WO1984004666A1

WO1984004666A1 - Contraceptive for animals

Info

Publication number: WO1984004666A1
Application number: PCT/FR1984/000137
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean Robert Fournier
Original assignee: Europ Rech Instr
Priority date: 1983-05-24
Filing date: 1984-05-24
Publication date: 1984-12-06
Also published as: FR2546400A1; EP0158639A1; FR2546400B1

Abstract

The contraceptive comprises on one hand a repulsive substance and on the other hand a spermicidal substance which are slowly soluble, as well as a hydrophilic carrier (1). The substances are contained for example in a capsule (2) or dispersed in the carrier (1). The contraceptive is placed in the vagina (A) of the female, at the vicinity of the cervix uteri (B) wherein substantially perfuse secretions of physiological liquid occur. The carrier (1) absorbs said liquid and expands. Thereby it bears against the vaginal walls and maintains in place the repulsive and spermicidal substances.

Description

CONTRACEPTIVE FOR ANIMALS The solutions adopted for human contraception cannot be immediately transposed to the problem of animal contraception. This results not only from physiological and anatomical differences but also from the fact that the woman has a completely lucid and voluntary behavior unlike the animal female who is not even aware of the problem and therefore does not understand human interventions in the matter . The implementation of an intrauterine IUD requires intervention by a veterinarian and this has traumatic effects on the animal and even dangerous for his life since it is necessary to carry out a total anesthesia.

However, the presence of an IUD is not an absolute guarantee of sterility, so that even after carrying out such an operation, the owner of the animal is inclined to want to object to the coitus of the man, this which is interpreted by the female as an aggression directed against her natural instinctive behavior.

Attempts have already been made to replace endo-uterine IUDs with endo-vaginal IUDs, but the problem of keeping them in place has never been satisfactorily resolved and always requires the intervention more or less accepted by a veterinarian. Thus, US-A-4,271,835 describes (column 2, lines 9 to 14) that we already know about intravaginal absorbent products and impregnated with a spermicidal solution acting as contraceptives for three reasons: barrier effect, absorption and retention of sperm and prolonged spermicidal action.

However, this US patent specifies (column 2, lines 44 to 55) that the tampon must be impregnated with spermicidal product immediately before its introduction into the vagina.

The patents US-A-4,369,773 and US-A-3,780,730 each describe a contraceptive designed both to absorb the ejaculate and to contain a spermicidal product.

It is noted that none of the patents described above provides for a preventive action of coitus but only a subsequent action. The present invention, on the contrary, relates to a contraceptive which first has an effect intended to move the body away from the animal species considered to prevent coitus and then a possible barrier and spermicide effect in the event of failure of the deterrent effect. The invention, moreover, allows the use of an endovaginal contraceptive which can be put in and removed by the owner of the animal in a very simple manner and without having to call upon a veterinarian.

To this end, the invention relates to a contraceptive for female animals, to be placed in the vagina of a female in the immediate vicinity of the cervix, characterized in that it comprises a hydrophilic support intended to be dilated by absorption of physiological liquids and which contains on the one hand a product with slow diffusion likely to cause a repulsive reaction in males of the animal species considered and, on the other hand, a slowly soluble spermicidal product. According to other characteristics of the invention: - the hydrophilic support is held pinched by a ring near its end opposite to that which must be located near the cervix of the female; - the ring secures the hydrophilic support and a capsule controlling at least one product dispersible in the vagina of the female;

- the contraceptive is secured to a wire whose length is sufficient for it to extend to the outside of the female's vulva and which is made of an elastically deformable material but sufficiently rigid to remain in place despite efforts exerted on him and tending to solicit him towards the inside of the vagina. The invention will be better understood from the detailed description below made with reference to the accompanying drawing. Of course, the description and the drawing are given only by way of an indicative and nonlimiting example. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing in external view a contraceptive according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic view showing a contraceptive of the type of that of Figure 1 placed in the vagina of a bitch seen in vertical section. Figure 3 is a view of the same contraceptive placed in the vagina of a bitch seen in horizontal section.

Referring to the drawing, we see a contraceptive comprising a hydrophilic support 1 for a capsule 2 containing at least one slowly soluble product. In the drawing, the capsule 2 is pierced with small holes 3 through which the product disperses.

The hydrophilic support 1 can be of any known type and, in particular, composed of one or more fibrous layers intended to expand by absorption of physiological liquids. This contraceptive occupies a small volume before use and can therefore be put in place easily, without any pain for the animal, in particular with an applicator. It then expands by absorption of physiological fluids, in particular retaining the odorous secretions characteristic of the availability of the female and her fertility. The support 1 and the capsule 2 can be joined by means of a sort of inextensible ring 4 so that the expansion of the support 1 occurs towards its free end but not towards its end enclosed by the ring 4. All of the contraceptive which has just been described also includes a wire 5 which is fixed, here, to the capsule 2 but which could also be secured to the support 1 or to the ring 4.

This contraceptive is intended to be inserted into the vagina A of an animal female as close as possible to the cervix B of the uterus C.

