It can happen on just one or both sides (unilateral or bilateral), in about equal numbers. Interestingly, if only one is retained, it’s more than twice as likely to be on the right.
Until the exit hole called the inguinal ring closes at around 6 months of age, there’s always a chance of the testicle descending.
Then we search under the skin from the scrotum to the inguinal ring. Although undescended testicles are smaller, they can usually be felt as a 1 or 2cm blip that pops under the fingers. The only time this is hard is when the dog is overweight. The picture (above) shows the result of just such a surgery, with one incision for the descended testicle, and another for the one under the skin in the groin.
However, an undescended testicle can happen to any dog. For example, my own Border Terrier was bilaterally cryptorchid, which caused the breeder considerable embarrassment.
The only effective treatment is desexing or neutering, or at very least the surgical removal of the undescended testicle. This is essential due to the extremely high rate of seminomas and sertoli cell tumours in cryptorchid dogs. There’s something about the higher temperature of retained testicles that makes cancer much more likely.
What Is the Treatment for Cryptorchidism?
Surgical removal of the normal and retained testes is the only treatment for cryptorchidism. Both testicles should be removed, even if the dog is a unilateral cryptorchid. Surgery can be more complicated than usual because the cryptorchid testicle can be difficult to locate. But once it is found, the process is similar to a normal neuter.
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Our dog, a 4 year old Goldendoodle had a litter of puppies last year. We just found out that one of the pups, which is now 9 months old, is cryptorchid. We would like to get 1 or 2 more litters of puppies from our doodle before we retire her. Should we stop breeding her because one of her pups is crytorchid?
Both testicles should drop in normal dogs by eight weeks of age. If one or more have not by that time, your dog should be considered as having cryptorchidism. Some texts are more generous and will give a dog until 16 weeks before confirming a diagnosis. Pain is rarely associated with cryptorchidism. One complication that may happen, and will cause severe abdominal pain, is the spermatic cord twisting onto itself. On occasion, other abnormalities are associated with cryptorchidism. They are:
Sometimes testicles that are retained in the abdomen lead to a type of cancer that causes a dog to secrete large amounts of estrogen. This leads to a condition known as male feminizing syndrome. In this case, a male dog may stop lifting his leg and start to squat like a female. His coat will change. This is often the first symptom owners see. If the dog is unilaterally cryptorchid the normal testicle will often shrink (atrophy). Left unchecked, this condition can lead to pain during urination, infertility, and secondary infections. Excessive estrogen production can also lead to a life-threatening condition called estrogen toxicity.
Cryptorchidism is the failure of one or both testicles to drop into the scrotal sac in male dogs. The testicle can be retained in the abdomen or anywhere along the path to the scrotum pouch. Where the testicle is lodged depends entirely on its size at the time of descent.Youtube Play
Cryptorchidism is an autosomal recessive inherited trait, which means it must be present in both parent’s genetic lines to develop. It is difficult to determine if the dam carries the gene. It is generally determined by her offspring. Breeders are often hesitant to remove an otherwise healthy, sound dog from a breeding program for a seemingly superficial reason. Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid dogs do not fit the breeding standard and are not accepted in the show ring.