Undescended Testicles In Dogs

Updated May 8, 2022

Quick facts (details below):

  • Undescended testicles must always be removed
  • Surgery is simple and recovery is rapid
  • Affected dogs should not be bred

Now dive deeper…

When a dog has a retained testicle, we call him cryptorchid, literally meaning hidden testicle. It is common, not especially worrying, but also not harmless. I have seen one dog die and two come terrifyingly close through a lack of owner awareness.

With the right knowledge, this should not happen. So here is everything you need to know to keep your puppy safe.

What Is Cryptorchidism?

As embryos, males and females start out with their ovaries or testicles in pretty much the same place. Then the testicle embarks on a long and perilous migration out of the abdomen and into the scrotum. Cryptorchidism is when it fails to reach its destination.

It can happen on just one or both sides (unilateral or bilateral), in about equal numbers. Interestingly, if only one is retained, it’s more than twice as likely to be on the right.

To diagnose a dog as cryptorchid, you have to know how long a testicle normally takes to arrive. In nearly all puppies, this is by 6 to 8 weeks of age. Therefore, most puppies that have an undescended testicle at their first vet check will end up being cryptorchid.

One or both testicles not descending is documented to happen to between 0.7% and 9.7% of puppies. At our clinic, we’ve seen it in 77 of 1652 dogs, making a rate of 4.7%.

When To Neuter / Desex

Until the exit hole called the inguinal ring closes at around 6 months of age, there’s always a chance of the testicle descending.

Therefore, the best time to desex is at or after 6 month of age. The actual recommended desexing time for each dog breed can be found here. The benefits of waiting until one year for certain breeds should outweigh any risk of the testicle causing problems in the meantime.

Which Breeds Can Be Cryptorchid?

As a general rule, an undescended testicle is more common in purebred dogs, especially in the following breeds:

  • Boxer
  • Chihuahua
  • German Shepherd
  • Greyhound
  • Poodle (Toy & Miniature)
  • Staffordshire Bull Terrier
  • Shetland Sheepdog
  • Shih Tzu
  • Yorkshire Terrier
  • Whippet

And possibly also these ones:

  • Cairn Terrier
  • English Bulldog
  • Pomeranian
  • Maltese
  • Miniature Dachshund
  • Pekingese

However, an undescended testicle can happen to any dog. For example, my own Border Terrier was bilaterally cryptorchid, which caused the breeder considerable embarrassment.

That’s because he knew that cryptorchidism has a strong genetic basis. Therefore, even though a dog with one descended testicle is fertile, they should not be bred. Nor should any attempt be made to artificially replace a retained testicle (called orchiopexy) just so a dog can be bred or shown.

While we’re on all the unethical things people do, I’ve even been asked to insert a prosthetic testicle, just to fool the judges at dog shows!

Treatment Of An Undescended Testicle

Retained testicles are a minor problem and easily fixed.

There is no medical treatment likely to treat or prevent a retained testicle. Those who claim success probably have dogs whose testicle was always going to come down, just late.

The only effective treatment is desexing or neutering, or at very least the surgical removal of the undescended testicle. This is essential due to the extremely high rate of seminomas and sertoli cell tumours in cryptorchid dogs. There’s something about the higher temperature of retained testicles that makes cancer much more likely.

These are the dogs I have seen either die or come close. In two cases, they were dogs from disreputable rescue centres who did not ensure that the dog was fully desexed before rehoming. Therefore, these dogs were thought to be neutered until the symptoms of cancer appeared.

One such dog is shown above, with a swelling that appeared in the groin at around two years of age. He was lucky- although his surgery was disfiguring, he is alive today.

Dogs with an internal abdominal testicle may show hormonal changes as the only sign. Testicular tumours have a tendency to produce female hormones. For example, the dog I saw die was brought to me for enlarged nipples and being harassed by male dogs.

Cryptorchid Surgery In Dogs

The surgical technique depends on where the testicle is found. There are three common locations:

  • Abdominal
  • At the inguinal ring
  • Subcutaneous
undescended testicle removal

The first thing we do after anaesthetising your dog is lie them on their back and try to pinpoint the testicle. Usually, this is easy. With a dog perfectly upside down, the way the scrotal testicle lies usually gives a clear idea of which one is missing.

