[*tina*]

So, originally we were going to wait until June when the breeder we found would have a new litter. I found out some questionable things about the breeder (like she has other breeds of dogs listed on her website, but not her poodles), so we decided to find a new breeder. We found a breeder closer to home, and she is holding an 8 month old blue male for us until the 1st, since we are just not puppy ready right now. Anyway, this male has a missing or possibly undescended testicle. Can we get him neutered without the second testicle down or do we have to wait until it descends? Anybody experience this or have any insight? We were going to wait until he was a bit older/bigger to neuter him anyway, but I'm just wondering what happens if it doesn't descend by a year old.

 

[Fluffyspoos]

If it hasn't descended, they'll look for it and take it out with the other.

 

[cbrand]

If it is not down at 8 months, it won't be joining the other bachelor.

At this point the vet will need to go into the abdomen and fetch it out. This will cost more than a standard neuter (by a couple of hundred $$). You should price it out and ask for the difference off of the price of the puppy. As a bonus though, since the vet will already have your boy open, you can have a prophylactic gastropexy done at the same time.

 

[*tina*]

Thanks for the info! She's already taken off the price for his undescended one, so we already talked about that. If they have to go into his abdomen, will that mean a longer recovery? I'm assuming so, since they will have to do more cutting/stitches.

 

[Fluffyspoos]

As a bonus though, since the vet will already have your boy open, you can have a prophylactic gastropexy done at the same time.

What is this procedure and why would you need it?

 

[plumcrazy]

What is this procedure and why would you need it?

It's a preventive measure of tacking the stomach in place so if bloat occurs, the stomach will not twist.

 

[Mister]

If it hasn't descended, they'll look for it and take it out with the other.

Yup exactly! No worries they will find it and take both out.

 

[Mister]

It's a preventive measure of tacking the stomach in place so if bloat occurs, the stomach will not twist.

Interesting! Ive heard of doing this but not in Spoos...but they are prone to bloat.

 

[Marian]

Would they do it to a mini though?

 

[bigredpoodle]

http://www.acvs.org/AnimalOwners/HealthConditions/SmallAnimalTopics/GastricDilatationVolvulus/

 

[Fluffyspoos]

It's a preventive measure of tacking the stomach in place so if bloat occurs, the stomach will not twist.

Holy crap! That's awesome. Can you do this when you get your pet spay/neutered, or only after a bloat has happened in your pet?

 

[*tina*]

Are mini's prone to bloat? We had a GSD that had bloat twice, well the third time it killed her.

 

[flyingduster]

standards are more prone to bloating than minis I believe (all big dogs with a deep chest are prone to it really). In saying that, I know of a maltese that bloated once!

They can still bloat though with the tacking though! But the tacking will stop the stomach twisting that is usually the primary reason that it's fatal. Note that I do know of a dog who bloated and died, despite their stomach being tacked too, but of course if it wasn't tacked they still would have died!
Tacking can be done whenever they're (vets) in the abdominal cavity anyway (ie for a spay) but it's not usually done during a neuter due to the fact they're not usually going into the abdomen to neuter a dog unless like this case where they will have to to find the other testicle!

 

[wishpoo]

I second what Cbrand said !!!

Yes, it is more complicated procedure and will need longer recovery regardless of doing stomach or not.

BUT - you HAVE to remove it - for some reason non-descended testicle has higher chance of becoming cancerous . Also, if it stays, it will produce testosterone as normal testicle would so your dog will basically behave as non-altered dog.

 

[plumcrazy]

Holy crap! That's awesome. Can you do this when you get your pet spay/neutered, or only after a bloat has happened in your pet?

When I was talking to my vet about Lucy's spay (when she's old enough), I asked if she could do the tacking too and she said all I had to do was make sure they had it on her surgery orders that day and she'd git'r done!! An ounce of prevention...

 

[debjen]

Flyer had an undescended testicle but it was caught just a little above where it was suppose to be so they didn't really have to dig for it..so it depends on how far they have to dig for it as to how much longer a recovery it might be..Flyer actually came home from the vet that evening and if I didn't know better I would not have known he had anything done.

 

[Buck]

I had a chihuahua that both testicles were in the abdomen. My vet said they have to be removed because at some point they will become cancerous. I had him done at 6 months and he did just fine.

 

[wishpoo]

Yes Buck, exactly what I pointed out in my previous post. They have to be removed !

 

[*tina*]

We're bringing him home on the 31st, if all goes as planned, and trying to get him neutered in March, so he has time to get used to being in our home. Thanks for all of the information, I really appreciate it!