Does your dog have swollen testicles? Reproductive diseases are very frequent in the small animal clinic. Canine guardians show a lot of concern when it comes to addressing issues about the reproductive he alth of their pets, since on many occasions, they want their best friend to have offspring. Testicular tumors in dogs are usually a relatively frequent pathology in canines after the age of ten, and rarely the guardian manages to realize it in time, since said pathology is almost always diagnosed by chance in the physical examination with the veterinarian.
In this article on our site, we will talk a little about the testicular tumor in dogs, its symptoms and its treatment, to inform canine guardians about the risk to their pets if they are not neutered on time.
What is a testicular tumor?
A tumor is any tissue alteration that ends up causing a volume increase There are different types of testicular tumors in dogs and they can be classified according to the type of cells that are affected or reproduced abnormally. Testicular neoplasms in dogs are relatively common (said to be 5-15% of all neoplasms) and are rarely seen in cats. There is no breed or age predisposition for this pathology to appear, but it is diagnosed more in older dogs and the most affected breeds have generally been described as the boxer, chihuahua, German shepherd, Pomeranian and poodle. The types of testicular neoplasia most common in dogs are:
- Sertoli cell tumor: This is the most common testicular tumor in dogs (40-50%) and one of the most easy to diagnose because it usually grows larger than those that affect other cells. Sertoli cells are involved in the process of sperm maturation, which is affected for obvious reasons when these tumors appear.
- Leydig cell tumor: These usually occur at about a 25% incidence and do not grow very large. Leydig cells have the function of producing testosterone.
- Seminoma: this is a tumor that grows at the level of the seminiferous tubules. It has an incidence of approximately 31% and bears some resemblance to Sertoli cell tumor with the naked eye (on physical examination).
The incidence in each of these tumors is quite narrow, in some cases it is usually insignificant and it should be noted that in many patients several types of tumors may appear, that is, one does not limit the appearance of any of the other two. In this other article we leave you more information about Tumors in dogs - Types, symptoms and treatment.
Symptoms of a testicular tumor in dogs
Dogs with testicular tumors do not only have reproductive symptoms. The testicles are endocrine glands and when they are affected, the endocrinological defect will cause signs and symptoms at the level of many other organs, which we will see below:
- Scrotal and/or testicular enlargement: Regardless of the type of tumor to be diagnosed, a change in size will be evident at the of one or both testicles, as well as at the scrotal level.
- Blood in the urine: on many occasions testicular tumors are the cause of pathological lesions at the prostate level, this will result in we can see blood in the urine and difficulty urinating.
- Pain: depends a lot on the growth of the tumor, obviously, if it manages to affect a nerve, the animal will experience pain and its quality will decrease of life.
- Inappetence: if a testicular tumor manages to develop without the tutor realizing it in time, it will bring more and more serious consequences. Loss of appetite usually appears as a consequence of the pain that the animal may be feeling.
- Perianal hernias: Some testicular tumors are associated with the development of perianal hernias, and this is crucial when performing the physical examination and differential diagnoses.
- Feminization syndrome: this is a set of characteristic signs that occur in some testicular tumors (generally Sertoli cell tumors). These tumors usually cause endocrinological problems that will trigger a feminization syndrome (poor hair quality, alopecia, pendulous foreskin and even attraction to other males).
To help you find out if your dog is suffering from any discomfort, we advise you to take a look at this other article on our site about Symptoms of a sick dog.
Causes of testicular tumor in dogs
As in most neoplasms, the causes are quite nonspecific or sometimes even unknown. However, research studies have shown the following:
- Hormonal disorders: It has been proven that some hormonal disorders are often the cause of testicular tumors, especially when there are problems with estrogen.
- Cryptorchidism: To a lesser extent, but no less important, it has been found that cryptorchidism (pathology in which one or both testicles do not fulfill their correct development and do not go down to writing), it could also be a triggering factor for testicular tumor.
However, we insist that it is not always possible to know what causes testicular tumors in dogs, so sometimes the veterinarian will not have an answer.
Diagnosis of testicular tumor in dogs
The first suspicion of testicular cancer in dogs appears with the physical examination The veterinarian when seeing or feeling an abnormal mass at level of one or both testicles, you must perform a series of complementary tests to confirm your diagnosis. Consideration should be given to some differential diagnoses of pathologies that can also cause lumps in a dog's testicles with the naked eye:
- Torsion of the spermatic cord.
- Traumatism at the level of the testicle.
- Spermatocele.
- Hernia or scrotal neoplasm.
- Scrotal abscess.
The veterinary practitioner should rely on complementary tests such as ultrasound and biopsy both to confirm the diagnosis of testicular tumor and to know what type of cell is affected (a cytology may also be indicated). Having all the data and being absolutely sure of what it is, is when a treatment will be carried out.
Treatment of testicular tumor in dogs
Treatment for all types of testicular tumors is surgical removal In cases where only one testicle is affected, it can be extract only that one, but always complete castration of the animal is recommended to avoid relapses in the testicle that we are leaving. In addition to surgical extraction, an effective pain management treatment, adequate antibiotic therapy, and drugs that help reduce inflammation of the affected tissues should be indicated.
In preventive medicine, the guardian of the pet is usually advised and made to understand that if he does not plan for his dog to have offspring, plan his castrationto reduce the chances of this pathology appearing, thus giving your pet more years and quality of life.
In this other article we answer the question: Does a neutered dog live longer?
Testicular Tumor Prognosis in Dogs
Testicular tumors are usually benign. The bibliography is contradictory when it comes to giving an incidence of metastasis in this type of pathology and, after castration, if the lesion was only found at the level of the testicles, the dog usually returns to The normality
Of course, the prognosis will depend on the early detection of the pathology and that it has not caused additional problems.