Then we search under the skin from the scrotum to the inguinal ring. Although undescended testicles are smaller, they can usually be felt as a 1 or 2cm blip that pops under the fingers. The only time this is hard is when the dog is overweight. The picture (above) shows the result of just such a surgery, with one incision for the descended testicle, and another for the one under the skin in the groin.

abdominal testicle removal

If we find nothing, we assume the testicle is in the abdomen. Then, my preferred technique is a paramedian incision as shown here, which normally drops me right on top of it. The only time this won’t work is when the testicle is neither in nor out, but wedged in the inguinal ring itself. However, I’m usually close enough to be able to wiggle it out.

Some dogs (notably German Shepherds) have both undescended testicles in the abdomen. For dogs like these, my technique will create an incision like this on each side. Your vet will have developed their own successful approach, so don’t worry if it looks different.

The Cost Of Cryptorchid Surgery

Cryptorchid surgery is quick, easy, and not much more painful than regular desexing. With good pain control, recovery is rapid. Therefore, the only drawback is cost.

In our clinic, inguinal testicles like in the first picture generally add $100 to the desexing price. Abdominal testicle removal might add $200. Keep in mind that it’s hard to give a fixed price for unpredictable surgery like this and difficult retrievals will cost more.

Personally, although I’ve never seen it done, I feel it would be quite reasonable to ask the breeder for a contribution. After all, affected puppies have already been identified before sale, and the fault is mostly genetic in origin. However, with the shortage of puppies around, you might have a hard time convincing them.

However, that’s just a financial concern. The main message is that whether your puppy is cryptorchid or not, it’s no big deal as long as you act on it.

Have something to add? Comments (if open) will appear within 24 hours.
By Andrew Spanner BVSc(Hons) MVetStud, a vet in Adelaide, Australia. Meet his team here. The information provided here is not intended to be used as a substitute for going to the vet. If your pet is unwell, please seek veterinary attention.

Note: comments are now closed but you will find that most common questions have already been answered in other comments or the text above.

98 Replies to “Undescended Testicles In Dogs”

  1. Hi I have a twelve week old French bulldog pup that had both testicle at 6 and 8 week check up and one has descended and the other hasn’t yet should I be worried thank you

    1. Hi Alicia. I don’t quite understand – are you saying there were originally two and now there’s only one? I’ve never heard of them going back up so it’s more like there was a mixup at the beginning. The rest of your question can be found in the article above.

  2. 15 weeks, german shepherd. One retained testicle in the abdomen. If we remove the retained testicle and leave the decended testicle until the dog is two, will he still develop 100% properly in growth and male characteristics?

  3. Hi Andrew,
    Very interesting article. We are considering a puppy who is now 15 week old and are looking at the possible impact of cryptorchid surgery.
    Friends are trying to dissuade us from going ahead because this should not happen in purebred dogs. I also read about strangulated deferens and that recovery time if major surgery is required will be in the order of a couple of weeks for complicated cases as dogs also tend to kick their wounds etc
    We are at a loss with how to proceed! We are terrified at the prospect that something might happen and are considering moving on altogether.
    What are the questions to ask to ensure that you are not looking into a very involved surgery?
    Thanks!

  4. Hello, we have a 14 month old cryptorchid corgi. We have gone to multiple vets to see if we could get just the undescended testicle removed, but they all suggest to remove both. They never seem to elaborate why, other than breeding risks. We would like to keep his descended testicle, will vets perform this surgery? They were very pushy on removing them both.

    1. Hi Darcy. The reason is that vets want to do the right thing by animals in general, and they are probably afraid that you will breed your dog. There is already far too much unethical breeding of dogs carrying this trait and nobody wants to contribute to further puppies having to face the same problem. I also tend these days to not offer removal of only the retained testicle for the same reason.

  5. Hi Andrew, I have a 6.5 month old (we think) Potcake (mixed breed from the Turks and Caicos) who’s cryptorchid. Potcake Place (his shelter) thinks Huck may have some Rottweiller, Mastiff or Boxer in him but can’t be sure ( he has long legs and a lanky teenager look). He’s also 52 lbs, so I’m thinking he’s on the larger end of a medium size dog. For the best health, when would you recommend I get Huck neutered? I can get him an appt for Jan or Feb, but should I wait till he’s closer to 1?

