The American Humane Society calls pet overpopulation a tragic problem, forcing shelters to euthanize millions of cats and dogs each year.
Now, students at the University of Virginia have a solution – a non-surgical, reversible form of birth control for pets.
Neutering involves anesthesia, snipping and stitches. It must be done by a veterinarian, and for some families it’s too expensive. Kevin Eisenfrats , an engineering major at UVA, had a better idea – adapting an existing technology to provide low-cost birth control for male dogs and cats. Using a small ultrasound unit, a vet tech locates the vas deferens, then injects a polymer gel which hardens to create a barrier.
“We’re just blocking sperm from traveling through the tube. Over time, it’s basically absorbed by the lining of the vas deferens, and this gel lasts 12 plus years, which is actually perfect for the lifespan of the animal.”
He knew this approach, which takes just two minutes, had been used successfully in baboons, rats and humans, so he and his colleagues developed a kit for animal shelters and veterinarians. Their innovation won a $20,000 prize. Eisenfrats now plans to use that money to launch the company and the product his team calls Contraline.
