Feline Castration Overview

Castration

• Castration is the surgical removal of testicles
• Synonyms for castration include: Neuter, Alter, Orchiectomy, Fixed.
• Can be performed at any time
• Generally, before sexual maturity (6 months to a year)
• Some clients may wish to wait until over a year to develop male characteristics

Pre-op Considerations

• Fasting instructions vary based on age:
  • Animals 8 weeks and older: withhold food for 8-12 hours and water for 2-4 hours before the procedure
  • Neonates and pediatrics (under 8 weeks): no food or water is withheld.
• Ensure both testicles are palpable.

Feline Anatomy

• Diagram showing the location of testicles, ureters, prostate, ductus deferens and other relevant anatomy.

Feline Castration

• Reasons for performing feline castration include:
  • To decrease unwanted pregnancy
  • To decrease roaming
  • To decrease aggressive behavior/fighting
  • To prevent urine spraying/marking
  • To treat scrotal neoplasia, abscess, infection, or trauma
  • To correct congenital abnormalities
  • To treat/prevent hormone-related diseases (e.g., prostatic disease, perineal hernia).

Feline Castration Surgical Prep

• Ensure both testicles are palpable
• Clip/pluk hair from the scrotum, rather than clipping the entire area.
• Aseptic surgical preparation of the area.
• Patient placed in either lateral or dorsal recumbency depending on surgeon preference.

Feline Castration Technique

• Mobilize the testicle inside the scrotum by applying pressure with the thumb and index finger at base of scrotum
• Make incision over testicle with scalpel blade.
• Excise parietal vaginal tunic and exteriorize the testicle.
• Separate the ligament of the tail of the epididymis from vaginal tunic to free the ductus deferens from the spermatic cord.
• Ligate the ductus deferens with the spermatic cord using 2-3 square knots.
• Sever the ductus deferens and spermatic cord distal to the knot.
• Inspect for signs of hemorrhage.
• Replace the testicle back into the vaginal tunic and scrotum.
• Repeat procedure for the other testicle.
• Leave incisions to heal by secondary intention

Open vs. Closed Castration

• Open Castration: Involves incision of the tunics, and separate ligation and transection of the spermatic cord. Generally preferred.
• Closed Castration: The spermatic cord is encased with vaginal tunic for ligation and transection - Less preferred due to potential ligature slipping from the tunic.

Castration - Open Technique

• Advance testicle cranially
• Incise skin, scrotal and spermatic fascia over the median raphe
• Excise parietal vaginal tunic.
• Place hemostat across the vaginal tunic at the epididymis.
• Separate using digital traction
• Place 3 Carmalt forceps across the pampiniform plexus and the ductus deferens.

Canine Anatomy

• Diagram showing the location of testicles, ureters, prostate, ductus deferens and other relevant anatomy.

Canine Castration

• Reasons for performing canine castration include:
  • To decrease unwanted pregnancy
  • To decrease roaming
  • To decrease aggressive behavior/fighting
  • To decrease urine marking.
  • To correct congenital abnormalities
  • To treat/prevent hormone related diseases (e.g., prostatic disease, perineal hernia, perianal tumors).

Canine Castration Surgical Prep

• Ensure both testicles are palpable.
• Clip surgical site carefully, try to avoid shaving the scrotum skin.
• Extend the clip laterally into inguinal region.
• The patient is placed in dorsal recumbency.
• Intratesticular block performed.

Post-op Complications

• Hemorrhage & scrotal hematoma (Apply cold compresses).
• Self-inflicted trauma (E-collar).

Discharge Instructions

• Restrict activity (no off-leash for dogs, keep cats indoors)
• Do not allow patient to lick or scratch incision (E-collar)
• Advise owner to call if any concerns about open incision, discharge, bleeding, swelling, bad odour (infection), loss of appetite or signs of pain.

Scrotal Ablation

• This is the removal of the scrotum.
• Performed for neoplastic scrotal disease, scrotal trauma, abscess, ischemia or for aesthetic reasons if scrotal is pendulous.

Cryptorchid

• Failure of one or both testicles to descend into the scrotum.
• Usually retained in the abdomen or inguinal canal
• A diagnostic ultrasound is necessary if not able to palpate the testicles before surgery
• Retained testicles are more prone to tumors