Base de données de recherche des TNO

Régions: Sahtu Settlement Area

étiquettes: Access to veterinary care, Dog population management

Objectif(s): This study asks: Does deslorelin acetate provide an acceptable temporary alternative to surgical sterilization in sexually mature male dogs and in prepubertal female dogs (3-4 months old) in remote and underserved communities in Canada? Is the use of deslorelin acetate implants a cost effective alternative or supplement to full-scale preventive veterinary clinics in underserved communities?

Description du projet: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No. 5984. The aim of this study is to understand what role the contraceptive implant, Suprelorin®, can play in increasing access to sterilization for underserved communities in Canada. There are many studies demonstrating its efficacy and safety as a temporary contraceptive in mature male dogs and prepubertal (3-4 months old) female dogs, so this study aims to understand the acceptability of this product as a tool for preventive veterinary services delivered in underserved communities by gathering clients perspectives on its use. The implant will be offered to clients with sexually mature male dogs and 3-4 month old female dogs who cannot access surgical sterilization services (due to clinic resource limitations) as a temporary infertility option. Clients will be followed up with at 1-week, 1-month, 2-months, 3-months and 6-months post-implant placement to ask about how they think their dog is doing. This study asks: - Does deslorelin acetate provide an acceptable temporary alternative to surgical sterilization in sexually mature male dogs and in prepubertal female dogs (3-4 months old) in remote and underserved communities in Canada? - Given the logistics and intense resource and personnel costs of providing surgical sterilization in remote and underserved communities, is the use of deslorelin acetate implants a cost-effective alternative or supplement to full-scale preventive veterinary clinics in underserved communities? The study will take place in 3 of the 5 Sahtu Settlement Area communities (Colville Lake, Fort Good Hope and Norman Wells), accessible by air or winter road only, and served annually by UCVM since 2008. As a licensed veterinarian in the Northwest Territories, Dr. Tessa Baker will be implementing this study. This will provide consistency in implant placement and in how clients are communicated with about the implant, the research study and during the follow-up surveys. Implants will be offered to clients with eligible dogs at 3 clinic events spaced 6 months apart for a total of 3 treatment events (September 2024, February 2025, September 2025). The 2 clinic events held in September 2024 and 2025 will be run by a small group of 2-3 veterinarians, including Dr. Baker. The clinic event held in February will be the standard annual clinic held by UCVM, and Dr. Baker is a member of the veterinary team. An initial consent form and survey will be done with each client (who would like their eligible dog implanted) at each treatment event, followed by a 1-week, 1-month, 2-month, 3-month and 6-month follow-up survey with each client to ask about how their dog is doing. An implant protocol will be followed with each dog and is outlined below along with information about the client surveys. Implant Protocol, Consent Form, and Initial Client Survey: At each clinic event (treatment 1-3), clients interested in an implant for their eligible dog (sexually mature male or prepubertal female) will be asked if there is a reason why they chose the implant over surgical sterilization. Then a consent form will be reviewed with the client. This will outline how the implant works, when infertility can be expected and for how long, any potential side effects and how to mitigate or address them, and our contact information should they have any concerns. Their consent to participate in the study and the follow-up survey schedule will also be reviewed with each client so that they are aware of when we will contact them again. After consent is received and the client and dog information are collected, the dog’s picture will be taken to assist with tracking animals over time. The dog will then be vaccinated with a rabies vaccine and canine combo vaccine, provided with a rabies tag (another form of identification) and vaccination certificate and implanted with the contraceptive implant under the skin. The dog will also receive an oral deworming product. Clients will be sent home with discharge instructions which will describe potential side effects, when infertility can be expected and for how long and the study follow-up schedule. Client Follow-up Surveys: Each client will be contacted by phone 1 week, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months after the implant is placed to see how the dog is doing and whether there are any concerns. The client will be asked the same series of open-ended questions that will assess how the dog is doing, what behaviours the client may have noticed, if female dogs have gone into heat/had males interested in them/been bred/could be pregnant, and address any questions or concerns clients may have. The 6-month follow-up survey can be done in-person at the next