Mary Allen
Cryptorchidism is the failure of one or both testicles to descend into the scrotum.
A distinction is made between inguinal cryptorchidism (the testicles are located in the groin area) and abdominal cryptorchidism (the testicle(s) are located in the abdominal cavity).
The testicles are located in the embryo in the abdominal cavity, near the kidneys. The descent of the testicles in the direction of their future position in the scrotum already begins in the embryo during pregnancy. At birth, puppy testicles are in the inguinal canal. After a few weeks, they should be in the scrotum. As the inguinal canal narrows as it grows, it becomes impassable for testicles that didn’t descend in time.
Causes
Various causes can lead to this condition. In most cases, there is a genetic load. Less often, hormone administration or the influence of environmental toxins during pregnancy is the cause. Due to the hereditary nature of this disease, breeding affected animals is strictly discouraged.
Frequency
The incidence of cryptorchidism in males is between 1-7%. There is great variability between different breeds and breeding lines.
Diagnosis
By 8-12 weeks, a healthy male should have both testicles in the scrotum. If this is not the case, the absence of one or both testicles is often already determined by the breeder or owner. In other cases, it is diagnosed during the examination at the puppy vaccination. An ultrasound examination should be used to check exactly where the missing testicle or testicles are located.
Health Consequences Of Cryptorchidism
If the testicles are not descended correctly, there is a 13-fold increased risk of tumorous degeneration. A major factor here is the higher temperature inside the body. Another possible, albeit rare, consequence of abdominal cryptorchidism is testicular torsion (rotation of the testicles). This occurs when the testicle rotates on itself in the abdomen. Although this can also happen with healthy testicles in the scrotum, a life-threatening situation can arise due to the location in the abdominal cavity if parts of the intestine are also affected.
Therapy
The most frequently chosen form of therapy is castration. Correctly descended testicles can be removed in the same operation or left in place. Since cryptorchidism is a hereditary disease, however, it is recommended to also remove the testicles in the scrotum or to cut through the vas deferens in order to safely rule out reproduction.
The removal of the cryptorchid testicle does not have to be carried out immediately in puppyhood but should be carried out in the first three years of life to prevent possible degeneration.
Drug therapy attempts to cause testicular descent with various hormone preparations are controversial and only make sense, if at all, at a very young age (up to 16 weeks) and with inguinal cryptorchids. The chances of success are generally classified as low.
Castration
Inguinal Cryptorchidism (Testicles In The Groin Area)
The male is given general anesthesia. The surgical area is then shaved, washed and disinfected. The incision is made over the spot where the testicles lie. The testicle is mobilized and advanced to the wound gap. Then the blood vessels and the spermatic cord are tied off and the testicle is removed. The wound is then closed with sutures.
Abdominal Cryptorchidism (Testicles In The Abdominal Cavity)
If the testicles cannot be palpated in the groin area or located using ultrasound before the operation, the abdominal cavity is opened. Ideally, the position of the testicles in the abdominal cavity has been confirmed beforehand by an ultrasound examination. However, this is not always possible.
The male is given general anesthesia. The surgical area is then shaved, washed and disinfected. The abdominal cavity is opened in the midline or next to the foreskin. The testicle is then searched for. To remove it, the blood vessels and the spermatic cord are tied off as in a conventional castration. The abdominal cavity is then closed.
As an alternative to the abdominal incision, the castration of a cryptorchid can also be carried out by means of laparoscopy.
After the operation, the patient can usually be discharged home on the same day. Resting until sutures are removed and wearing a neck collar to prevent licking the wound are necessary measures that are important for smooth healing. The sutures are removed after 10-14 days.
Prognosis
If cryptorchid testicles are removed before tumor formation occurs, the prognosis is very good. Affected dogs have a normal life expectancy. If a testicular tumor has already formed, the prognosis depends on the type of tumor and possible metastases.