Introduction
Cryptorchidism is the failure of one or both testicles to descend normally from the abdomen into the scrotum of young intact male dogs. A puppy’s testicles normally begin to drop into the scrotum around 2 weeks of age and are fully descended by 6 to 8 weeks of age, although this can take longer in some dogs. Owners are often unaware of the condition until they take their puppy to the veterinarian for a puppy check-up and vaccination. A veterinarian will check male puppies to see if both testicles are descended, which is detectable by palpation.
Treating Retained Testicles (Cryptorchidism) in Dogs
The goal of treating cryptorchidism is to prevent subsequent torsion or development of testicular cancer. It is also designed to prevent propagation of genetic abnormalities and to eliminate undesirable male behavior associated with testosterone. These goals are all best accomplished by castration, removing both the retained and normal testicles. There is anecdotal evidence that certain medical therapies may induce descent of retained testicles in puppies treated before 4 months of age, although this has not been proven. The ethics of such therapies is questionable.
Retained testicles can be difficult to find. Transabdominal ultrasonography can be very helpful to veterinarians trying to locate retained testes. Surgical removal of retained testicles usually is more expensive than a regular neuter procedure because it normally involves abdominal exploration. In rare cases, a retained testicle can be massaged down into the scrotum, making it easier to be removed. A procedure that surgically relocates a retained testis into the scrotum – called “orchiopexy” – is not considered to be ethical among veterinarians. Moreover, artificially relocated testicles that were previously un-descended carry the same 10-fold increased risk of becoming cancerous. Affected animals should not be used for breeding, and their fathers, male siblings and male offspring may be genetic carriers of the condition, even if they do not have it themselves.
After surgical removal of retained testicles, dogs will need some time to recover. Give them lots of love and attention, and restrict their activities for several weeks.