in-community clinic event or over the phone. The client will be asked the same series of open-ended questions as before and will then be given the option of having their male dog receive another implant, receiving no additional treatment, or, if available at that clinic event, be surgically sterilized. Female dogs will only be eligible to receive one implant at 3-4 months of age to delay the onset of puberty. These female dogs will then be given priority for a spay surgery at the 6-month follow-up event if the client is interested. The client will be asked what their reasons are for the option they choose. The implant will also be offered for new clients/dogs, along with vaccination and deworming at each clinic event. The same implantation protocol and follow-up schedule for client surveys (1 week, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months after implant) will be followed for each new and on-going study dog. No identifying information about the client will be collected during the follow-up surveys. All responses to the follow-up questions will be kept confidential, linked to the animal's medical record and the paper consent form only by a unique research ID. The medical record created at the implant appointment (standard for any veterinary appointment) will include the client's name and contact information, as well as the dog's demographic information and physical exam findings. The medical record will be retained with the clinic event records as is standard for veterinary practices. Regardless of method of follow-up requested by the client (e.g., phone call, text), all responses to the follow-up surveys will be typed into an excel database by Dr. Baker during the follow up conversation and these responses will be be kept separate from the medical records on Dr. Baker's computer in a password protected folder. Once the follow-up survey series is complete (i.e., after 6-months), the research ID can be removed from the excel database of responses and the responses be treated as anonymous aggregate data. Responses to the follow-up surveys will be analyzed using content analysis and presented as aggregate, anonymous data in any reports or presentations. The communities' identities will also remain anonymous. Anonymized results and a final summary report will be provided to each community leadership and summary infographics will be available at future veterinary clinic events held in the community by UCVM to share findings with clients of the clinic and will be shared with community contacts for broader dispersion. Communication with the communities about the study: In March 2024, the 17th annual veterinary clinic event was held in Norman Wells, Fort Good Hope and Colville Lake, where it was discussed with leadership of each community the study described above. In Norman Wells, this was through a meeting with the Mayor. In Fort Good Hope, this was through a meeting with the SAO (the Chief was out of town), who brought the information forward to the Chief on our behalf. In Colville Lake, this was through being invited to participate in a council meeting during a discussion about managing free-roaming dogs. The idea of the implant was also discussed with interested clients at the clinic events held in each community in March and had information pamphlets available describing the implant in Fort Good Hope and Colville Lake. The team followed up with the Mayor of Fort Good Hope and the SAOs of Fort Good Hope and Colville Lake in May about the study. Each of these contacts raised the study for discussion at a subsequent council meeting in their community. The team have received email confirmation and a letter of support from the Mayor of Norman Wells for this study (see attached) as well as received email support for the study from the SAO of Fort Good Hope (see attached) and have received a letter of support from the Chief of Fort Good Hope (see attached). The team have received verbal support over the phone from the SAO of Colville Lake and are waiting for him to finalize discussions with community council and provide a letter of support. Communication with the communities during and after the study: Prior to arriving in each community to deliver the clinic event (exact dates to be determined with the communities for the September 2024, February 2025 and September 2025), the team will be following up with each community about accommodation, a place to hold the clinic event, and to share advertising material about the clinic event and the implants, as done before delivering each annual veterinary clinic event. After each of the 3 clinic events, the team will provide a summary report describing the outcome of the events (e.g., the number of dogs seen at the clinic, vaccinated, implanted, etc.). At the end of the study, once all the follow-up surveys have been completed with clients (i.e., February 2026), the team will share a copy of the anonymized data to each community's leadership, as well as a summary report that shares the findings. At the same time, the results will be shared with each community at a community event, such as a feast, to share findings and gain feedback from community members on the results. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from: August 21 - September 30, 2024