  6. My German Shepard just 7-8 months now as had no papers very healthy had not even vaccinations Kept so small caged for his ist 3 months finally at 6 months One testicle came down but he humps pillow some,helathy,frisky,hyper,healthy,,, growing IS there chance might still descend 2nd one Vet wants Probe round Surgery but Like to wait till year old give other chance descend down IS it o.k wait One year think it’s too soon?

    1. Hi Edwina. There’s almost no chance that the testicle will descend by now. The vets want to go in early to avoid any risk of testicular cancer. Waiting til one year of age does increase the risk but not by much and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with doing so for the sake of good joint development.

  7. Hi,

    We have a Wire Fox Terrier, who had an undescended left testicle that at the 6 month vet check the vet could feel near the inguinal ring, and he said may or may not descend. We discussed just having the retained testicle removed if it didn’t come down, as we have no intention to breed him. (As our last dog, an Airedale Terrier, was kept intact for health benefits, not bred, and had no behavioural issues).

    At 7 1/2 months old we’ve noticed our Foxies’ second testicle is down, albeit maybe slightly smaller than the first. We’re just wondering if all goes well and it stays down, if this is safe to keep or whether this one should still be removed?

    Many thanks for any advice.

    Best wishes,
    Samantha

    1. Hi Samantha. If the testicle does not reach the scrotum itself, and remains close to the body it will stay at an excessively high temperature. This seems to be the mechanism by which cancer occurs, and therefore it would best be removed.

  8. Hi, we have an 11 month old golden retriever puppy with only one testicle descended. My vet told me to wait out a few more months and see if the other one drops. Do you think there is a chance of it dropping still or is it pretty much set in the stars? Also, when would you recommend us to schedule an operation to have the retained one removed? I would still keep his other one, no reason to remove it from what I understand most vets say.

      1. I got quoter $700 for an ultrasound and $2.500 for the surgery since the testicle is in abdomen. Is this reasonable, I’m in Melbourne (Carlton).

      2. Not every vet will feel the need to do an ultrasound first, and surgical prices vary considerably among vets. You might be worth getting opinions from other local vets for comparison.

  9. Can undescended testicles cause problems with kidneys? My daughter’s six month old corgi has undescended testicles. Earlier this week he was vomiting. He was good for a few days. We took him for his pre-surgery bloodwork, and they said his kidneys were not functioning correctly. They cancelled surgery and are doing an ultrasound next week. If his undescended testicles are by his kidneys could they be causing the kidney issue?

    1. Hi Michelle. I’m not aware of any link and cannot imagine how they could be related. Please post back with the results.

  10. I hope I’m not to late on post. I was just told at the vet my 6 month old Frenchie only has one testicle that has dropped. He is set for a scheduled neutering in late August. The vet said they would probably need to do some type of ultra sound to find where it’s at. That cost can possibly be $400. Is this normal practice or can they just feel for the testicle?

    1. Hi Lupe. That’s a good question. It’s getting quite common for vets to use ultrasound to find the testicle, but you’ll still find plenty (like me) who are confident to make an educated guess on where to place their incision. I have so far not been incorrect in the assumption that if the testicle cannot be palpated or seen then it will be abdominal. I’m quite sure that a paramedian approach helps a lot too, as even if the testicle isn’t right underneath, its cords can usually be seen.

  11. Hi I have a English bulldog when I feel for his Testicles I feel one in the sack the other one will drop in the sack then go back up when applying pressure, does mean his nut will drop in time he is 4 months

    1. Hi Kamryn. Normally in this situation the testicle will remain in the same position, so the answer is mostly no. However, at least when they are like this they are very easy to remove.

  12. Hi Andrew
    We have just been told our 16week old pure-bred Kelpie only has 1 testicle and we have to de-sex him, they said before 6months or he will get cancer

    1. I feel before 6months is too young is it better to do it before 6months?

    2. Can you just remove the testie that hasn’t dropped without de-sexing? We arnt going to bred him at all.

    3. Is there a chance for it to still drop?

    1. Hi Kaz. Sadly, there is very little chance that it will drop by now. However, it’s quite reasonable to wait a bit longer as although the risk isn’t zero, the chance of cancer occurring before a year of age is very unlikely. You can certainly have just the retained testicle removed and leave the other one.

