Canine Male Reproductive Diseases Flashcards
What 2 anatomical structures are unique in the male canine reproductive tract? What else makes up the tract?
- prostate
- bulbus glandis - locks in
- testes + scrotum - should descend by 6 months
- epididymis
- deferent ducts
- spermatic cord
- penis
- urethra
What happens during natural breeding of canines?
- male and female interact and play
- male mounts hindquarters and begins quick thrusting
- bulbus glandis engorges inside the vagina (copulatory lock)
- ejaculation occurs in 3 fractions
What are the 3 fractions of ejaculation in canines?
- pre-spermatic fluids; CLEAR, prostatic fluid
- sperm-rich fluid; CLOUDY
- post-spermatic fluids; CLEAR, prostatic fluid that pushes semen-rich fluid up to the cervix
What is slip mating?
bulbus glandis fails to gorge and prostate doesn’t produce fluids —> copulatory lock fails
How do urethral prolapses appear? What dogs is this most common?
“red pea” at the tip of the penis with intermittent bleeding and pollakiuria
young, brachycephalic breeds
What is the most common cause of urethral prolapse?How is it treated?
- behavior - over-sexual arousal causes urethral inflammation and prolapse
- infection
- neoplasm
E-collar, sexual rest, tranquillization, surgical repair +/- castration and behavioral training
What signs are indicative of testicular tumors? What 3 types are most common? How do they compare?
enlarged scrotum +/- hormone secretion of estrogen or androgens
- Sertoli cell - FIRM (stromal), white, round to multilobulated, most common with cryptorchidism
- seminoma/teratoma (germ cells) - soft, benign
- interstitial Leydig cell - tan to yellow-orange, well demarcated, soft, spherical; commonly with cysts and hemorrhage
What is male feminizing syndrome? What are the 2 most common signs?
increased production of estrogens by testicular tumors (Sertoli > Leydig)
- nonpruritic, symmetric alopecia with hyperpigmentation
- superficial cells on preputial cytology
What additional signs of male feminizing syndrome are seen?
- pendulous sheath
- linear preputial hyperpigmentation and erythema
- gynecomastia, galactorrhea
- attraction of other males, standing in female posture to urinate
- atrophy of testicular tissue, decreased libido, oligospermia
- prostatitis or squamous metaplasia
- BM hypoplasia, pancytopenia
What causes benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)? What 3 things does this lead to?
long-term exposure to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the active metabolite of testosterone (by 5a-reductase)
- hemorrhage - cell number and size increases, prostate enlarges, vascular leakage
- cysts - enlargement causes pressure on ducts
- compression of urethra
(common in males >5 y/o)
What clinical signs are associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)? What is seen on digital palpation?
- hemospermia
- hemorrhage from penis
- uniform enlargement of prostate
- pollakiuria, stranguria, hematuria
- constipation
smooth, symmetric prostate
How is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) diagnosed? What is seen on cytology/culture?
- radiographs - enlarged prostate
- ultrasound - uniform echogenicity, symmetric enlargement, cysts possible
(take note of size yearly for trends)
3rd fraction of ejaculate = RBCs but no WBCs (prostatic wash)
What 2 treatments are used for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)?
- castration - should involute in 6-12 weeks
- finasteride - inhibits 5a-reductase to block the conversion of testosterone to DHT with no effect on libido or semen characteristics
In what dogs is prostatitis most common? What are common modes of transmission? What are the most common bacterial etiologies?
older dogs with BPH (chronic > acute)
- ascending infection from prepuce or bladder
- hematogenous
- venereal
E. coli > Klebsiella, Strep, Staph, B. canis
What are signs of acute and chronic prostatitis in canines?
ACUTE = swelling and edema of prostate, fever, abdominal pain, pain on palpation, stranguria, hematuria, constipation, tenesmus, sepsis due to blood-prostate barrier breakdown (allows use of most antibiotics!), abscessation rupture can lead to peritonitis and sepsis
CHRONIC = no systemically ill, non-painful prostate, prostatic enlargement, fibrosis due to more intact barrier
What are 4 modes of diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma? How is it treated?
- asymmetrically enlarged and painful prostate on palpation
- RADIOGRAPH: prostatomegaly, mineralization
- U/S: heterogenous appearance
- prostatic wash, FNA, biopsy
radiation, chemotherapy, palliative therapy (poor prognosis)
