What age do a dog's testicles drop.Just come back from the vets and been told that he only can feel one at the minute.I thought i could feel two but the vet knows best.Is this a gene passed on through the mother or father and will it affect any females in the litter and will all the dogs from this litter be affected.

I believe that it can be passed on.  Have to say that in the Pomeranian's that we've bred in over 25 years we've only had one like this who was sold as a pet.  We had used a number of his offspring with our dogs over the years and never had it recur previously or since. 

The thing is when he first came he felt like he had two pea's so i never thought anything of it.He was walked to the vet's and its cold,but i trust the vets judgement.But had to have a feel later on when he was in the warm and relaxed and it did feel like there was two.The vet said he needs to be castrated to avoid cancer and passing on the gene to his offspring which will be done as i have no intention of breeding.(can i still show a castrated dog) but i did not want him done so early as one of my rescue dogs was spayed before a season and is a total loon and still very imature.I informed the breeder and he was just a little concerned about the other pup's in the litter so i thought i would try and get a bit of info about the old one b### situation :)

How old is he? Testicles can sometimes yoyo up and down for some months before they settle securely in the scrotum - I wouldn't panic yet - if they're not both down by the time he's about a year old then consider having the retained one removed.
:)

He is 4 months old.The vet said to give him a couple of months and if no testicle is apparent get him castrated straight away to avoid the cancer taking hold.He said a few months would not make a difference but got the feeling that he would rather do it sooner rather than later.

If it's any help, my mother's dog had a retained testicle which was removed when he was just over a year old, with the the normal one left in situ. He's now 14 years old and has had no trouble. If one of my males had the same I would definitely wait longer than your vet suggests. Retained testicles aren't guaranteed to become cancerous anyway (and it would take a lot longer than a few months) - they're only more likely to.

Besides, if you think you felt both of them when your boy was relaxed you're probably right. Don't let your vet panic you.

If it was me I would wait until he reaches 12 months, if they've not both come down by then then it's not likely that they will do.  He's not going to get cancer within a year, this to me is scaremongering !

Thanks everyone.I don't intend to breed but i felt really bad when i came out of the vets, like someone had told me there was something wrong with one of the kids.Feel much better now.

Hi Shedog,

Have to agree with the other two posters on this - vets are a bit too quick sometimes to go down the route of neutering anything with four legs :(  At 4 months he's not in any obvious danger - especially as you've felt the other one yourself.  Not all vets are good at finding testes in young pups either - as a general rule, established breeders are much better :P

The fact that the (occasionally) retained testicle is in close proximity to the right place means it will be at a suitable temperature in relation to the descended one, hence unlikely to cause problems - it's those retained much higher in the body cavity which present the greatest risk because they become too warm.

Like the others have said, give him a year - it also gives your boy the opportunity to mature a bit more too, hormones play a big part in the physical and mental development of animals just as they do in humans.

Good luck, keep checking him regularly yourself and keep us posted.
Regards, Teri :)

Bailey's didnt drop until he was nearly 7 months, So I wouldnt worry too much just yet

Can I advise you not to feel for them I know of an entire dog puppy who was exported & the new owner was checking several times a day, the poor little lad ended up with a retained testicle & the owner got rid of him fortunately to a better home & he had the retained one removed at 18 month. If they are going to descend they will do so in their own time & I have never had a puppy with a problem Touch wood

Those in which both testicles are retained are called Cryptorchid and those with one descended are called Monochids & the retained testicle(s)should be removed but do not need to be removed at an early age

It is genetic & carried on the X chromosome which the male dog gets from his mother & the dog should not be bred from & of course his sisters could be carriers

Hi MM,

If the poster doesn't check for the floating one occasionally she'll never know if it descends :rolleyes: <lol>  Although I heartily agree that several times a day seems more than extreme (in fact downright weird when the pup was originally entire but that's a whole new thread .....

Teri :D

Hi Teri

That depends on the breed - my lad's are quite visible without a physical examination :D

show off :D :D :D

Teri

I like to check several times a day that they're still there.....

Geoff :)

The dog, right?????

Teri :P

In public ? lol roflmao

I tend to agree with the 12 months one, by 12 months if nothing has happened see your vet again....

*snigger* :D

I agree with other comments, 4 months is still young. I was concerned about my Schnauzer but his finally dropped (and stayed) at about 8 months. The vet wouldnt even consider taking any action untill he was 1, i think your vet sounds a little eager to get him on the table.

I've had 2 males with an undescended testicle.  One was neutered at 7 months and one at 2 years.  The one at 2 years was a rescue.  With the first dog they were able to remove his testicle through the normal neutering incision, with the 2nd he also had to have a 'spay' type incision as the undescended testicle was up in front of his penis.

So what age do the testicals drop?