  13. Hi my daughter bought a puppy who was 8 weeks old. He is a lab/ boxer mix the father is albino boxer. He is now 9 months and his testicles have not dropped what age should he be fixed. I would assume the people who sold him knew that thier boxer had to have one testicles. What age should he be fixed? Plus he has covid anxiety any suggestions. Thankyou

  14. My dog is mini Maltezer. He is 2 kilos and he is almost 3 years. He has only one testicle and i’m going to remove the undescended one next week. My questions are
    1. Am i too late to do that?
    2. Should i remove the undescended and the good one together? And i don’t intend to let him marry.
    3. Is the surgery dangerous?
    4. What are Complications from surgery?

    1. Hi Mariam. You will find more information in the article, but here is a quick summary: you’re only too late if the testicular cancer spreads, complications and risk are barely different from normal desexing, and it’s your choice whether to remove the descended testicle as long as the dog is not bred.

      1. Excellent Posts. Surely if retained testicle is removed by 12 months, Cancer caused by the retained testicle would be Extremely UNLIKELY.

  15. Hello there, our 4 1/2 month old Irish setter boy has a retained testie.
    As advised I will be waiting till he is about 9-12 months old before acting on it but I would really like the ver to just remove the retained testie and leave the defended one where it is. The reason for this is that he is an Irish setter and I would really like to avoid him getting “spray coat” because of missing hormones.
    Are vets happy with only taking the one retained testie out as this of cause has a medical reason to be removed but leave the other?
    I really want to keep the chance to a minimum for our boy to get the Irish setter spray coat!
    We live in Victoria, Australia
    Thank you
    Susi

    1. Hi Susi. Firstly, the true incidence of spay coat is unknown but it appears to be very low. The Irish setters in our clinic have beautiful handsome coats and are all desexed. Secondly, yes it is quite likely that you can find a vet who will only remove the undescended teste. This is quite ethical as long as nobody intends to breed the dog and pass on the tendency to cryptorchidism.

  16. Hello, I have a 7 month old rottweiler and I took him in for a wellness check and only one testicle has dropped and they can feel the other but it will not drop. I dont plan on breeding but I do want to wait til he is about 18 months old to neuter him, do you think that would be ok?

  17. My boy is 4 and a half months old and no testicles have descended yet…how will we locate them? Physical examination or ultrasound?

    1. Hi Shefali. Most can be found externally by a careful examination once the dog is asleep, and the remainder by ultrasound. However, if costs are limited it’s perfectly reasonable to surgically explore for the testicle as this is almost always successful.

  18. Hi, i have a 11 month old Labrador retriever and he has only one testicle, i visited his vet and the doctor said there is only one testicle and he cannot feel the other one. He suggested to get the ultrasound done for the missing testicle but there is 90% chances that no other testicle is inside the body and only one which has dropped and 10% chance that there might be the other one inside so get the ultrasound done first. Then he suggested to remove the single testicle as well for zero chances of it becoming a tumor. Please give me your opinion on this as well, and for any complications. Guide me with both the scenarios of no other testicle present or there could be other one inside him.

    1. Hi Akankshaa. in my view it’s extremely likely that there is a second testicle (I have seen hundreds of similar dogs but none with less than two testicles). Surgery is necessary for these and complications are rare. Regarding ultrasound, whether it’s necessary will depend on the vet; personally I am comfortable looking for the testicle during surgery without ultrasound. In fact, if I couldn’t find it on ultrasound, I would assume that I had missed it, not that it wasn’t there.

      1. Hi Andrew, thank you for the quick reply. Excuse me for multiple queries as I am still confused that if the testicles will not be visible to the doctor even after ultrasound then how would it be treated. Also if this is surely the case from your end that the other one must be present. Then where could be the position for this missing testicle and will it be difficult to operate it? My dog will not come to any difficulties right regarding his health?

      2. If the testicle was not seen on ultrasound, and I had no clue whether it was in the abdomen or in the groin, then the rare worst case scenario is that two incisions (both pictured above) are needed to find it. We know the testicle starts its journey where ovaries lie, and travels along a line through the inguinal ring towards the scrotum. In my experience, they are invariably somewhere along this path. My clinic has never failed to find it and any experienced vet is likely to say the same, whether or not they use ultrasound.

