cryptorchidism and pain management?

[puppydog]

My little guy is going to be neutered when he is two. Which will be in February next year.
I have done the research and seen that, depending on where the testicle is lying, it can quite an extensive surgery. I have found a surgery that will do this procedure for a very reasonable price.
My only question now is, how much more painful is this going to be and how do I go about safe pain control on such a tiny dog. My little girl didn't even blink with her spay so I did not give her more then half a Rimadyl over the healing process.
We all know how men can be with pain rofl1 so I would like some hints if possible.

 

[borzoimom]

I am sorry but I do not understand the delay in the neuter if he is a crypt. He needs to be neutered and soon. The younger he is the less likely for strangulation of the scrotum etc.. Do it sooner.

 

[HoundedByHounds]

I don't manage pain beyond the first night home, with spays, sections, or neuters. The pain is USEFUL because it makes moving around unrewarding....if a dog FEELS good he will jump, run, and potentially harm himself. I keep them quiet for a few days afterwards and the pain helps with that.

That's just my two cents. I don't mange pain with meds myself when the pain is useful..like I sprain something and need to STAY off it. If I feel good...I will do things that will exacerbate and lengthen the time I am out of commision.

I too would remove retained testicles sooner than later...esp in a small dog that has no major growing to do.

 

[puppydog]

He is having it done in 6 months because the place that is doing the surgery for such a reasonable price has a waiting list. They could have taken him two days after he arrived but I feel that after a flight, new home and surroundings, that would just be too stressful. I spoke to my vet and he said that it is fine to wait another 6 months.
I am a huge advocator of early neutering, but I really don't want to cause him more stress then necessary.

 

[Beanie]

I'm just going to relate Auggie's story to you first... when he was around 6 months, we went to the vet for something entirely different. The vet we saw was great and used to breed whippets. She asked about neutering him, because he was six months old, and when I replied that his breeder and I decided to wait until he was a year old to make sure his joints could finish growing, especially as Auggie was an agility prospect, she was very nice and understanding. She decided to check on everything to make sure he was healthy since he was in.
It was then she realized she couldn't find his left testicle. I couldn't find it either, and later, his breeder failed to find it also. After a lot of discussion between this vet, Auggie's breeder, and a few other people, we decided that the risks of leaving the testicle as it was for six more months outweighed the benefit of giving him those extra months to ensure all of his joints would finish growing.
We made the appointment and Auggie was neutered a few days after he turned seven months old.


I completely disagree with your vet that leaving the testicle for another six months would be fine. I think it's extremely risky. Especially as your little guy is already over a year old, the testicle has sat, un-descended, for longer than Auggie's did, and even at seven months we decided it was too much of a risk to leave it.

I understand and echo your concerns about having the surgery two days after he arrives to you, but in this case, I think it is VERY VERY VERY important to do it sooner rather than later... I really think you should consider either doing the surgery then, or finding another place to do it a few weeks after he comes to you and having to pay more for the surgery. =/

 

[elegy]

Ask the vet about pain control. Pain is *not* good. Pain causes more stress, which yeah, slows the dog down, but also slows healing and can cause an increase in complications even in something as simple as a neuter. Most good vets have some kind of pain management protocol. If your vet does not, I would make sure your dog receives some kind of pain medication. Don't let them blow you off.

I would not wait on a cryptorchid neuter.

 

[HoundedByHounds]

Never have I had an issue from not using pain meds. Not even when I had a bitch nursing pups 45mins after a section. pain meds go to pups and I was not risking that. No slowing in healing. I took the stitches out myself in 10 days...nice clean healed incision.

Reg non section spays? She came home didn't eat that day or first part of next...cage rest and ate dinner and walked the yard at her own pace...totally normal the 3rd day.

We'll have to agree to disagree. I know more people with animals harmed by Rimadyl or the pain patch than I know folks who's dogs healed slowly or had some complication due to not using anything beyond what's on board when picked up. Pain meds, even aspirin are not, harmless.

I'd perhaps use something homeopathic...might look into that, to the OP.

 

[HoundedByHounds]

BTW to the OP...Ultrasound to find the testicle...if you do find it, the surgery will not be exploratory then

 

[Sniperess]

my beagle had a retained testicle. We had him neutered at a year old and he did absolutely fine. He had two incisions, one wee one for the descended testicle, and another maybe 1/2 inch? one for the area they went in for the other one. He really didn't act any more sore than with a normal neuter. He was down for a day, by the next he was up and moving, slowly yes, but he was fine.
They did give a light med for pain, but only for the first 3 days. After that he was on his own and no problems at all. The biggest pain was having two incisions to worry about and watch to make sure they healed ok. Which they did.

 

[grab01]

Aesop was just recently neutered. He is a big, BIG baby about pain..he threw a fit about having a catheter in his leg, didn't like having his scrotal wrap taken off because it pulled the skin, and so on. He also threw a fit for the pain shot they're given before going home.

He didn't blink an eye after getting home, nor in the days after. I've no doubt if he was overly painful that he would have let me know about it. I have pain meds here for Legend and had the ok (and the dose) to give him one if needed, but it was never necessary. Granted, his was a standard neuter, but years ago when I had a female and had her spayed, she didn't get pain meds either. Nor did my cat when she was neutered.

However, when I had my appendix out, I didn't take pain meds either. I moved around when necessary, slowed down when it was uncomfortable, and in a week I was feeling pretty normal.

 

[fillyone]

Dante was Cryptorchid and neutered at 14 months old. The retained testicle was mighty at hiding and his incision was pretty big. I managed pain with the meds from the Vet for a couple of days and then only gave he really appeared he needed it. It was on leash (even in the house) or in the crate for 2 weeks. (It was a very long 2 weeks!)
The vet said next time she's ask clients if they'd like Ultrasound first to locate. Would have saved some incision for Dante.

As far as not doing it right now, you have to do what you, your vet and your breeder feel is right. Do a lot of research and make your decision. I was glad I waited, but Dante is a German Shepherd and needs all the hormones for proper bone growth he could get.

 

[puppydog]

I am happy with my decision to wait another 6 months. The vet that told me it would be fine is a brilliant surgeon and also works with canine cancer. He treated my Border Collie for lymphatic cancer 10 years ago.
He says that with an undecended, cancer usually develops at around 8 years, I searched that on various sites and they come up with between 6-10 years. He said the benefits of waiting for him to settle in will outweigh the risks.

The place I am having him done at is going to charge me R200 which is about $30 as opposed to my regular vet who would charge me R2500 which is $375. On my salary I cannot afford a major operation that would cost that.
I have spoken to the people at the PDSA (peoples dispensary for sick animals) and they do an ultrasound on a undecended as a matter of course.

 

[elegy]

Never have I had an issue from not using pain meds.

you may not have, but you have said that you use the pain to slow your dogs down, so they must be in pain. that is not acceptable to me when it comes to my dogs.

current thinking in the veterinary community is that pain is counterproductive. they've done studies on this. i tend to believe them.

 

[puppydog]

Pain releases coristol, which is detrimental to liver, kidney and heart function. I will be using pain meds for my boy. Especially if his retained testicle is deep.
Thank you for all the information. I do really appreciate it. Now, do you think I can ask for his jewels in a jar? LOL!