A transcript of the video is provided below:
Today I want to talk to you about Frankie. Frankie came in for a routine neuter today, unfortunately, it wasn’t routine. Frankie is cryptorchid and so today I want to tell you what that is, how we find it, and why Coastal Animal Hospital is the place to go if your dog has it.
So, what is “Cryptorchid?” The word literally means, hidden testicle. This is when 1 or both of the testicles fail to descend in to the scrotum. If your pet is over 6 months of age and they still haven’t had both testicles drop, then chances are, they may never and this will require surgery to find and remove them. This is a really important surgery because a high percentage of cryptorchid testicles will eventually turn in to large tumors, so early removal is key.
Fortunately we can find most of these testicles because, like Frankie, they often make it to the inguinal area, but just don’t quite get there. This is ideal because the surgery to remove these inguinal testes is fairly routine.
However, if they are not in the inguinal canal, then finding them and removing them can be more difficult. Here at Coastal, we can first perform an ultrasound to try and locate the hidden testicle prior to surgery. Once located, traditionally we would have to make a large incision and open up their abdomen to remove these, alternatively, some practices will try to remove them by making a small incision and using a hook to snare the testicle and pull it out. However, this can be associated with severe complications if the wrong organ is blindly hooked and it is well documented that other structures like the ureters have been inadvertently damaged in the process. This is where we are really excited to step forward and do these surgeries because we are the only general practice in San Diego performing this surgery Laparoscopically. We make 2 tiny incisions and go in to the abdomen with a camera which magnifies all of the internal structures making it easy to identify and remove the hidden testicle. Just like in humans, laparoscopy is a less painful way to have surgery done and these pups are back to their old antics in no time. Not to mention that this is also associated with lower complications which helps all of us to sleep better.
So if your dog is cryptorchid, call us here at Coastal Animal Hospital and we can take care of these hidden testicles with less pain and fewer complications which will make your and your pet’s life better.
Hi,
I have a miniature cockapoo who’s both testicles have not dropped he is 1 year and 19 months as of April 2018. I live in Toronto, Canada and would like to know what is the cost for a laparoscopic surgery ?
Hi Michael,
I am not sure what the procedure would cost in your area, but a general idea would likely be in the $1000-$1500 range if performed at family practice and in the $2500-3500 if performed at a specialty hospital. If you are looking to take a San Diego vacation, we would be happy to help!
Hello my dogs testicles looks like it’s at the back of his penis that’s the part that looks like balls he is now 6 months old a lot of times he seems like he sucking them up but I don’t know what to think. Some say give it time they will drop and others say no. What is ur thoughts????
Hi Tara,
What you may be seeing is your dog’s “bulbus glandis” and not his testicles. There is a bulge that will happen on the penis of dogs when they get excited and can look very much like testicles. You should ask your veterinarian about what you are seeing and if it isn’t his testicles, then you may be in for a cryptorchid surgery. If you want to schedule an appointment with us, please call the front desk and they can find a time for us to evaluate his anatomy and make some recommendations.
Good luck!
Dr. Evans
I have a dog that has his testicals exactly like the dog in the video I live in la and I really want to get this thing removed from my dog do u now how much it will cost ??In my area ?
Hi Jennifer,
Sorry to hear your little guy is cryptorchid. Hard to say what it will cost in your area. The biggest question is if it is “inguinal” or “abdominal”. If you would like to make the trip down to San Diego, we would love to help figure it out and get him taken care of!
Hi Brian, my puppy will be turning 3 months on September 6, 2023. He does not have a scrotum. What does that mean?
That definitely seems odd! It may be that his testicles have yet to descend so there is nothing to form the scrotum. Hopefully these will drop soon and everything will then look normal. If you haven’t already, schedule an exam and we can take a look and make sure there isn’t anything else weird happening there.
My yorkie is 11 years old and he has only one private part and he had 2 when I got him in 2010 and now he only has one.At the end of his private is a spot I don’t know what it is.please help me with this situation I don’t want to loose him.
This sounds like you need to schedule an exam to see what is happening. Please feel free to call our front desk and they can get you set up with an appointment to figure out what is going on.
