Department of Animal Reproduction with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 14, 10-719, Olsztyn, Poland.
Acta Vet Scand. 2021 Nov 27;63(1):50. doi: 10.1186/s13028-021-00616-9.
Ketoconazole, an antifungal agent, adversely affects spermatogenesis in rodents, but knowledge on adverse effects of prolonged administration of ketoconazole on the fertility of male dogs is lacking. A case of reversible infertility with azoospermia in a male American Staffordshire terrier treated with ketoconazole is reported here.
A seven-year old male American Staffordshire terrier treated for 3 months with ketoconazole for a persistent Malassezia dermatitis displayed reduced libido and mating of 3 bitches had been unsuccessful. The dog was presented at the clinic 40 days after the treatment had been stopped. At first presentation, low libido and complete absence of sperm in the ejaculate (azoospermia) associated with low testosterone level were found. Repeated examinations revealed that sperm quality and testosterone level had restored 100 days after ketoconazole had been withdrawn. Thereafter, the dog successfully mated 2 bitches.
The treatment with ketoconazole for 3 months may have led to reversible infertility characterized by azoospermia. Therefore, owners of stud dogs should be informed of this risk prior to initiating such treatment and in case of infertility, previous treatment with ketoconazole should be considered as a possible cause.
酮康唑是一种抗真菌药物，会对啮齿动物的精子发生产生不良影响，但缺乏关于酮康唑长期给药对雄性犬生育力的不良影响的知识。本文报道了一例用酮康唑治疗的美国斯塔福德郡梗犬发生可逆性不育和无精子症的病例。
一只 7 岁雄性美国斯塔福德郡梗犬因持续性马拉色菌性皮炎接受酮康唑治疗 3 个月，表现出性欲降低，与 3 只母犬交配均未成功。该犬在停药 40 天后就诊于诊所。初次就诊时，发现性欲降低，精液中完全没有精子（无精子症），同时伴有睾酮水平降低。重复检查显示，酮康唑停药 100 天后，精子质量和睾酮水平已恢复正常。此后，该犬成功与 2 只母犬交配。
酮康唑治疗 3 个月可能导致以无精子症为特征的可逆性不育。因此，在开始此类治疗前，应告知种公犬的主人存在这种风险，如果出现不育，应考虑酮康唑治疗作为可能的原因。
