Sunday, March 22, 2015

Scrotal Ablation, Diesels Nip and Tuck



This is Diesel. He is a 16 month old Newfoundland who was at the clinic for his neuter. He, as a giant breed dog, was neutered a little later than the usual 6 months old that we typically recommend to allow his body to grow. There has been some debate about when it is most beneficial time to spay and neuter the larger breed dogs. Diesel's family had also decided to neuter him and remove the excess skin of the scrotum. The older a dog gets the more the scrotum stretches. Some dogs have excessive scrotal skin and their parents elect to remove it at the time of the neuter. We call this a scrotal ablation.



Typically we neuter a dog by making an incision in the area above the scrotum and remove the testes through it. Testicles are attached to the body with two large vessels that are tied off and removed. It is not typically a difficult nor involved surgery,  but it does leave behind the sac of tissue that the testes used to live in.

For those male dogs that are neutered before a year old, and especially those that are smaller breeds, the scrotal skin will shrink and adhere to the pelvic area in the following months after the testes are removed. 

For those male dogs that we neuter later in life the scrotal sac can become stretched and a pendulous skin sac remains. This is in almost all cases merely a cosmetically unpleasing remnant that long haired dogs can hide easily. 

I have had some older shorter legged dogs whose scrotal sac became so long and pendulous that it became ulcerated and abraded to the point of needing to be surgically removed.



For Diesel's neuter the entire scrotum was removed along with the testicles.


The skin in the inguinal area is closed with ample skin sutures to hold the tension of an active dog. 





Diesel, the finished product.


If your dog has excessive scrotal skin talk to your vet about whether an ablation is also indicated for your dogs neuter.


At our clinic a dog neuter is $225 and the scrotal ablation is an additional $150. Diesel was also prescribed an NSAID for pain and inflammation and in  some cases an e-collar. The boys under 6 months old rarely investigate their incision sites, but those over 6 months might and we prefer for you to be ready to put an e-collar on and not wake up the next morning with an open incision.


I am happy to answer any pet questions, and they are always free, if you meet me atPawbly.com. Pawbly is a free open pet community dedicated  to helping pet people by educating and inspiring those of us devoted to our pets.

 I can also be found at the clinic, Jarrettsville Vet, in Northern Maryland. Or find me on Twitter @FreePetAdvice.







8 comments:

  1. Hi Y'all!

    My Human didn't get me until I was 14 months and because of my allergies I wasn't snipped until after age 3. They did leave a small sac but fortunately it doesn't bother me. I was a good boy and didn't bother my incision.

    Y'all come on by,
    Hawk aka BrownDog

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    Replies
    1. Hello!
      I'm so happy to hear from you. I see all of your dads amazing photos every week.. They are always inspiring and beautiful! I sneak over often just to take a little visual escape from the busy days of being a vet.
      XO to all!
      Please tell your dad how much I adore his photos of you!
      Krista

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  2. Thanks for the article. My staffy/bully mix rescue dog has a large sac that hasn't shrunk at all in 6 months and our vet doesn't expect it to. So he's getting the surgery. I'm extra worried as I'm placing G at risk by putting him under for elective surgery (have I drank too much of the California vanity kool-aid?). Appreciate seeing a straight-forward presentation of the procedure.

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    1. Very best of luck!
      I live in Maryland and I drink that Kool-Aid too!
      best of luck with the surgery..Everyone appreciates a little nip, lift and tuck!
      ;-)

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    2. Very best of luck!
      I live in Maryland and I drink that Kool-Aid too!
      best of luck with the surgery..Everyone appreciates a little nip, lift and tuck!
      ;-)

      Delete
  3. My dog has the scrotal ablation done on Tuesday. He had stitches but they came off the next day. I took him back and they gave him 3 staples. He then took those off the next day as well. I rushed him back a second time the put 3 staples again and kept him overnight. I picked him up the next day he kept the staples on that day but the next day he licked them while I went to the restroom and left him alone for a few minutes. Will it close on its own. I don't know what to do now

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    1. Has anyone advised an ecollar? It sounds like he needs something to help discourage him from licking. It will heal on its own IF he leaves it alone AND IF the edges remain apposed. I cannot stress how important it is to have the incision left alone and monitored for infection (licking can often seed bacteria which can lead to infection). Call the vet back and ask for help. Or seek another vet for help. Either way it is their responsibility to provide some kind of anti-lick device to protect the incision AND your responsibility to make sure it stays on.

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  4. I have just had my yellow lab neutered at 18 months however he is still bleeding through the incision 5 days later 2 vets that's didn't do surgery think one of the vessels got tied off and the vet that did do it wants an additnal 600 to go in there and redo it.. this does not seem right to me they should be going in there no questions asked and fixing it for free am I wrong?

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