Equine castration – special scenarios
Cryptorchidism
Use the resources below to find the answers to these questions. Then try to quiz to verify your answers.
Study Questions
Cryptorchids come in 3 flavors – high flankers, abdominal cryptorchids and monorchids. Monorchids are very rare.What is the difference between the other two?
Could either high flankers or abdominal crypts be reasonably castrated in the field?
What is the descent path of the testicle (so where might a cryptorchid testicle be found)?
Which testicle descends last (and might be more likely to be abdominal)?
If you are attempting to find the missing testicle on a cryptorchid animal, should you remove the descended one first?
What are the possible consequences of leaving a testicle in the abdomen, particularly if you remove the other?
Exercises
Now try your hand at these questions.
Resources
Cryptorchidism, ACVS- client focused but has some good details included
The Ambulatory Practitioner and the Referral Center, Volume 28, Issue 1, April 2012, Pages 69-81- discusses pros/cons of referral cryptorchid surgery
Inguinal percutaneous ultrasound of cryptorchids, Equine veterinary education. , Vol.28(3), p.150-154 – cool stuff
The Cryptorchid, R-Vets- Note: just because you CAN do a cryptorchid surgery in the field, doesn’t mean you SHOULD in most cases. Your ethical obligation is to provide the best care possible. If referral is possible, that is generally the best care.
