Dog with hind leg lameness caused by twisted cancerous testicle

Abstract

This report describes a case of hind limb lameness associated with intra-abdominal torsion of a neoplastic testicle in a dog. An 11-year-old, male, bilaterally cryptorchid dog was referred for third degree lameness in the left hind limb. An orthopaedic and radiographic examination did not reveal any alteration in the limb, whereas transabdominal palpation and ultrasonography showed the presence of retained gonads. The surgical procedure revealed a left testicular torsion adherent to the viscera and peritoneum in the ventral-caudal part of the abdomen. A few days after a bilateral orchiectomy, the lameness was completely resolved. Histopathological investigations allowed diagnosis of intestitial (Sertoli) cell tumours in both testicles. One of the two testes was twisted. Sertolioma often affects undescended testicles and causes additional clinical changes, due to estrogenic steroidogenesis. The hyper-oestrogenism is characterised by alopecia, feminisation, prostatic alteration and haematological disorders. However, in this case these clinical signs were not present. The aim of this case report is to highlight the correlation of the disease and the onset of limp, which is similar to what has been reported in human medicine in patients affected by meralgia paresthetica.