Hi Dr. Evans,
1) I have a full breed yorkshire terrier female who is one year and two months. I would like to have her spayed, but I have concerns due to her small size. She weighs three pounds and is tiny, tiny, tiny. Do you have experience performing microscopic spay and neuters with dogs under five pounds? If so, how many have you treated?
2) I will be bringing home a 12 week yorkshire terrier male this October. When is the best age to have him neutered? Before his first heat? Considering he will be sharing a home with a female dog.
Hi Carolina,
Congratulations on the new puppy coming in to your family! In regards to the laparoscopic spay on small dogs, I have a lot of experience with these as we have been doing them since 2012. I don’t know exactly how many small dog spays I have done, but I will tell you that I have done hundreds of laparoscopic spays and many have been less than 5 lbs. I can’t give specific advice on what to do with your new puppy, but if you would like to bring him in for an exam, I or one of the other doctors here can give you specific recommendations based on your specific situation and needs.
Hi I have a dachshund miniature boy he’s 6 months and his look like the picture what are the chances of it dropping he’s KC in uk been told to wait till he’s one year of age
I think the chances of it dropping are low, but unfortunately I can’t give you specific advice on your pet. Fingers crossed it does as it will be easier on everyone, but if not, I would generally recommend a laparoscopic approach if it is still in the abdomen.
I paid a lot for this breed of puppy…Cockapoo from a very upstanding breeder….he’s 4 months old and hasn’t had his testicles drop, is this a problem with certain breeds or the breeding process/problem? I feel like they should pay for this surgery. What do you think?
I can take up to 6 months for some pets, but if they don’t, I can’t give legal advice about who should pay for the services. That’s where I tap out!
Hello my frenchie is 8months old now and only has one testicle! I am a bit worried now………
I live in San Diego as well!
Should I bring him in soon to get checked up? Or should I wait a little longer ?
Hi Stephanie, sorry to hear about your frenchie! At 8 months, the testicle is very unlikely to descend if it already hasn’t. I would suggest scheduling an appointment so we can see if we can locate where it is and if it is in the abdomen, we can talk about how we can remove it the best way for your little pup.
Hi my one year old chi has a retained testicle, its int the same location as the dog in the video, vet felt for it and said due to where it is i dont have to have it removed, but she did say to keep an eye on it. any info on that? also i am not a fan of surgery if i can avoid it, but of course i dont want any issues also.
While I can’t give you specific advice for your pet without seeing it, I can say that in general I would not recommend leaving any retained testicles. They will not do your pet any good and I would typically recommend removing them.
I have an American Eskimo that is about 7 years old. We got him from our local shelter. Now I believe he has a inguinal cryptorchid testicle that was missed during his neuter. He has an inflamed lump about 2″ across, just between his penis and crease of leg. My vet just thinks it’s an infection, and the biopsy result was inconclusive. I live in the Midwest, so I am just looking for another opinion if possible.
I am sorry to hear about your pup. That sounds like a strange situation and without seeing it, it is hard to say what is going on. In that area, there are also lymph nodes so that is another possiblity and a more likely scenario than a testicle. An ultrasound would help to identify the tissue. You may want to seek the advice of a local internal medicine specialist for a second opinion.
Best of luck and hope your pup is ok.
Hello, I just realized that my puppies testies are not in the sack. They were before when they were smaller, but they are up higher by the belly now. We don’t want to have him neutered though, is there any way to save them? I know that in humans they can be suetered to the scrotum. Can this be done in dogs? He is mini Australian Shepard.
Sounds like a very strange scenario. Hard to say, but if they were in the scrotum they are likely not back all they way in the abdomen and are more likely in the inguinal area. I would recommend scheduling an exam and we can use the ultrasound to find out where those are.
We just adopted a pup from an animal rescue, they said one of his testicles did not drop so they did the surgery and neutered him now he has a bulge in his belly like a hernia, what could this be?
That is hard to say from here, but he may have a hernia. I would recommend scheduling an appointment and we can figure out what is happening and if any treatment is needed.
Do you do vasectomies for make dogs? Thanks.
Currently we do not.