Cryptorchidism (retained testicle) in dogs creates a significant cancer risk that makes neutering a welfare imperative. Understanding the condition guides appropriate management decisions.
Cryptorchidism welfare significance lies primarily in cancer risk. The retained testicle in an abnormal thermal environment undergoes changes that dramatically increase neoplastic risk. Testicular cancer from retained testicles, particularly Sertoli cell tumours, causes systemic disease through oestrogen production — bone marrow suppression causing anaemia and immunosuppression, feminisation, and in some cases alopecia. The welfare imperative for surgical management is clear: removal eliminates a substantial and predictable cancer risk. The hereditary nature of cryptorchidism creates an additional welfare dimension through the breeding implications — affected dogs should not be bred, to prevent propagation of the condition.