I was happy to see
the two sisters
again after over 5
years. One was
taller and slimmer.
Their male
10-year-old terrier
X had one
fast-growing large
lump on the left
inguinal area. The
other undescended
testicle was smaller
and normal in size.
"Why didn't you get
the dog neutered
when he was young?"
I asked.
"Undescended
testicles are known
to become cancerous
in older dogs and
men, like the famous
cyclist. Now it is a
gigantic tumour.
Since it grows so
fast within a month
to become bigger
than a hen's egg, it
is likely to be
cancerous. There is
a high anaesthetic
risk when an old dog
goes under general
anaesthesia
resulting in death
on the operating
table."
"We did not think
about it," the elder
sister said. "Is it
OK to do the surgery
now?"
"Take a blood test
to screen his
health," I advised.
"In any case, you
have no choice but
to get the massive
testicular tumour
taken out because
the cells will rot
as they expand in
size, causing much
pain. The dog will
lick the area till
the skin becomes
thin and the rotting
tumour drops out.
Now he is licking
his penile tip which
is red."
The owners brought
the dog in because
the dog kept licking
his penile tip. A
blood test showed
abnormally high
SGOT, around 8 X
higher. The dog was
scheduled for
surgery after one
day of antibiotics
and painkillers.
"How do you know it
is a testicular
tumour?" Dr Daniel
asked me as part of
a discussion on this
case. He would be
thinking of an
inguinal hernia
which is more common
a condition in this
belly location
called "inguinal".
"It is hard and firm
and does not go back
into the abdomen
unlike an inguinal
hernia," I explained
my diagnosis of the
undescended testicle
becoming a large
tumour.
The dog was neutered
by Dr Daniel and
went home in the
evening. The sisters
agreed to get the
large tumour
analysed by the
laboratory to check
whether it is
cancerous or not. As
for the high SGOT
levels, it is hard
to say whether this
increase in enzymes
is due to the
testicular tumour or
that the liver is
affected. A blood
test one month later
will be useful to
check whether the
cells have gone back
to normal levels and
this would indicate
that the cause of
the rise is due to
the testicular
tumour. An
educational video is
being produced.
UPDATE ON JUL 17,
2013. I phoned
the owner. The
mother replied
saying the dog is OK
and asked whether
the testicular
cancer has spread to
other parts of the
body. I told her it
is not likely based
on the histology
report of the cancer
being confined
inside the tunica.
The epididymis is
"unremarkable"
according to the
report. Sertoli cell
tumours can
metastasize but not
all do so. This case
appeared to be
operated early and
so there was no
spread of the cancer
cells to other parts
of the testes esp.
the epididymis and
to the vas deferens.
For the mother, I
just told her that
the cancer had not
spread and this was
good news for a
family who loved
this old dog.
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