My 10-year-old boxer has testicular cancer. Will it shorten his life?

Dogs can get testicular cancer that could cause one to enlarge. The good news is the this can usually be cured with neutering (removing the testicles). It also could be due to inflammation or infection. With surgical removal this should not shorten Skilo's life span. Neutering is a routine surgery with minimal pain and a quick recovery. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Skilo.

this could be cancerous but could also be a testicular infection or inflammation. At 14 he can safely be castrated if he is healthy. Your veterinarian will examine your dog pre-surgery and determine whether it is safe to give him anesthesia for the surgery.

Many of these anal tumors are fed by sexual hormones such as testosterone. They are dependent on the hormones the body produces naturally (testosterone is naturally produced in the testicles) which makes such tumors grow. If you remove the hormone producing testicles (neutering) the hormone-dependent tumor gets starved and its growth will at least slow down. So castration is definitely advised. Anesthesia nowadays is quite safe and castration is not such a severe surgery. It may give your dog a longer life at a good quality of life.

Marshal is likely a cryptorchid which means he still has a testicle retained in his abdomen. He should absolutely be neutered as the retained testicle makes Marshal at high risk for a certain type of cancer called a Sertoli cell tumor. I'd recommend having Marshal neutered right away. The veterinarian will need to remove both the testicle in the scrotum and the one that is retained in the abdomen. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and best wishes to you and Marshal!

I'm sorry to hear that Pepe has been diagnosed with a tumor. Left untreated the tumor will likely continue to grow and get larger. As it grows it may become ulcerated or infected. Often times tumors like this will bleed and become quite painful. There is also a chance that left untreated the tumor may metastasize and spread elsewhere in the body. If Pepe is otherwise in good health it would probably be best to have the tumor removed. Best of luck to you and Pepe and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am so sorry you have to face this. This question is best answered by an oncologist and neurologist. They will have to do a CT scan or MRI to see what all is affected. From there they will consult with a surgeon to see if it can be biopsies. This will determine what type of cancer it is m. Each cancer responds differently to radiation and chemo. This must be done a referral level which is usually limited to big cities and universities. The cost for the testing alone can be around $1500-$2500. Then you can get options for treatments and prognosis.

I would definitely get Huxley neutered. He's not too old to be neutered, and given that he has a retained testicle, neutering is highly recommended. The retained testicle is more prone to testicular tumors and testicular torsion. Testicular tumors are more common in older dogs, but warning signs include swelling in the testicle, hair and skin changes, nipple enlargement, and pale gums among other symptoms. I would speak to a vet about scheduling Huxley for a neuter very soon.