Cryptorchid - Page 1

Question for you folks that have seen or dealt with this.

I have a 1.5yo black GSD. Unfortunately when I got him as a puppy [with breeding rights] I found out from my vet he had a retained testicle. I went back to the owner of the mother [the woman I bought him from] and let her know, she told me to wait and that it would fall... well it never did. I went back months later letting her know I expected compensation. I paid full price to breed a male and now I can't. Unfortunately she's dropped under the radar and now I can't find her.

Either way the problem I have now is what to do. I'm still in contact with the owner of the father and she suggested I come on here and see what others think before I neuter him. I read article after article that says the retained testicle can cause cancer. So rather than risking his health later, I want to get him fixed. I still want him to grow to his full potential though. But what is your experiance with this? What do you suggest I do?

Thanks in advance folks.

I bought one like this once. He never dropped that one, so we returned him. I think he was 6 months old at the time? It has been years, so I cannot remember. The breeder planned to wait him out and see if he dropped, but I don't believe he ever did. If this were my dog, I would neuter him. The retained testical can very easily cause cancer. I wouldn't want to risk it.

I'm not sure about dogs, but I know with horses some vets can reach up in there and draw the retained testicle out. It then becomes a typical surgery and costs less. However, it depends on how tightly it's in there. Often times, this is not possible to draw them down ... but just thought I'd mention it.

You can also possibly have it pulled down then the vet puts a stitch or two in there to hold it down in place.  I still wouldn't breed him, but at least the health risks won't be there with keeping the retained testicle.  I've never known them to drop after 6-7 months.

I would have him neutered. If the retained testicle is inguinal, the vet can often reach it from the usual neuter incision. If it is abdominally retained an abdominal incision must be made and the testicle fished out of the belly. In 15 years in the veterinary world I have seen a few males with retained testicles who turned out to be really challenging for the surgeon, as they turned out to be hermaphrodites.
If the testicle is abdominal, I have seen it go easy and I have also seen it take a long time to locate the testicle. It is usually abnormally small and sometimes difficult to locate.

However, I do recommend neutering him. At 1 1/2 years of age, you have attained the majority of growth and you do increase your risk of cancer the longer the retained testicle stays in there.

I would neuter him, BUT you don't have to do it right now. You can wait till he is 2 years old. He will be fine. That is what I did with mine years ago.

I would have him neutered at 2 years old, after he is all done growing.

I had a GSD years back with a retained testicle, he was just a pet, no plans to breed him,
well I didn't want to take away his dog parts, and he ended up with a large cancerous mass
in the area where his retained testicle was, he was put down on the operating table, so sad.

But, not to worry, your dog won't get cancer tomorrow, you can wait till he's all done growing,
in the long run he'll be physically and mentally more stable, than if he's neutered as a pup.

Good luck with your decision.

OK, I'm gonna play devil's advocate for a minute... The father's owner suggested you come on a database to get opinions from dog owners about what to do in a medical situation. You paid full price for a male to breed... You came on a website to ask dog owners their opinion on what to do with a retained testical... 1.  I'm assuming you had this conversation with your vet, if you don't trust your vet enough to follow his advice, get a new vet. 2.  What happened to you should probably know something about dogs before you decide to breed them???

Paula is the only person w/a real occurrence of cancer from a retained testicle I have ever heard of.

I wouldn't neuter him for it. If it concerns you, have the vet fix it and drop it down.

This whole "retained testicle causes cancer" idea is a big scare tactic. It's really that IF a dog is going to get cancer of the testicles, THEN it's more likely to occur in the retained testicle. Still, the odds are low- low enough that I certainly wouldn't neuter him over it. Neutering predisposes to much more deadly cancers.

Ummm..... not neutering a male with an undescended testicle, (a heritable problem) is a good thing? They can and will go out and produce offspring, which are  way more likely to have the problem as well as pass it on. This makes sense how? This is responsible dog breeding how?

Cryptorchid by jmopaso

    You made the statement   _inheritable problem...maybe , yes,,, but I must remind us. ...

for all these years this has been a once in a litter occurrence and yes ,,but remember  the lines that this shows up are almost every bloodline  in the German makeup, just like coats.

THAT also is in every bloodline somewhere...go research it...YOu will find both Cryptorchid , HD and coats in them all
SO immediately someonse tells the breeder.....do not breed this pair again..?????

Well, then , all the same dogs in this same bloodline better hand up the leash and close the kennel..

just my opinion
NOW do not take me wrong..as a responsible breeder I found one dog of this problem in breeding same female and male for 7 litters by a very reputable person of high quality titled and healthy dogs and the one pup out of all the litters was all there ever was.

JUST like megaesophagus inherited trait... If one is all you produce out of several litters. then how can you tell   3000 other breeders with same bloodlines from same inheritance to quit breeding their dog.
OF course do not breed this male...The other  male never was neutered and  he lived to be 9 yrs old.
HE was never bred either.

That is responsible but do not tell owner of said male and female of one pup to quit breeding.

THAT is their responsibility to if  ..and I say IF  it happens the second time  then I would address the NO BREED AGAIN RULE>

JUST my opinion

YR