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Long‐term effects of GnRH agonists on fertility and behaviour
Author(s) -
GoerickePesch S
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
reproduction in domestic animals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.546
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1439-0531
pISSN - 0936-6768
DOI - 10.1111/rda.12898
Subject(s) - fertility , libido , estrous cycle , castration , medicine , endocrinology , testosterone (patch) , cats , physiology , biology , psychology , hormone , population , environmental health
Contents This review aimed to summarize the present knowledge about the effects of GnRH agonist slow‐release implants (GnRH A‐SRI) on fertility and behaviour in male and female dogs and cats with special focus on deslorelin. Following an initial stimulation of gonadotropin and testosterone secretion possibly associated with an improved semen quality, GnRH A‐SRI induce long‐term depression of fertility in male dogs and cats with, however, a large individual variation in onset and duration of efficacy especially in cats. The GnRH A‐SRI furthermore interfere with testosterone‐dependent/affected behaviour; a significant positive effect in reducing sexual behaviour and libido, hypersexuality, intermale dominance and excessive territorial urine marking has been described. Rates of improvement of the respective behaviour are comparable to those after surgical castration, making GnRH A‐SRI a valuable option to predict castration‐related effects on behaviour and to identify animals where surgical castration will not be beneficial. No effect has been seen in reducing aggression towards humans indicating the need for behavioural therapy to control this problem. Effects on spermatogenesis, steroidogenesis and behaviour have by now been shown to be fully reversible. Knowledge in females is more limited, and particularly, the initial induction of a possibly fertile oestrus and individual variation in duration of efficacy remain problems in bitches and queens treated for suppression of fertility. However, long‐term suppression of oestrous cycle and fertility seems to be possible with induced effects shown to be reversible including restoration of normal fertility after the end of efficacy/GNRH A‐SRI removal.