A CONTRACEPTIVE vaccine that makes dogs temporarily sterile could soon be available. But critics say the cost of repeated visits to the vet and human unreliability mean spaying or neutering should still be the first choice to avoid unwanted puppies.
The contraceptive vaccine, designed to render a dog or bitch infertile for at least six months, is the first to work by generating antibodies to luteinising hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), which controls the production of male and female sex hormones such as testosterone, progesterone and oestrogen.
The group that created the vaccine includes teams at the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for…
