Evaluation of alterations in physical, hematobiochemical and ultrasonography images following chemosterilization using calcium chloride intratesticular injection in Wistar rats

Abstract

Street animal overpopulation poses serious public health and economic concerns due to their role as reservoirs and vectors of infectious diseases. Chemical sterilization offers a practical, economical, and less labor-intensive alternative to surgical and hormonal methods for mass population control. This study evaluated the effects of intratesticular calcium chloride (CaCl₂) injection on physical, hematobiochemical, and ultrasonographic parameters in Wistar rats and assessed the influence of meloxicam on treatment response. Eighteen rats were randomly divided into three groups: control (normal saline), T1 (20% CaCl₂), and T2 (20% CaCl₂ + meloxicam). Clinical signs, body weight, hematological indices, serum biochemistry, lipid peroxidation, and ultrasonographic changes were recorded over 30 days. Mild reduction in activity was observed in treated groups during the initial two days, with no mortality reported. Transient testicular swelling persisted for 48 hours post-injection and resolved by day five. Hematobiochemical findings indicated inflammatory and oxidative stress responses, while ultrasonography revealed progressive increases in echogenicity suggestive of degeneration and fibrosis of testicular tissue. Overall, calcium chloride intratesticular injection proved to be an effective, minimally invasive, and economical chemosterilization technique with limited systemic effects, supporting its potential application for large-scale animal population control programs.