  19. I have a male pug puppy and he has one testicle that hasn’t dropped yet. The vet that I’ve bringing him to keeps making appointments and telling me that it will drop within 6 months. Is he telling me the truth or is he just making extra money from me?

    1. Hi Willard. Vets in the US are (like us!) too busy to make unnecessary appointments. He may honestly believe it will drop but probably less than 50% will actually do so.

    2. My Staff puppy has the exact thing. The vet said give it 6 months and if it doesn’t drop, he’ll need to be neutered.

  20. Hello. I have a 6 month older Havanese with only one descended testicle. He’s 10.5 pounds and may grow only another pound or two. The vet I took him to today suggested to have him neutered at 7-8 months, after his growth plates have closed, to avoid any tumors or cancer. However, the breeder, who technically has co-ownership until he’s neutered, doesn’t want it done until 16-18 months as another vet she goes to say the puppy’s growing won’t be fully done until then, and if done before then, it can cause bone cancer. I’m not sure what to do. Is it safe to wait that long?

    Thanks!
    ~Kate

    1. Hi Kate. The best and only information we have for choosing the time of desexing can be found in this article. You will find that neither statements are supported by the evidence in similar breeds, and there is no reason to think that Havanese are especially different.

  21. Hi Dr Andrew,
    I have a 10 month old Miniature Pinscher (Zwergpincher) who suffers from cryptorchidism as unfortunately his left ball hasn’t dropped 🙁 This was diagnosed when he was 5 months old and our local vet suggested that we wait till nearly 1 year to have an operation so that he would have it when he is strong and full formed – which he is now at a whopping 3kg (small but mighty). I then went and visited another vet to get another opinion, who said then same and then a 3rd. Out of 3 vets, 2 suggested half castration, just removing the non-fallen ball, and then the other with full castration. He now has his operation scheduled in mid feb and it would be great if you could provide me with your professional opinion- 1 or both? I live in Germany where castration is not the norm and if his non-dropped ball doesn’t carry any cancerous or diseased future risks, I think he has the right to keep the 1 good one. Any advice would be much appreciated, apologies for the long post.
    Thanks!

    1. Hi Beatrice. I think it is quite logical to only remove the undescended testicle. I have certainly done so in the past, to allow for normal secondary sexual characteristics. My only concern regarding a dog with a single descended testicle is that they remain fertile, but regardless of this should be taken out of the breeding population. However it seems that you have no intention of breeding.

  22. Hello, I have a 14 week, pure bred AKC Registered English Bulldog. He comes from a champion bloodline. His colors are Lilac & Merle. I bought him with the intention of breeding; however, my wife and children want him as a pet and are hurt that I may ship him back. At 14 weeks (purchased at 12 weeks) the Local Vet informed me that he suffers from cryptorchid (unilateral). What are the chances that the second testicle descends? I’m torn bc my family, does not want to send him back to the breeder. Thanks.

    1. Hi Terry. The chances are not very high unfortunately, but it’s still worth crossing your fingers. Good luck.

  23. Hello Andrew, I am a vet in Colorado, USA
    have a client who is asking me to remove a retained testicle which is obviously near the inguinal ring in the SQ tissue, while leaving the descended testicle to be removed later, after waiting for further testosterone influence to help with joint development. She claims to want to use him for agility or other athletic endeavors. This is a
    schipperke, and she admitted to me early on that she was planning to use him at stud, now seems to be changing this plan.
    Can you please give me guidance as to how I can communicate with this client, as I feel like I am being asked to do something unethical.

    1. Hi Mary. This is a problem I have faced as well. I have to be honest and say that in the past I took the clients’ word at face value that they wanted to keep the descended testicle for joint development or secondary sex characteristics only. Recently I have started only doing it with a vasectomy of the descended testicle. I have done enough vasectomies to be confident, but if you haven’t feel free to contact me via the clinic.

  24. Is this inherited from the mom or the dad? How do you know if it is the male or female that carries it? My Aussie had one male that is 4 months old and his have not dropped yet. I do not want to bred her again to my male if this is genetic but how would I find out if it is her or him? If the puppy does not drop I will make it right with the buyer I want to be a responsible breeder. Thank you for any feedback.

    Terry

    1. Hi Terry. In the lack of a genetic test, there is no way to work out easily whether it comes from the sire or dam. The only way might be their previous breeding histories. Good on you for taking the problem seriously.

