My vet said that my pet is cryptorchid. What is that, and will the surgery be different from a “normal” neuter?
Cryptorchidism is a medical term meaning literally “hidden testes” (crypt = hidden, orchid refers to the testicle, or testes). This is considered a birth defect – where the testicle doesn’t “migrate” out of the body cavity and into the scrotum like normal during fetal development. Some pets can be “late bloomers” and a testicle not present at birth can descend later, but by 4-6 months of age, if it isn’t there, it won’t likely be. It is a heritable trait, so any pets in a breeding program with this condition should be neutered to not pass on this trait. Where is the testicle? The surgery procedure can be different in that the testicle can be deep inside the abdomen, similar to where the ovary would be found – by the kidney. It may be anywhere from the kidney area to the bladder. It could also be in the inguinal canal, the passageway from the abdomen to the scrotum. Testicles in the abdomen are not likely to be palpated, but the vet has a good chance of palpating a testicle in the ingui
