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.

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