First, let's get to know what copper testicles are. Copper testiclesis conditionAn abnormality in which the testicles do not descend into the scrotum can occur on one or both sides, causing them to remain in the groin or abdomen, which can occur in bothdog Male dogs and cats
Dog breeds that are at risk for copper testis include:
- Chihuahua
- Pomeranian
- Poodle
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Schnauzer
Cat breeds that are at risk for copper testicular disease include:
- Persia
- Ragdoll
Causes of copper testis
It is caused by a genetic abnormality that is passed down from a recessive gene to the next generation. We can clearly observe this abnormality when the child is 1 year old.
How to Recognize Copper Deficiency in Dogs
Dogs can have testicles in the scrotum from 2 months of age onwards. Most testicles will fully descend into the scrotum by 6 months of age. However, if your dog is over 1 year old or fully grown and the testicles have not fully descended, it means that your dog has copper testicles.
How to recognize copper deficiency in cats
Cats can have testicles from 6 weeks onwards. Most testicles will fully descend into the scrotum by 2 months of age. However, if your cat is over 6 months old or fully grown and the testicles have not fully descended, it means that your cat also has copper testicles.
*Copper testicles do not affect animal hormones, so they can still display sexual behavior normally.
Is copper testis dangerous?
If the testicles are not ejaculated, dogs and cats are many times more likely to develop testicular tumors or cancer than animals with testicles in the sac because the body temperature is higher than in the scrotum, causing testicular cells to function abnormally, which in turn stimulates the development of tumors or cancer.
How to treat copper testis
“Sterilization surgery” is a method to reduce the risk of testicular cancer in dogs and cats. Even though some animals have it on one side, it is necessary to operate on both sides because if left for a long time, the surgery will be more difficult. In cases where the testicles are in the abdomen, the doctor will perform an ultrasound before the surgery to determine the exact position. In addition to sterilization surgery reducing the risk of cancer, it also reduces the transmission of recessive genes through genetics to the next generation.
“However, sterilization surgery should be performed under the guidance of a veterinarian because each dog and cat’s physical condition is different.”
If the owner is wondering if their pet has complete testicles, they can bring them to see a doctor for examination so that they can receive timely treatment if they are found to have incomplete testicles on both sides.
If the owner is interested in having their dog or cat neutered, you can read more details at this link.
https://www.talingchanpet.net/package-dog-cat/
References:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/10771216_Incidence_of_cryptorchidism_in_dogs_and_cats
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1351479/
https://pangovet.com/ask-the-vet/cats/retained-testicles-cryptorchidism-in-cats/
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