I purchased a weanling colt last year that is to be my next stud. Prior to purchase he was examined by a vet who stated that yes, he has both testicles down. I had my vet check him a few months ago, during the cold weather, and he stated that he for sure could feel the right one, but the colt had them so sucked up because of the cold weather, that he couldn't tell for sure on the left one but at that point he was going to say, yes they are both there, but he wasn't 100% positive. Now that the colt is 14 mos. old, one testicle is more than obviously dropped, but I cannot find the other one anywhere. So, what I'm wondering is: If the one testicle is definitely dropped, what are the chances that the other one is going to drop later on? I have read other posts that have said that a lot of stallions won't drop until they are 3 years old or better, but that was with BOTH testicles, not just one. I'm just thinking that if one has already dropped, then the other one should have also. Should I be worried yet? This really is making me start to stress out. Because I don't want to keep putting time and money into this colt with showing, promoting and all of that stuff if he isn't going to be a stud. Please, any words of wisdom are welcome!
Anonymous
Posted on Saturday, July 19, 2003 - 10:31 pm:
At 14 months, under heavy sedation, my vet could not palpate one testicle. Two months later and again under sedation, the other testicle was felt high in the canal. There was a link to a related article that I've read and it mentioned that a temporary retention usually occurred in the right testicle. My colt's left testicle has descended with the right retained, which the vet said was odd. Also, the one that is descended is "down"- nowhere else to go, but the other one is still mobile as I understood it.
Sandy
Posted on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - 04:27 pm:
So, when you say that the retained testicle is still mobile, are you meaning to say that there is still the possibility of it descending later on? I just can't understand why both of my colt's testicles were felt upon examination when he was younger and now one of them isn't able to be felt. I do know that they do "suck" them back up at a certain age, but can they retain one after it had already been down at an earlier age? I guess that's my confusion.
Anonymous
Posted on Thursday, July 24, 2003 - 09:01 am:
I have a 26 month colt that just recently dropped his second testicle, but the teste often goes back up (can't even be felt) and then returns. This teste is immature while the other one is fairly large. I am assuming that until the immature teste gets larger it will continue to move up and down. My stallion, sire of the 26 mo. colt, didn't drop his second testicle until he was three years old so I wasn't too worried...it becomes a waiting game. I also have a 10 week colt out of this stallion, full brother to the 26 month colt, and both are defently there.
Sandy
Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2003 - 05:50 pm:
Just a follow up: My vet was here on 8/13 and I had him check the yearling's progress on dropping the testicle. He said he could feel the very tip of it and that "it might still drop". When I told him that that wasn't what I wanted to hear, he reassured me and told me that with as much of it as he could feel, that I shouldn't lose sleep over it. He did say that the retained testicle was smaller than the descended one, but that it really didn't make a difference when it comes to being a stud whether one is bigger than the other. So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed, and that my vet is right that it is nothing I should lose sleep over. But I still can't help but stress over it!
Anonymous
Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 08:47 am:
Don't lose sleep. My 26 mo. colt's testicle is now down and staying down. It is much smaller than the other one, so this fall he is to be gelded.
Sandy
Posted on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 02:07 pm:
I did find out that my colt's sire didn't drop his second testicle until he was a two-year-old, and he is quite the prominent stud now in the Appaloosa world, so, maybe there is still hope!
Sandy
Posted on Tuesday, January 20, 2004 - 05:31 pm:
Update: My colt is now 20mos. and the second testicle can finally be felt in the scrotum. It isn't all the way down yet, but it is definitely there! It does seem as though it is smaller than the fully descended one, but I'm thinking that once it descends completely into the scrotum, then it will have the correct temperature and space to mature. Does anyone have any input on whether or not it will help the testicle to mature once it does drop? And if it does stay smaller, will it affect his fertility? I know that my vet has told me that it doesn't matter, but he isn't a repro specialist either. This is a very nice colt, with exceptional bloodlines, conformation and disposition, and he's a homozygous Appaloosa to boot, so the thought of gelding him just doesn't sit too well with me.
I have a week old colt that already has testicles, pretty much had them when born, is this normal?
Jos Posted From: 137.186.22.182
Posted on Friday, May 21, 2004 - 07:44 pm:
Yes.
the testicles are descended through the inguinal ring within 48 hours of birth at the latest, about which time the ring closes. If they are not descended at that point, you have a problem.
Having said that, "descended" and "visible" are two different things, and some colts do not have easily visible testicles in the scrotum until later, even though they are descended through the inguinal ring. These colts' testicles are generally contained within the inguinal canal.
And then there are the others that clearly have testicles in the scrotum.
Sandy Posted From: 4.227.172.52
Posted on Friday, July 09, 2004 - 12:12 pm:
Sue: I have a 2 month old colt whose testicles were visible at birth and they are still visible at this time. He is a very happy, healthy colt.
Update: I started this topic wondering about my yearling colt whose second testicle had not descended yet. He is now 26 mos. old, the second testicle is obviously in the scrotum now, but still not as far down and as visible as the first one. But.....I just had a mare confirmed 40 days in foal to him yesterday! So clearly my worries are over. Vet told me that by next summer the second testicle will be as visible and probably as large as the other one.
Hi everyone, We have a question, My husband and I just purchased a 20 month old colt that still has both testis up and we cant feel anything, the weather is very cold but we were told by the owner while he was on the way in the transport that she had not seen them yet. She sold him as a stud colt 100% sound. My question is has any one heard of them coming down later than 2? We have never had this happen on any of our colts. We should of asked questions prior but he was sold as a stud colt and she is a reputable breeder, she said they should still come down. Thank you,
appygirl, yes some colts dont drop untill somtimes their 3!!! it somtimes depends on the breed too. our friends mini stud colt didnt drop untill he was three so just keep checking!
If you are really concerned, a vet should be able to give you some idea of where the testicles are at and the odds of them descending.
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