  25. My maltese puppy is almost.4 months and his testicles has not dropped. He had his first puppy appointment November 28, 2020 and the vet says he is healthy. Should I be worried that his testicles has not come down as of yet?

    1. Hi Dawn. They almost certainly won’t come down but if you follow the advice in the article there’s nothing to worry about.

    2. Hi my maltese puppy is 4 months old and also has no testicles, we are devastated, the owner we purchased our puppy from said her vet noted he had 2 testicles and dropped but upon receiving him and our vet check he had never had them. What can I do, the breeder is lying to us.

      1. Hi Elaine. If you can prove that the breeder was lying, then it’s really an issue for consumer law. But I hope you can see from the article that it’s not a disaster.

  26. Hi,I have a 6 month golden retreiver with double cryptorchidism.
    I have heard many different ages as to when to neuter. what age do you suggest.he is 65 lbs now and breeder claims hes the 1st puppy ever to have this problem. His brother and father were fine.but his brother had 1 short ear and a short tail.the female was fine

  27. Hi Andrew. I had my litter of puppies checked by my vet at 9 weeks of age & all males apparently had 2 descended testicles. Now at about 4 months of age, one puppy has been identified as having one undescended testicle. Did the first vet get it wrong? This is a golden retriever, so the owner is reluctant to desex earlier than necessary due to risks to joints. What age would you recommend to have this dog desexed? Thanks

  28. Hi Andrew. My pup is 14 weeks old, on a show contract with only 1 testicle dropped so far. Is it worth getting an ultrasound to see where it is located and if it will drop? How costly would this be?

    1. Hi Cam. There’s really no point in getting an ultrasound done, as surgical exploration is quite straightforward and virtually 100% successful. However, as stated in the article, dogs with retained testicles should not be bred as this only creates more problems for future generations. I only hope the breeder is of the same opinion.

      1. I understand that surgical exploration would find it but is it worth finding out where it is currently located in the hope it will drop? Do we just wait and see as he isn’t 6 months old yet? Or do you think we are past that point now?

      2. Aloha, I am a foster for a 10 yr old sweet chihuahua who weighs 5 lbs. Both testicles are up in abdomen. One of them you can feel, the other….who knows. He also has a jaw issue. Was told he was kicked by prior owner. Wont know the extent until sedated. He needs his teeth pulled from rot. Should I put him through both surgeries at once or just do most important which is teeth? His labs shows slight kidney problems. Please advise me on what to do for this sweet expensive little foster guy. Mahalo, Lynne, Maui Hawaii

      3. Hi Lynne. In such a small dog at risk of hypothermia during surgery, I would normally do two such major procedures under separate anaesthetics. As such, I would do the teeth first but then follow up very quickly with the retained testicles, as these are also of great concern. This order could be reversed if there are any concerns that the testicles have already become neoplastic, which could be determined with an ultrasound examination first. However the interval between the two surgeries could be as little as two weeks so it’s probably not of great significance which way you do it.

  29. My dog’s 4 year old and now his undescended testes have grown into a tumor. I really hope he doesn’t have cancer.

    1. Hi Andrew. My dog is a 9 year-old shih tzu, my mother never really gave much importance to his retained testicle and now it is a bit bigger than the one that did descend. Should I try to convince my mom to have him get the surgery or not? Lately she’s been saying that he’s a bit too old for it now but I feel it’s never too late. What do you think we should do?

      1. Hi Arianna. Nine years old for a small breed dog is really quite young. You should definitely get him seen by a vet as there’s every chance he has another six years of good quality life if the problem is fixed quickly. Otherwise it will almost certainly be his end.

  30. My French bulldog had a litter of 6 puppies , one male had this condition (bilateral) !
    This is genetic so should she be desexed & not have another litter ?

    1. Hi Genevieve. That is true, although sadly very few do so, which is why we think the rate of undescended testicles is increasing.

  31. I have a 1 year and 1 month old maltease dog. He have 1 undescended testicle. Can not neuter him or should I. I want to keep him as it is. His health is normal and he is energetic.

