neutered male's testicles

[Smilla]

Hi all,

I'm fairly ignorant as to how a male dog is neutered. I'd always assumed the testicles were cut out. However, the other morning, Lefty's testicles appeared suddenly. I touched them to see if he'd react (as if they were sore, etc.), but he didn't. They felt very hard. Just when I began to get worried, they suddenly "sunk" back into his skin. There was no other activity--his penis wasn't out of its sheath, etc.

Sorry for the slightly gross post, but I really am curious about why his testicles would suddenly appear that way. I've never seen it before.

Thanks.

[lv4dogs]

He is neutered?
Yes, they do remove the testicles but leave the sacs.
I have never heard of such a thing on a neutered male. They have new ways to sterilize dogs obviously some of the techniques leave the lesticles. But if you had him neutered & the testicles are still there I would contact your vet. Did you specificly ask for him to be neutered?
It is healthier for them if they are removed.

[Smilla]

Thanks for answering--I was beginning to think I'd grossed everyone out!

He's a shelter dog, and his papers said he was neutered. He's now 7 years old, so I imagine it was done some time ago. I would say he "acts" like a neutered dog--he's very territorial in the home, but if a poodle barks at him he whines.

I've only had him since last October but have never seen his testicles before this; they appeared and disappeared very quickly. But they felt very hard, which makes me think SOMETHING is there!

Thanks for the advice; I'll give the vet a call.

[micki76]

Originally posted by Smilla
But they felt very hard, which makes me think SOMETHING is there!

Thanks for the advice; I'll give the vet a call.

Ok, now I understand. Those aren't his testicles, but I'm not sure exactly what they are, lol. Sometimes I see them on Chester when he wakes from a nap, or when I com home and he gets very excited. They're a bit further up on the penis than where testicles would normally be and they don't "hang" down. They're very close to the body. I've seen them on other neutered males, but have always been too embarrassed to ask anyone what they are. They alway disappear as quickly as they apppeared.

[Smilla]

Interesting! Well, I called the humane society and asked whether they had any records showing that he had indeed been neutered, and they got back to me later and said they showed that he'd been neutered on 8/25/99 (he was over two--isn't that kind of late?), and that they had double-checked with the hospital that performed the surgery. I called my vet as well, and they said just to keep and eye out, and that if I saw it happening more frequently, or if he began to lick/bite the area, to bring him in.

It will be hard to watch for this, I think, because as micki76 indicated they disappear as quickly as they appear! But I am glad to know for sure that he's neutered.

[micki76]

Now that I'm home, I'm going to do some online research and see what I can find.

[Corinna]

(clears throat ) Ladies that is part of, well humm, his maleness . lets say part of the hydrolcs . If I understand what you are talking about. just becouse the testicales are gone the rest stays in tact.

[micki76]

http://www.vetinfo4dogs.com says this: (I bolded the part of the question and answer pertaining to what we've seen)

Q: We have an 8 month old Shih-Tzu/Maltese cross male who was just sterilized. Since the operation (3 days ago), he has not been able to walk properly (he tucks his bum under) and he seems very uncomfortable. He scoots his bum on the ground and also licks at his wound, then runs off crying. He won't eat on his own initiative, because he can't stand without pain. We have taken him back to the vet who thought it may be a burn wound from being shaven before surgery. We've tried an anti-inflammatory cream -- it seems to soothe him a bit, but he is very sensitive to us applying it. Do you think this is the problem or could it be something more serious? Also, and this may sound silly, but I have seen two round hard "balls" near the base of his penis intermittently (especially when he'd just woken up). We thought these were undescended testes, but the vet said his testes had descended into his scrotum before the operation. I have seen them again since the operation. What are they? Thanks for your help. J.

A: Once in a while we have a male dog who gets very sore after neutering. I am not sure why this happens in all cases but am suspicious that some are sensitive to suture material, that sometimes we tie the knots too tight making the skin feel pinched, that infection occasionally occurs in the suture line and that skin can get sore from the shaving process prior to surgery. Once in a while all these things seem not to be the problem and the dog still seems to be in pain a little. We like to use pain relief medications in these cases. Your vet can help with this, if necessary.

The two round objects you are seeing are called the bulb of the penis. It is really just one large area of spongy blood filled tissue but it has two lobes. These fill with blood rather dramatically when a dog gets an erection and do often have appearance of subcutaneous testicles alongside the penis. Many dogs continue to be able to produce an erection shortly after neutering and as many as 20% of dogs may be able to produce an erection long-term after neutering.

Interesting.

[Smilla]

Corinna, we were wondering what "the rest" really was!

Thanks so much for the info, micki76--I did some online research myself, but didn't find anything quite as useful. That would explain exactly what I was seeing, I think. Whew! (Glad I don't have to keep an eye on his genitalia for the foreseeable future.)

[lv4dogs]

Yup, thats what they are. Sorry, I thought you said they actually dropped (like testicles would) they don't really drop, they just kind of like hang out near the surface. LOL
Anyways it's normal.