Why didn't my puppy's testicles drop like they're supposed to?

In a typical male puppy, both testicles form near the kidneys during fetal development and migrate down through the inguinal canal into the scrotum, a process that should be complete by around 6 to 8 weeks of age and is considered abnormal if it hasn't happened by 6 months, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual (Merck Veterinary Manual, 2023). The gubernaculum, a cord-like structure that guides each testicle on its descent, sometimes fails to develop or contract properly, leaving one or both testicles stalled somewhere along the path — in the abdomen, in the inguinal canal, or just under the skin near the groin. When only one testicle is retained, it's the right side that fails to descend more often than the left, and the condition is called unilateral cryptorchidism; when both are retained, the dog is termed bilaterally cryptorchid and is almost always infertile because the higher body-core temperature inhibits sperm production (Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, 2021).

Veterinarians can often confirm the diagnosis with a hands-on scrotal exam at a puppy's routine wellness visit, but because testicles can still descend late, most practitioners wait until 6 months of age before declaring a testicle truly retained rather than just delayed (American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation, 2022).

Is cryptorchidism something my dog inherited, or did I do something wrong during pregnancy?

Cryptorchidism is considered a heritable, sex-linked trait rather than something caused by prenatal nutrition, injury, or handling, and dogs with a sire or littermates affected by the condition carry a higher statistical risk of passing it on, which is why the American Kennel Club and most national breed clubs disqualify cryptorchid males from conformation showing and recommend against breeding them (American Kennel Club, 2023). Toy and small breeds appear over-represented in clinical case series, including Yorkshire Terriers, Pomeranians, Toy and Miniature Poodles, Chihuahuas, and Siberian Huskies, though the condition has been documented in nearly every breed and in mixed-breed dogs as well (Merck Veterinary Manual, 2023).

Because the exact inheritance pattern hasn't been fully mapped for every breed, genetic testing for cryptorchidism isn't yet part of routine screening the way hip or eye panels are; instead, breed clubs generally rely on pedigree tracking and simply removing affected males and their close relatives from breeding programs (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, 2022).

How will my veterinarian actually confirm the diagnosis?

Diagnosis usually starts with a physical exam in which the veterinarian palpates the scrotum and inguinal area to feel for a testicle that simply hasn't dropped versus one that's truly retained higher up; if nothing is palpable externally, abdominal ultrasound is the next step and can often locate a retained testicle sitting near the kidney or bladder with good accuracy (Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, 2021). In dogs where ultrasound is inconclusive, a hormone assay called the hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) stimulation test can confirm whether functional testicular tissue is present anywhere in the body by measuring a rise in testosterone after injection, which is particularly useful in dogs where a prior neuter history is uncertain (Merck Veterinary Manual, 2023).

CT imaging is sometimes used in larger dogs or when a retained testicle is suspected to be tucked in an unusual location, since it can pinpoint the testicle's exact position for surgical planning more precisely than ultrasound alone (American College of Veterinary Surgeons, 2022).

Does a retained testicle actually put my dog at higher risk for cancer?

Yes — a retained testicle is exposed to a warmer internal body temperature than a normally descended one, and that thermal difference is linked to a substantially higher rate of testicular tumors, particularly Sertoli cell tumors and seminomas, compared with testicles that sit in the scrotum (American College of Veterinary Surgeons, 2022). Retained abdominal testicles are also prone to testicular torsion, a sudden, painful twisting of the testicle on its blood supply that requires emergency surgery, and cryptorchid dogs face a higher risk of inguinal hernia if the retained testicle sits partway through the inguinal canal (Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, 2021).

Because these risks accumulate with age rather than appearing in puppyhood, many owners don't see a reason for concern until a veterinarian explains that the elevated cancer risk is a lifetime one, not a one-time possibility, which is a major reason surgical correction is recommended well before middle age.

What does the surgery to fix cryptorchidism actually involve?

The recommended treatment is neutering, which for a cryptorchid dog means removing both testicles — the normally descended one and the retained one — rather than a standard scrotal-only neuter, since leaving the descended testicle in place would still allow breeding behavior and doesn't address the genetic trait (Merck Veterinary Manual, 2023). If the retained testicle is in the abdomen, the surgeon performs an abdominal exploration similar to a spay incision to locate and remove it, which is a longer and more involved procedure than a routine neuter and typically costs more accordingly (American College of Veterinary Surgeons, 2022).

Timing matters: most veterinary surgeons recommend correcting cryptorchidism once a testicle is confirmed retained past 6 months of age rather than waiting indefinitely, both to reduce the cumulative cancer risk and because abdominal testicles become progressively harder to locate and can develop adhesions as a dog ages (Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, 2021).

How should I care for my dog after cryptorchid surgery?

Recovery from a combined abdominal-and-scrotal neuter is longer than from a standard neuter because the abdominal incision needs time to heal; most veterinarians recommend strict activity restriction — no running, jumping, or off-leash play — for a full 10 to 14 days, along with an e-collar to prevent licking at either incision site (American Veterinary Medical Association, 2022). Owners should monitor both incisions daily for redness, swelling, discharge, or gaps in the sutures, and a follow-up recheck is typically scheduled 10 to 14 days after surgery to remove sutures or staples if non-absorbable material was used.

Pain medication is standard for the first several days given that this is a more invasive procedure than a routine neuter, and most dogs are eating normally and acting like themselves within 24 to 48 hours even though full internal healing takes closer to two weeks (American Veterinary Medical Association, 2022).

What's the long-term outlook for a dog born with cryptorchidism?

Once both testicles — descended and retained — are surgically removed, a dog's long-term prognosis is excellent, and the elevated cancer risk associated with the retained testicle disappears along with the tissue itself (Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, 2021). Dogs who are neutered promptly rarely have any lasting effects from the condition and go on to live completely normal lives.

The main long-term consideration is that affected dogs, and ideally their close relatives, should be excluded from any breeding program given the heritable nature of the trait, and routine annual wellness exams remain the best way to catch any late complications early (American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation, 2022).