Cryptorchid- when to neuter?

[Erin Lynes]

A puppy who just turned 4 months old, who had 2 palpable testicles at 8 weeks (based on my check and an exam by our vet), has been to the vet twice with their new owners now and both times their vet could only palpate one testicle. They are pressuring the owner to neuter him asap because of the risk of cancer to the retained testicle, and have presented some pretty scary stories to push their cause.

I know that retained testicles are at risk of becoming cancerous, but I normally recommend that families wait at least 14 months to neuter to give the puppy a chance to finish growing. Obviously these owners do not want to put their puppy at risk of cancer (especially the nasty spreading kind that their vet is worried about) but also don't want to neuter him this young if they don't have to based on the studies I have sent them which show an increased risk of cancers later on/cruciate injuries, etc. Personally, if it was my puppy I would not be panicking yet but it is not my puppy so I am looking for unbiased advice/excperience.

My questions are:
how long would you wait before neutering this type of puppy?
What is the earliest one would worry about cancer in a retained testicle, and what is the latest it could drop if it was going to?

Thanks in advance.

[WRL]

After 15 months of age is when I recommend people neuter. I'd cite some of the studies regarding testosterone and bone growth (or lack of).

I would NOT neuter before then.

I have owned two males that had retained testicles and I neutered them both at about 7 to 8 years of age. Neither had any cancer issues.

WRL

[Gun_Dog2002]

Cancer is a risk later in life. Like Lee I would let the dog fully mature and think about it at 1.5 to 2 years of age.

/Paul

[cakaiser]

Agree with Lee and Paul.
First time it happened with a pup we bred...it was my vet who said to wait. Often the testicle will come down. Way too early to neuter.

[Gun_Dog2002]

Keep in mind a lot of vets pressure to spay/neuter early regardless of problem. Most of them are Bob Barker fans...

/Paul

[frontier]

A puppy who just turned 4 months old, who had 2 palpable testicles at 8 weeks (based on my check and an exam by our vet), has been to the vet twice with their new owners now and both times their vet could only palpate one testicle. They are pressuring the owner to neuter him asap because of the risk of cancer to the retained testicle, and have presented some pretty scary stories to push their cause.

I know that retained testicles are at risk of becoming cancerous, but I normally recommend that families wait at least 14 months to neuter to give the puppy a chance to finish growing. Obviously these owners do not want to put their puppy at risk of cancer (especially the nasty spreading kind that their vet is worried about) but also don't want to neuter him this young if they don't have to based on the studies I have sent them which show an increased risk of cancers later on/cruciate injuries, etc. Personally, if it was my puppy I would not be panicking yet but it is not my puppy so I am looking for unbiased advice/excperience.

My questions are:
how long would you wait before neutering this type of puppy?
What is the earliest one would worry about cancer in a retained testicle, and what is the latest it could drop if it was going to?

Thanks in advance.

Here's some references:

http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongT...uterInDogs.pdf

http://www.caninesports.com/uploads/...iderations.pdf

http://www.showdogsupersite.com/kenl...ionindogs.html

[Angie B]

Or take out the retained testicle and leave the other. That's what I did. Are they opposed to leaving the puppy intact??

Angie

[Erin Lynes]

Thanks for the references Frontier, these have already been provided and prior to the 'cancer' horror story discussion this morning they were completely on board with leaving the puppy intact until at least 14 months of age.

Angie I like your idea which might be 'the best of both worlds' if it comes to that.

Paul I agree that many many vets are using some serious scare tactics to get dogs neutered young, it's starting to tick me off. I had one earlier this year- a 5 month old female that the vet advised should be spayed asap because she had a 'retained puppy tooth' and it would be safer to do both surgeries at once. Come on, when did 5 months of age become an emergency tooth removal. Other pups in that litter had only started losing their puppy teeth...

Thanks Lee and everyone for posting, this all confirms my feeling that their vet is really rushing things. Charlotte we need more vets like yours. Our vet is pretty reasonable and is not one to panic but there seems to be a lot out there that do and it must be scary to be their client!

[1st retriever]

I have a friend who raises Samoyeds. She had one that she would have lay on it's back and she would go "fishing" for the testicle per her vet and then hold it down in the sack a few times a day. Was told that would help it descend. Am not sure what became of that issue as he went to a pet home.

[Pat Puwal]

Totally agree with waiting until male pup well over a year old before neutering do to skeletal growth. I also agree that the young vets are getting brainwashed in college re extreme early spay and neutering. Sometimes it can backfire on them. We got a puppy in May that had a horrendous trip via United Airlines from Chicago (3+ hr. flight delay). A week later on Sunday, pup has urinary tract infection, probably somewhat due to stress of trip. Rush her to emergency vet who gives us antibiotics and declares that 11 week old pup should be spayed so that she won't have urinary tract infection! Duh! Big mistake because my regular vet is on the board of emergency vet clinic. When pup and I went to my regular vet on Monday, my regular vet contacted the young emergency resident and explained how far off in left field he was! Oops! Don't think that young vet will be in such a rush to tell owner that kind of information again any time soon!