My friend has recently bought a puppy that is just turned 10 weeks.  He only has a one test*cle. I've told her that it may come down but should get it checked by a vet.

Any advice on what she can do to encourage it to come down.

Personally I would do nothing - more prodding and probing can  only encourage them to draw them back up (that's the advice I was given).

Yes you are right it may come down and she may want to get the vet to look at it - but again carefully because it can do more harm than good with too much checking.

Resist the temptation to keep feeling it.

We didn't really panic until 6 months but sadly for us it never came !  We are now looking at an operation to locate the missing (if it ever existed) for removal.

But at 10 weeks still think its too early to be worrying - they go up and down all the time! 

I think she's very nervous because she wants to show him.  It would be a terrible shame if it didn't come down as he's a good looking chap.

Same here when we got our English we also wanted to show him too - sadly we couldn't show him in the end - some said could even take up to 18 months to come but it never did - but love him all the same!!

I was pretty disappointed at first but he's my Charlieboy just the same!  He is a lovely lad and his sisters have done really well but oh well !

But I know of people who worried at 10 weeks but by 16 all both in place!  Have they both been there before?  If yes then its like they will be back!

I'm off to get kids from school now so if I don't reply you know why!

Just tell her not to worry and not to prod!!!

Mmmmmmmm, well they can come down later, but maybe if she wanted to show him, the breeder would have known and should have pointed out this ermm, lack? Or at least discussed it with her when she was viewing him. How would she feel about returning him? Touchy subject I know, so please don't shoot me, after all it could well drop, and 10 weeks is not old. Its just if the main intention in buying him was to show, and he can't, how important is this to her. I'm not saying return him, just looking at the options. :)

I am terrible at checking for entirety I just cannot be sure of it in young pups, and have a friend check for me in pups wanted for show, but have yet to breed one without it's tackle.  Is your friend sure she just isn't good at finding them?

Well put, calmstorm. If I was looking for a pup with show potential I wouldn't buy one with such a potentially major fault; I'm not a keen gambler!! If I had no interest in showing then it would be less important, although the possibly of future surgical expense would also be considered.

The breeder did tell her this on buying him.  She fell in love with him and took the gamble.  I hope it's just a matter of time before it comes down.  Can the vet give anything to help? 

No, there's no medicine or anything that would help. It'll either come down on its own or it won't, I'm afraid.

As JG said if it is going to come down it will but nothing will help it I'm afraid.

If he has only ever had one then my thoughts would be that the other will not come - but that is just my opinion obviously not fact!  Charlie actually had none and then at 6 months one appeared!

Friends who have had Boxers in this country and in Eire haven't
managed to get the 2nd one down with help from 'natural' remedies
or stuff from vet (injection but can't remember what it's called).
It was a waste of money.

Some will come down, a friend has a whippet who yo-yo-d with his bits
but he's got 2 on display.

Think it depends as some know what their breed and bloodlines are like for
testicles. But in my experience with Boxers and knowing lots of friends that
have had this dilemma with pups etc
they very rarely drop the 2nd if they aren't there at 8/9 weeks.

JG/Calmstorm - if I knew then what I know now!  Charlie's breeder knew we intended on showing him - her vet didn't mention his lack of and neither did the breeder and when I told her she was oh yes it can happen - she didn't offer for us to return him and to be honest I wouldn't have wanted to anyway - he was bought 'just to show' but as a pet first - but I was a bit peeved that no-one considered checking them before we took him home - if you know what I mean!

I know differently now though - and have since been very sure to check all is there if I am considering showing :)

My first boy only has one, he was the pick of the litter,  the strange thing is loads of people had checked before I took him home and were sure he had two, I had him operated on at 2 years old for the missing one to be removed but after 45 minutes of searching the vet gave up - it was never there !!

Most breeders would offer money off the puppy price for neutering, I claimed Fagans op back through the insurance company but was still compensated by the breeder.  I dont think there is anything that can help it down, I did see a herbal vet who gave me some tablets (which I think were vit E) but they didnt do any good (well they obviously couldnt create one )

Although Fagan will never be a proper show dog (he is too skinny anyway) he does well at companion shows and is doing really well at agility and I love him to bits - I could never have given him up just because I couldnt show him

All my pups were checked by the vet before they went to their new homes and at the times of their injections, It was my first litter but thought this was normal.

Linda

Just reread this - hope you realised I meant he wasn't bought just to show not was!!

Meant to sit under my post about Charlie!

Think breeds vary with this, some have problems others not. Don't know about Westies, so cant offer any advice other than wait and hope. I have known them eventually appear at 5 mths, but v rare. If I wanted a dog to show I would not buy one without both being there - but in this case seems breeder was up front about it. Has yr friend though of asking the breeder if it is a problem in the breed/line?

My RR only has one testicle descended - he's 14 months now and there's still no sign of it making an appearance.  This is not a problem for us as we had no intention of showing, but the vet will be having a rummage around when Earl is castrated soon to see if he can find the other one.  They do have to check thoroughly as a retained testicle has a high chance of becoming cancerous in later life if left inside the abdomen.

Our vet only checked gently once to see if he could feel the other one anywhere, but no luck.

Hope your friends lad gets his full quota soon!

BW,
Helen

Thanks everyone, she has started him on a herbal remedy now.  I hope the little lads other bit comes down eventually.
Thanks for all your comments, it's just a waiting game now.