Document Type : Clinical Report
Authors
1
DVM student, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
2
DVSc Candidate, Department of Surgery and Diagnostic Imaging, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
3
Department of Surgery and Diagnostic Imaging, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
4
Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
5
Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
6
Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
7
Resident of Veterinary Radiology, Department of Surgery and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
This case report describes the successful diagnosis and surgical management of unilateral cryptorchidism in an adult male domestic shorthair cat with a non-palpable, ultrasonographically occult testis. Initial ultrasonography failed to localize the retained testis. Endocrine testing revealed a baseline testosterone of 91.10 ng/dL, which rose to 298.25 ng/dL four hours after human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulation, confirming viable testicular tissue. Non-contrast CT subsequently localized the testis to the right inguinal/subcutaneous region. Thirty-one days later, the cat underwent a targeted inguinal approach for removal of the retained testis and concurrent castration of the contralateral scrotal testis. Intraoperatively, the testis was found more caudal than where computed tomography (CT) indicated before. The histopathological analysis of cryptorchid testes reveals significant changes, such as atrophy, reduced diameter of the seminiferous tubules, and absence of spermatogonia. The case supports a stepwise diagnostic pathway (palpation, ultrasonography, hCG stimulation, and CT when needed) to combine functional and anatomic data for precise surgical planning. The CT should be used judiciously due to radiation and anesthesia concerns. Notably, the observed caudal shift of the retained testis between diagnostic hCG administration and surgery suggests that some degree of canalicular mobility may persist in adult cats, underscoring the importance of minimizing the time between imaging and surgical intervention when endocrine stimulation is used.
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