Testicles

By Amy Fernandez

Regardless of breed or bloodline, every breeder dreads the possibility of missing testicles, otherwise known as monorchidism and cryptorchidism. Although there is evidence of a hereditary pattern, it can and does pop up unexpectedly. At this point, there’s no way to test for it.  It goes without saying that this DQ condition invariably hits the best pup in the litter. But the anxiety doesn’t end there. From a hereditary standpoint, the manifestation of this fault triggers a search for the culprit in the pedigree and the fear that unaffected littermates will also transmit the fault.

In reality, a lot of undesirable genetic traits are tricky to track because they are polygenic–involving so many genetic combinations. One study suggests that at least 8,000 genes may contribute to this defect.  That makes sense considering its many variations.  It might be one or both, or testicles may be too big or too small (like the three bears, they have to be just right). Or the inguinal ring may be too tight. Let’s just say it’s a long list of possible things that can and do go wrong.

Moreover, dogs certainly don’t have a monopoly on the problem–it has been documented in most animals.  But when it comes to this one, the hereditary aspect has been the primary focus of breeders simply because it can be understood and, to some extent, controlled through selective breeding.

New research has revealed some interesting insights into the underlying mechanics of this defect. So it’s good news and bad news. A recent survey from American and Canadian veterinary schools that documented over 6,400 cases involving many breeds found that the actual incidence of cryptorchidism in dogs is actually about 0.4 percent. So, even though it does have a familial basis it’s not as pervasive as we would think.

Researchers are getting closer to solving this mystery. We now know that it is caused by variants of the KAT6A gene, but there’s a whole lot of ways this gene can go rogue to produce the many documented variations of this disqualifying fault. There has also been extensive research into the precise biological mechanics of how testicles end up where they should be as well as plenty of stats on cryptorchidism in various species. And if it’s any consolation, different studies have documented the incidence in humans from 2-12 percent.  In truth, evolutionary biologists are still arguing about why they evolved in the first place.  So, there’s a lot to learn here.

But in our case, the breaking news is that we may be exacerbating the problem through our obsessive worries about this condition. Essentially, the fact that the documented incidence exceeds the math suggests that something else is contributing to the numbers.

The first possibility is accidental injury that is inadvertently caused by poking around trying to find those squishy little marbles before they descend. Well-intentioned exams can ironically cause the problem. It can be hard to resist checking that gorgeous male you been waiting for your entire life, but maybe don’t worry so much. Overdoing it that can actually cause the problem.

Humans are not the only source of the injury mentioned in this study. As we know, puppies play rough and by eight weeks it tends to get really rough. That’s the age when they start testing the limits and sorting out their social status. Mom will instantly shut down the alligator biting but littermates are always fair game.  Puppies have no sense of boundaries and their rough play can damage the fruit basket.

The conclusions of this study are obvious, break up the rough play before it can do actual damage and resist the urge to poke around and hunt for testicles until the pup is at least eight or ten weeks–and even then do it gently.

Thank you, Dr. Carmen Battaglia, for sharing this new research. Visit Breedingbetterdogs.com for lots more practical information.

Short URL: https://caninechronicle.com/?p=281773

Posted by Liz on Feb 27 2024. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.