Can Neutered Dogs Have Testicles?
Hi! A friend of mine brought his recently adopted three-year-old Pitbull King over this weekend. My friend contends King is neutered, yet you can clearly see his testicles. Is it possible he IS neutered? I have two dogs (neutered of course!), if King is not fixed, could this cause problems between all the dogs if he continues to visit? This visit went very well. Thank you!
Melissa
Buffalo, NY
Neutered dogs do not have testicles. A couple of things could be going on with King.
Dogs that are neutered early in life (as I imagine yours were) have their testicles removed when they are very small. The scrotum does not develop in these dogs. However, dogs that are neutered later in life will have fully developed scrotums prior to the surgery. After surgery their scrotums will be intact but devoid of testicles. Connective tissue and tied off blood vessels in the scrotum can sometimes look like testicles from a distance.
It also is possible that King is not neutered. I have known many animals who were declared to be neutered before the testicles descended from the abdomen into the scrotum. Often the people adopting the animal assume, wrongly, that it is neutered because no testicles can be found on the pet at the time of assessment. Here is an example: the other day a client brought a “spayed female” cat to my office for a check up. A glance under the tail revealed that the cat was in fact an intact male!
Since it sounds like King was adopted after the surgery supposedly took place, a vet should take a look at King to assess the situation.
Statistically speaking, intact male are more likely to be involved in inter-dog aggression. However, that does not mean that all intact males have trouble getting along with other dogs–most have no such problems. Testicles certainly are not the only cause of dog fights. I know this because I spend so much time treating female dogs that have been in fights.
You have questions. 
Or King has neuticles ;-)
For some reason, I’m not necessarily convinced that this answered your question . . . but I think I know what you are talking about.
If what you’re speaking of is closer to the base of the dog’s penis, rather than actually being at/ in the scrotum, what you may actually be seeing is called the bulbus glandis. Many neutured dogs may ’seemingly’ seem to still have what could look like testicles, most often when they’ve just woken up (and/or have to go outside to relieve themselves, or even possibly when excited – the happy kind ;-) So no need to worry – there’s nothing wrong, as your dog is perfectly normal
Here’s an article that goes into further detail about it:
Reproduction Question–The Bulbus Glandis
by Dr. Olson on April 28, 2009
I can always tell spring is coming by the increase in questions we field regarding reproduction. The breeding season elicits some practical and some curious questions. A common question involves the two round-shaped swellings at the base of a male dog’s penis–usually noticeable when they are on their backs, just roused from sleeping. No, your neutered dog did not regrow their testicles! Nor did the surgeon “miss a pair” or “forget” to actually remove them. This part of the male dog anatomy is called the bulbus glandis. It is part of the penis so it isn’t removed during castration. It is not involved in sperm production so your neutered dog can’t impregnate a female when the swelling is present. It is made up of erectile tissue which is why it noticeable some times and not at others. And no, if it is noticeable, it doesn’t mean your dog has his mind in the gutter–it is just part of their normal physiology. Its job is to serve as the “tie” during breeding, which is why some dogs are “locked” together for a brief time following a mating.
–Dr. Olson
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Dr. Olson practices small animal medicine in Denver, CO and is a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.