaluated before effectiveness of procarbazine for coyote population control can be determined.