Delaying a Season in a Competing Bitch - best options?

RE: Delaying a Season in a Competing Bitch - best options?

George Pate — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 06:59:50 GMT

I haven't used Delvo in a long time. When we did, the vast majority of bitches came into season around 5-6 months later. A proportion it was much longer. There was one cat that didn't have a season for 2 years after a single injection.

In the situation you describe, I would make sure the breeder understands that you guarantee when the next season will be

RE: Delaying a Season in a Competing Bitch - best options?

Clive Ansell — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 06:15:14 GMT

[quote userid="3169" url="~/001/veterinary-clinical/small-animal/f/misc-case-discussions/30356/delaying-a-season-in-a-competing-bitch---best-options/238083#238083"]I would happily give Delvo. If coming into season when injected they often won't go 6 months, some can take a while to come back into season, but then some bitches are irregular anyway. Know lots of bitches that have successfully bred after Delvo. It's licenced, just expensive. If you want a 4 month delay, then jab as coming into season and cross your fingers.[/quote]

So would I, following careful discussion with the client, and advising that future breed cannot be guaranteed (With or without the Delvo) and as per data sheet there is a small risk (0.3%) of pyometra.

RE: Delaying a Season in a Competing Bitch - best options?

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 22:31:44 GMT

When we started work 16 years ago the retired vet hated bitch spays so we would give Delvo to bitches every singe day, now we don't use more than a bottle or two per year (in single animals as per data sheet) and see fewer pyos, BUT the population of unspayed non breeding bitches is tiny in comparison. I don't think the rate is higher, just the population at risk smaller these days.

I would happily give Delvo. If coming into season when injected they often won't go 6 months, some can take a while to come back into season, but then some bitches are irregular anyway. Know lots of bitches that have successfully bred after Delvo. It's licenced, just expensive. If you want a 4 month delay, then jab as coming into season and cross your fingers.

RE: Delaying a Season in a Competing Bitch - best options?

Dinu Catilina — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 14:47:56 GMT

[quote userid="11308" url="~/001/veterinary-clinical/small-animal/f/misc-case-discussions/30356/delaying-a-season-in-a-competing-bitch---best-options/238076#238076"]Thanks Dinu, would this be after a single dose or multiple uses? I think the plan is just to do it the once[/quote]

I honestly don't think there is any data on this, just observational and who knows, maybe these bitches would have had pyo regardless.

RE: Delaying a Season in a Competing Bitch - best options?

niall morton — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 13:37:55 GMT

Don’t tell them about getting an unfair advantage…. They’ll want it even more!

RE: Delaying a Season in a Competing Bitch - best options?

Olivia Cook — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 13:08:58 GMT

Unfortunately Norethisterone is only permitted under the cascade for racing greyhound bitches, we aren’t even allowed to use it on the retired ones, so I don’t know what hoops you would have to jump through to be allowed to use it in another breed - quite apart from the fact that since the war in Ukraine its almost impossible to get hold of anyway…

RE: Delaying a Season in a Competing Bitch - best options?

Clive Ansell — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 11:47:44 GMT

I've worked in practices that have in the past used a lot of Delvosteron, both on a one off, and a permanent basis. Its anecdotal I know, but there always seemed to be many pyometras - how much of that can attributed to Delvosteron use, or whether it was because most bitches were unspayed , I just don't know. It used to be joked when booking an appointment for a Delvosteron injection, to book the Pyo surgery on the way out.

RE: Delaying a Season in a Competing Bitch - best options?

Anthony Dennison — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 10:59:40 GMT

[quote userid="9239" url="~/001/veterinary-clinical/small-animal/f/misc-case-discussions/30356/delaying-a-season-in-a-competing-bitch---best-options/238075#238075"]I would advise against it, both delvosterone and suprelorin can increase the risk of cystic endometritis and consequently pyometra.[/quote]

Thanks Dinu, would this be after a single dose or multiple uses? I think the plan is just to do it the once.

RE: Delaying a Season in a Competing Bitch - best options?

Dinu Catilina — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 10:54:32 GMT

I would advise against it, both delvosterone and suprelorin can increase the risk of cystic endometritis and consequently pyometra.

You can use testosterone derivates but this is a competing bitch and might gain an unfair advantage.

Norethisterone is used in greyhounds, I have no experience with it but Olivia Cook can help.

RE: Delaying a Season in a Competing Bitch - best options?

Clive Ansell — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 09:39:49 GMT

Delvosteron is specifically licenced for delaying oestrus, either as a one off event, or on a permanent basis. According to data sheet an injection is given while still in anoestrus, and the bitch should come back into season 6 months later. No guarantee of future successful breeding, and a very small risk of developing pyometra.

Suprelorin implant is only licenced in male dogs, so any use would be off label. No guarantee of future breeding of course.