Vet Lesson 101: Is that one lump or two?

I have thought about what I want to do with this blog, and although my primary purpose is to entertain (both you and myself!), I have decided I would also like to educate. How many of you wanted to be veterinarians when you were kids? I thought most of you might enjoy seeing and learning about some of the more interesting things I see in my career. I LOVE LOVE LOVE what I do and of course I think it is fascinating! I love to teach about what I do. If you are at all squeemish, you may want to just skip this post, but if not, read on. The first lesson is learning what a cryptorchid is. A cryptorchid is a male dog or cat that has one or both testicles "retained". That means they are not in the scrotal sac where they should be, but can be found anywhere from just above the scrotum, right under the skin, to completely inside the abdomen. If one testicle is retained, he is a unilateral crypt and two retained is a bilateral crypt. Here is a picture of a chihuahua that I had yesterday that was a "unilateral crypt".




Notice that there is just one lump, where there should be two?

In this dog's case, his other testicle was completely inside his abdomen, which required a second incision next to his prepuce to go in and search for it. I found it tucked beneath his bladder. I am holding up the testicle that was inside the dogs abdomen. Notice it is still "attached" and also you can see the first incision where the normal testicle was removed.



It is very important to have cryptorchid dogs/cats neutered because the testicle that is retained is prone to torsion ( twisting so the circulation is cut off and very painful) and cancer (from the increased temperature of the testicle being in the body vs in the scrotum where it belongs and where it is cooler).


Here is a picture of both testicles after removal.




Notice the difference in size between the two testicles? The smaller testicle is the one that was inside the abdomen. It does not grow to the normal size due to the increased temperature inside the body, and it is also very reddened.

Of course, it is important to have all dogs not intended for breeding purposes to be neutered. It is done, not only to control the pet population, but also to avoid other problems like: behavioral aggression, prostate disease or cancer, tumors around the anus called perianal gland adenocarcinomas, and perineal hernias, just to name a few.

So there you have it, now you know everything you needed (or not) to know about cryptorchidism. If you have any questions, just let them fly! And let me know what you think about the lessons. Maybe it isn't your cup of tea! Pun totally intended!