Cryptorchidism in Mini stallions...

[HGFarm]

I would NOT say that I have seen that as a general rule at all. Mine have all been dropped by 2 or before, as have most of the others I have seen from other farms.

 

[jlh]

Last week, our vet declined to geld two of our boys, one 9 months, and one a month old, because even tho she could easily find the testes, the ring was very open, and she was not comfortable with the process of suturing them shut, becasue of the greater risk of herniation.

eta:

we've only had one stallion who was a true late-bloomer, and he didn't drop til nearly five, after being purchased as a weanling. and let me tell you, neither one of them were undersized when they showed up.

I believe I understand, and I could be wrong, that in a true cryptochid or monorchid the inguinal ring closes tightly before the testes has an opportunity to descend, becoming a very different problem to what we are really discussing here in the minis.

There was an excellent article written about ponys and miniature horses in The Horse magazine a few years ago addressing this issue. The inguinal ring on these horses closes slower than on most full size horse breeds. Like has been mentions by Becky and others they are able to suck them up inside easier. I too have sent out horses that I clearly had two testes in my hands and the new owner could not find them.

I have a stallion from a famous stallion who was slow to drop. I was aware of his sire's condition when I bought the stallion, but he, and so far his offspring, have had no issues.

In a further note, we lost a 1.5 year old horse after a castration when the gut fell out through that same inguinal ring. I always advise clients to wait until two years old to geld or make sure their vet knows the inguinal ring has closed before castrating.