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The present study was conducted on ten healthy adult stray male dogs weighing 12-19 kg, and randomly divided into two groups. Animals in treatment group were given coumestrol @ 1.5 mg/kg body weight (n=5) dissolved in di-methyl sulfoxide orally in a treat, once only. Dogs in control group (n=5) were given DMSO only. Castration of one dog was done on 12 hours, 24 hours and 7 days post feeding of coumestrol, respectively whereas two treated dogs were castrated on 15th day post feeding; same castration schedule was followed for control animals. Tissue from different parts of the testes were incised and fixed in Bouin’s fixative. Stages of seminiferous epithelial cycle and spermiogenesis were not identifiable in the treated dogs. However, no histopathological lesions were observed on structure of spermatogonial and sertoli cells. Therefore, it was concluded that oral feeding of coumestrol @ 1.5mg/kg b.w. cannot be used for sterilization of male dogs.
Keywords: Coumestrol, Seminiferous epithelial cycle, Testes.