In this place, in fact, there are many liquid secretions thanks to which the hydrophilic material which constitutes the support 1 expands and bears on the walls of the vagina A and this effect has the result of holding in place the capsule 2 containing the or dispersible products.

These products can be a spermicide and a repellent intended for males of the animal species considered.

In addition, the presence of the dilated support 1 is favorable to the arrest of the spermatozoa and to their maintenance in an area of great spermicidal activity.

This contraceptive therefore acts in three ways: by preventive chemical effect due to the presence of the repellant capable of preventing coitus, by protective chemical effect due to the presence of the spermicidal product and by mechanical or "barrier effect" effect due to the presence of hydrophilic support 1.

To prevent the contraceptive from being expelled as a result of movements of the vaginal wall, it is good to encourage the dilation of the support 1 towards its end closest to the cervix B rather than towards its opposite end. This is obtained, here, by the ring 4 which prevents the support 1 from expanding over its entire length. As shown schematically in dotted lines in Figure 1, the dilation tends to occur in the form of an elongated cone conducive to keeping the contraceptive in place by an effect similar to that that is obtained with an expandable dowel for holding a screw.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the spermicidal product is placed in the support 1 itself, in particular by dispersion during the manufacture of the contraceptive.

In this way, the contraceptive product continues to permeate the vagina but is particularly concentrated in the support 1, where one expects a barrier effect of sperm and this, of course, strengthens the action of the contraceptive. The capsule 2 is located closest to the vulva D and if the repellant is placed in this capsule 2, it promotes its dispersion towards the vulva D where it will be particularly well perceived by the males of the animal species considered.

According to the invention, the wire 5 is preferably made of an elastic but relatively rigid material, that is to say "with memory" so that it cannot be folded back inside the vagina especially during coitus .

This wire 5 is advantageously made of a very smooth synthetic material avoiding friction as much as possible, so that it is insensitive to the movements of the penis and exerts no traction on the contraceptive suitably held in place.

Naturally, the diameter of the wire 5 as well as its flexibility should be chosen so as not to be in any way injurious, either for the female or for the mane. The length of the wire 5 is chosen so that it can extend beyond the vulva D, so that by pulling on this free end one can extract the contraceptive.

It should be emphasized that the contraceptive which has just been described has additional advantages for certain animal species such as bitches.

Indeed, in the canine species, the fertile period of the female occurs twice a year and is preceded for about nine days by bleeding which very often causes blemishes and which therefore constitute a very serious inconvenience for owners. bitches. By putting in place, at this time, a contraceptive in accordance with the invention, a bleeding absorption effect is obtained which avoids external stains.

In this case, the contraceptive according to the invention is used as an absorbent pad and can be changed as often as necessary.

These bleeds cause the dog to lick and this instinctive operation has the disadvantage of rendering completely ineffective external repellents that have been used to date to discourage males from coitus and, by there, to get an infertility effect.

The contraceptive according to the invention comprising, in addition to the spermicidal product, an internal repellant product having external emanations which cannot be neutralized neither by the flows, nor by the bites of the dog, has a particularly great preventive effectiveness.

After the first sterile period of nine days, there occurs in the dog for about eleven days flows of physiological fluids less abundant than bleeding and which are indicative of the fertile period of the dog. At this time, the contraceptive according to the invention takes on its full value since the spermicidal product is held in place by the support 1 perfectly dilated thanks to the absorption of these physiological liquids.

These producing no external flow, the males are little or not solicited by their instinct and can even, as said above, be discouraged by the emanations of repellents.

In any event, if coitus still occurs, the contraceptive exerts its double chemical and mechanical action before the sperm can reach the cervix B.

The contraceptive which has just been described can be produced according to various variants making it possible to adapt it as well as possible to different animal species (cats, mares, etc.) and can receive modifications such as pure suppression and sim pie of the ring 4 and the subjugation of the wire 5 directly to the support 1 for example.

The same is true for dispersible products (spermicide and / or repellant) provided in all kinds of forms: in a capsule 2 or dispersed in the hydrophilic support 1 as described above, or else dispersed in a solid substance itself soluble.

Claims

1- Contraceptive for female animals, to be placed in the vagina (A) of a female in the immediate vicinity of the cervix (B), characterized in that it comprises a hydrophilic support (1) intended to be dilated by absorption of physiological liquids and which contains on the one hand a product with slow diffusion likely to cause a repulsive reaction in males of the animal species considered and, on the other hand, a slowly soluble spermicidal product.

2- Contraceptive according to claim 1, characterized in that the hydrophilic support (1) is held pinched by a ring

(4) near its end opposite to that which must be located near the cervix (B) of the uterus (C) of the female.

3- Contraceptive according to claim 2 characterized in that the ring (4) secures the hydrophilic support (1) and a capsuie (2) containing at least one product dispersible in the vagina (A) of the female.

4- Contraceptive according to claim 1, characterized in that it is integral with a wire (5) whose length is sufficient so that it can extend to the outside of the vulva (D) of the female and which is made of an elastically deformable material but rigid enough to remain in place despite the gifts exerted on it and tending to urge it towards the inside of the vagina (A).