Cryptorchidism
Cryptorchidism describes the
of one or both testicles inside the abdomen
or the inguinal canal.
Cryptorchidism may be caused by genetic predisposition, inguinal or fibrosis of the inguinal foramen that prevents the normal descent of the testes through the inguinal canal into the scrotum. Regardless of cause, there is a failure in the descent of the teste(s) from the abdomen into the inguinal canal into the scrotum. Spermatogenesis in the retained testicle is due to the high temperature within the body, but the production of testosterone is usually normal. If both testes are retained it is likely the stallion will be infertile, but if one testicle is descended normally the stallion’s fertility will be near normal. Signs and symptoms include a male horse that behaves like a stallion with no visible or only 1 visible teste with no history of castration. Most cases are unilateral with the left teste being retained more than the right teste. If the teste is retained within the inguinal canal, it may descend later in life spontaneously. Diagnosis of cryptorchidism can be made through a history of castration (scars), palpation of the scrotum revealing the presence of a single teste or the absence of testes and through laparoscopic abdominal endoscopy or ultrasound revealing the presence of one or both testes within the abdominal cavity, the pelvic cavity or the inguinal canal. removal of the retained testicle as it may predispose for inguinal herniation of the intestines or tumor development. The removal of both the descended testicle in addition to the removal of the retained testicle is necessary to prevent stallion behaviour. Treatment of cryptorchidism is usually the
Castration
Castration is the surgical removal of the testes once they have descended into the scrotum.
Two types of castration are recognised as being practical in horses:
The first type is the
castration. In this surgery the scrotum and the vaginal
tunic surrounding the testicle are incised and the testicle is removed. The second type of castration is the castration. In this surgery the scrotum is incised, and the testicle and the vaginal tunic is extracted from the scrotum. A ligature is then placed around the spermatic cord to prevent haemorrhage. The spermatic cord is then severed using a device called an .
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