Castration

Associated Terms:

Gonadectomy, Testicular Tumor, Epididymitis, Orchitis, Cryptorchid, Neuter

The term "ACVS Diplomate" refers to a veterinarian who has been board certified in veterinary surgery. Only veterinarians who have successfully completed the certification requirements of the ACVS are Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and have earned the right to be called specialists in veterinary surgery.

Your ACVS board-certified veterinary surgeon completed a three-year residency program, met specific training and caseload requirements, performed research and had research published. This process was supervised by ACVS Diplomates, ensuring consistency in training and adherence to high standards. After completing the residency program, the individual passed a rigorous examination. Only then did your veterinary surgeon earn the title of ACVS Diplomate.

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Overview:

Castration in small animal patients may be performed on a routine basis for population control and behavior modification or may be performed for disease control or treatment. Intact (non-castrated) pets that reproduce in an unregulated manner may lead to companion animal overpopulation. Overpopulation is a huge problem in most municipalities across the country, recognized by crowded humane animal shelters and rescue organizations.

Specific recommendations for castration associated disease control or treatment include patients suffering from:

cryptorchidism (one or two undescended testicles)
testicular hypoplasia/atrophy
orchitis/epididymitis (infection)
severe testicular trauma
testicular/epididymal neoplasia (cancer)
testicular torsion
perineal hernia
underlying urinary tract disease (urethral calculi)
prostatic diseases
perianal adenomas

The role of neutering pets and future development of certain cancers or orthopedic disease remains controversial. Limited evidence in determining the appropriate age to perform routine castration exists. Discussing the pros and cons of whether and the appropriate time to perform castration should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Signs and Symptoms:

Patients presenting for routine castration for population control or behavioral modification will not demonstrate any clinical signs. However, animals with disease processes involving the testicles and/or epididymis may demonstrate clinical signs relating to the underlying disease process.

Patients suffering from cryptorchid testicles may demonstrate an abdominal mass on physical examination, which may cause clinical signs such as

nausea
pain
anorexia
weight loss
vomiting
diarrhea
hair loss
mammary gland enlargement
bone marrow suppression
sexual attraction by other male dogs

Clinical signs for testicular hypoplasia/atrophy will typically be absent unless there is an unsuppressed action of a cell type within the testicle, which may cause:

hair loss
mammary gland enlargement
male dog attraction

Infection of the testicle and epididymis (orchitis/epididymitis) will typically show signs of:

testicular pain
scrotal swelling
depression
lethargy
fever
anorexia

Testicular trauma may demonstrate signs of:

scrotal swelling and discoloration
pain
hemorrhage
systemic signs of shock

Tumors of the testicles and epididymis will typically demonstrate:

enlargement of one or both testicles
pain
hair loss
mammary gland enlargement
attraction of male dogs

Patients with testicular torsion will show clinical signs of:

acute pain
testicular swelling
depression

Signs associated with perineal hernias consist of:

swelling adjacent to the rectum
constipation
straining to defecate
straining during urination

Signs associated with urethral calculi include:

straining to urinate
difficulty or inability to urinate
discolored urine
abdominal pain
lethargy
depression
lack of appetite

Prostatic diseases will typically lead to enlargement of the prostate, which may cause:

constipation
straining to defecate
abdominal pain
straining to urinate
discoloration of the urine

Patients with perianal adenomas may show signs of:

one or more growths surrounding rectal tissue
bloody stool
irritation of the rectal area

Diagnostics:

Once your pet has been diagnosed with a suspected testicular or epididymal disease process, your primary care veterinarian may recommend a full metabolic work-up. A complete blood count, biochemical profile and urinalysis are performed to determine any evidence of concurrent illnesses or the effect of the testicular disease on bone marrow function. Abdominal and thoracic radiographs are indicated if there is suspicion of a neoplastic (cancer) process. Ultrasonography is useful to help determine the underlying disease process and its effects on adjacent abdominal organs. All patients with suspected infection of the testicle or epididymis should undergo culture of the urine and the diseased tissue, along with performing blood tests for Brucella canis, which is an important and potentially infectious disease of dogs and humans. Patients with any testicular or epididymal disease should have the tissues submitted for histological analysis to determine the underlying disease process and to direct future therapy.

Young, healthy patients presenting for routine elective castration need only a preliminary screening of blood work.

Treatment:

There are two classical methods for surgical castration. They consist of either an open or closed technique. The decision for either technique is based on the veterinarian’s or veterinary surgeon’s preference. Scrotal ablation (scrotum removal) may be discussed by the attending surgeon at the time of consultation. Reasons for scrotal ablation would include the presence of a large, pendulous scrotum at the time of castration or for the treatment of the primary disease (trauma, urethral calculi removal/relief of obstruction, and neoplasia). Treatment of perineal hernia, prostatic disease or perianal adenoma may require concurrent surgical procedures based on the attending surgeon’s recommendations.

Aftercare and Outcome:

Aftercare for the patient will consist of controlled leash walks for two weeks. Cold compresses and oral analgesics, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be recommended, depending on the clinical picture. Surgical sutures are removed in 10–14 days after surgery. Some patients may be irritated by the surgical wound, thus necessitating the use of an Elizabethan collar.

The prognosis is excellent for a routine, elective castration. The prognosis for other disease processes depends on the underlying cause. Determining the appropriate time to perform castration on your pet should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Content Theme:

Animal Owners

Also known as:

Castration

Gonadectomy

Testicular Tumor

Epididymitis

Orchitis

Cryptorchid

Neuter

This Animal Health Topic was written by and reviewed by Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. Any opinions stated in this article are not necessarily the official position of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

The American College of Veterinary Surgeons recommends contacting an ACVS board-certified veterinary surgeon or your general veterinarian for more information about this topic.

To find an ACVS Diplomate, visit www.acvs.org/find-a-surgeon.

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