.com Forum · Real Show Dogs

First of all, there is a difference between a monorchid (single testicle undecended and behind the abdominal wall) and a cryptorchid (both undecendended and behind the abdominal wall). The puppy being discussed would only be considered a monorchid IF the testicle were to not decend into its proper place BY PUBERTY.
I would hardly rush off and scrap an entire breeding program because an 8-week old puppy has a palpatable (and therefor mobile - as in able to be moved into the proper position) testicle. I think people are putting the cart a few miles before the horse on that one.
Oddly enough, the research on monor and cryptorchids is very ...confused. Half the information you will find says "neuter the 8 week old puppy immediatly...and never breed from those dogs again!" while the other half says a dog can not be considered a monor/cryptorchid until puberty, which is my personal belief as well. I've seen a ton of male puppies play yo-yo as they mature, and have only seen one that didnt have 2 properly in the sack at maturity...oddly enough, that puppy had both there at 8 weeks, and his owner never thought to check again until he started handling classes at 6 months...only to find out the puppy only had one testicle and it was too late to help bring the other down...oh well. Thats why I check my boy puppies daily until they are heavy enough to stay down on thier own.

If you have no plans on breeding the dog...then does it *really* matter? As long as the testicle is palpatable and able to be moved into the proper position, then the dog will not end up a monorchid. If the testicle is up behind the abdominal wall, and not able to be easily moved into the proper position, then I would personally pass on the puppy as a show prospect.

My $.02, for what its worth.

I have just skimmed everybodies answers but i really agree with the above poster and just since i have bred sammies in my opinion if you were planning on using him for your foundation then no i wouldnt grow him out. both testicles should be down at 8 weeks. you shouldnt have to rub them everyday or give them a lot of exercise for both to be them to be there. but like the above poster said if you are just going to show him and not breed him or not make him at public stud then what does it really matter. hope i have been some help in making the decision easier for you!

Jaclynn

grandiose... A monorchid is when one of the testicles is NOT THERE (also called vanishing testes), a cryptorchid is when one or both testicles are either in the abdominal wall OR in the inguinal area. if only one is "out of place" he is a unilateral crypthorchid, and when both are either in the inguinal or abdomianl area he is a bilateral cryptorchid.

A monorchid is a much, much more serious problem.

I asked my boss (a veterinarian) today to make sure I was saying the right thing.

Lenny's 2nd testicle wasn't reliably down in its "forever home" until he was around 6 months. In fact I held him back from showing until 7 months to be sure. We did his "exercises" (pulling it down to where it should be) every day and he has a perfectly normal set now. Stuart on the other hand never had the second one in plain sight (or feel) and had to be neutered eventually and we found the second one way up in his abdomen. So, if you can feel the second one for sure and it's close by the scrotum, I'd take that puppy if it's the one you like best and just work on it until it stays put.

This is part of what I check for when I pick up puppies. If they are not where they should be I would certainly change my mind on which one I took home.

When my newest Champion was a pup he also had this problem. I could easily find both, but only one would stay down. It took until he was 6 months and many hours of massaging them but he is now very proud of his parts= Maybe they would have both stayed down on their own, but I wasnt chancing it. He was a very slow maturing dog and I think that is partly why they so easily slipped back and forth.
I would take another pup like this so long as I could easily find both of them. I wouldnt waste my money or time if one couldnt be located or easily moved into place.

CRG

I HAVE A 12 WEEK OLD PUPPY THAT r ONE IS NOT DOWN BUT BOTH WERE DOWN AT 4.5 WEEKS AND 7.5 WEEKS OLD!
vET CAN'TLOCATE THE RIGHT ONE NOW! aNY SUGGESTIONS> I AM REALLY DISAPPOINTED!hE IS A GWP with two parents who have won at Westminster BOB! Feeling heartbroken!

Hi all,

I just read through all the replies in this post. I agree that it's incredibly hard finding information on how to prevent/resolve this issue other than neutering.

My puppy is an Alaskan Malamute and this isn't a problem in his line. He had them both down at 8 weeks, then none down at 12 weeks, and at 14 weeks he has one down.

This morning I saw both of them right at the base of his penis but not quite in the scrotum. I touched them once, and they both went down into the scrotum and I couldn't see them at the base position anymore. I could definitely feel one or both in the scrotum, it's difficult to tell because he's really furry.

Where can I find more information about the massaging technique? And how severe is my situation if they're yo-yo-ing this much?

I am also taking him to a reproduction specialist vet tomorrow morning and will update this post with whatever he recommends (I'm hoping it's not just "neuter him".

Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks in advance.