    1. Hi John. As the article says, he will be at great risk if you do not remove the undescended testicle.

  32. Hi I have a dogo argentino only one testicle but these dogs have problems with hips and backs so I want to wait till 12 or lates 16 months till I neuter him cause I want his back hips and bones to develope as much possible so I can lower the risk of bone problems sense I heard neutering dogo ARGENTINO’S can cause hip disclacia or bone problems but I dont want to risk the cancer factor for waiting to long to neutering him cause of his testicle not dropping so what advice can you give me please.

    1. Hi Cesar. Cancer is very unlikely in the first two years of your dog’s life so as long as you get him done at around one-year-old there’s not much to worry about.

  33. Hi,
    I have a mini doxie and 1 testicle is retained. Doxies are supposed to wait a little longer than the typical 6 months for neutering to allow their backs to fully develop since those are problem areas. I have him scheduled for a neutering just before 7 months. I am uncertain if I should wait, as I am nervous about cancer, or go through with it and hope his back will be developed enough.
    Thanks

  34. Hi Andrew I have german shepherds puppy is 15 weeks old and only one testicle being checked by the vet from 10 weeks old and 14 weeks thats was last week and still the same I spoke to the breeder she mentioned that by 6 weeks checked both was there so in this case Will be dropped or what Do i do

    1. Hi Maria. They certainly don’t go back up once they come down! It’s very hard to tell when puppies are only six weeks old. By now, it’s very unlikely that it will come down, but it’s no problem if you follow the advice in the article.

  35. As a breeder of a commonly affected breed (Shetland Sheepdogs) I do offer to pay the difference between the cryptorchid procedure and standard castration for any cryptorchid puppies.

    1. I have a 4 mth on German shepherd x puppy and both testicles can not be found. My vet said to bring him back in a month. Can this condition cause respiratory issues at all

      1. My Charlie is a cavachon he’s 17 months and both balls have not come down can I wait till he’s 2

  36. Our breeder notified us at their 6 weeks check up the puppy (Australian labradoodle) said he has undescended testicles. They said it might drop in couple weeks or it might not. The breeder wanted to fully disclosed the info. After reading a lot of posts and articles online I’m concerned that this could turn out to be a big complication, stressful for our family and it could be costly. Not sure how common/uncommon this is but I am considering if it might be a good idea to pass on this puppy if this is something that can lead to serious complications. Breeder is charging for the pup ($2,500) and has a neuter contract which we are fine with to neuter him but it weighs heavy in my heart to know that we could be dealing with added stress and extra $$ expense off the batt on cryptorchid surgery. Any advice or feedback is greatly appreciated. We have to let the breeder know really soon in the next day or so. Thank you.

    AllisonS

    1. Hi Allison. Please have another read: I have mentioned costs and discussed preventive surgery- if you have further questions, get back in touch..

  37. My boy staffie jasper died. He had testes that didn’t drop and the dogs home we had him from daid he was vaccinated he went in for surgery as he had a cancer growth but died in surgery he bled to death gutted and 6 months on I’m surviving but miss him so much

    1. Hi Lisa. I’m so sorry to hear that – I have seen the same thing with dogs from rescue shelters. I hope they told you that the testicles were still present when you took him.

  38. Hi Andrew, thanks for your comprehesive explanation. I have a 12 month old german shepherd with bilateral cryptochidism, when he was 16 weeks the vet advised to wait unitl he was 12 months before having the procedure, would you agree with this? and thanks for givining an indication on the cost.

    thanks
    Lynette

    1. Hi Lynette

      Waiting till 12 months is a good idea for joint development, but now it’s important to get him done soon. As I mentioned in the article, German shepherds commonly have both testes in the abdomen.

  39. Hello I have a five and a half month old Blue Cattle dog Pup. So far only one testicle has dropped down. How much longer would you suggest we wait before revisiting our vet. I’m reading that it should be not long after 6mths. If so have you heard a the testicle dropping after 6-7 months?

    With gratitude
    Leah

    1. Hi Leah. Sadly, it’s now very unlikely to drop. I have never seen one come down this late and you can assume it will need to be surgically removed.

      1. Thanks Andrew much appreciated. Although Should I wait until he is 12 mths old to get the testicle removed.

        Cheers
        Leah

      2. Also we live on a remote cattle property where he will not come into contact with any female dogs at all. I was just thinking should we let him mature a bit more before we go ahead with the removal.

      3. Hi Leah. The risk is never zero, but it’s acceptably low to wait until a year of age.

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