My buckling is nearly eight weeks old, and still has only one testicle dropped. It's been down a long time, and no sign of another. Could he have just one? I know I need to neuter him very soon.
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Thanks for the encouragement, Rachel and Kimberly. He did have a very happy little life. I so wish that there had been another humane option...he was a sweet and pretty boy. Even if I'd had the space, he would have been miserable penned up away from his family.
Deborah, I had read that, too--that he was very likely to get testicular cancer, but there were no studies or percentages listed. I had planned on taking Spot back to her old "boyfriend" for breeding next year, but now I think I'd better find a different buck.
That had been my thoughts too, Deborah and expected him not to live long, but have a happy life munching in the meantime. The boys are clearing our back 7 acres as their job...This lady said to give it six months to let them drop before doing anything, she also doesn't believe in all the shots everyone gives as regularly. I think we're of like minds, if the goats are healthy (and they should be)..they don't need to be overdosed on medications. I was shocked that he lived, and then further shocked upon "examination" last month. I would never have guessed those muscles would allow it at this age. They are small though, about golf ball sized. I need to add that this is extremely unusual, my other vet who has raised nigerians for 30 years said he'd never even seen a cryptorchid before. So, Aspen is likely one of a kind..
When you said the vet said to give him six months, I thought you meant six months to live. That's about when my little monorchid died. I've heard that it's pretty common for them to get testicular cancer, but have no idea how accurate that is or what it's based upon.
I'm sorry Katie, I try to look at it as though he had a happy life. I had a buckling born with an empty sac, and the local goat vet said to give him 6 months..(he's a weedeater/pet). Wouldn't you know.. at 10 months, they dropped?? Now, they're small, but that has to be the strangest thing I've ever heard of, and I thought the 6 months advice was being very generous to begin with! I hope 10 months isn't going to be too traumatic to castrate at!
Awwww... hugs, Katie!! What a tough call.
I found somebody to take him who I know through my organic food buying club--he owns a pet-related business and I know it will be done humanely. Small comfort as I hear Spot calling for her little guy who isn't coming back. Not one of my better days as a "backyard homesteader".
That's what most people do. Definitely a bummer.
It's a bummer, but I put an Ad on Craigslist to sell him for meat. Sad because he's such a sweet little guy and sooooo bonded with one of his sisters, but it can't be helped. Sigh.....
Typically, if a goat is born with one or zero testicles, you won't be seeing them ever. You would have to take him to a vet for surgical castration, and it can be expensive because you don't know how hard it will be for the vet to find the other testicle. Apparently they start to form way up in the body and travel quite a distance to get to where they are supposed to be. I had a cat once with one testicle, and he wound up with a scar all the way up to his ribs! I had a buck with only one testicle a few years ago, and I offered to give him to someone. She called around and found a vet who'd do it for $100. It's probably pointless to do anything to the one testicle because he probably has another one hiding somewhere, so he'd be stinky and bucky anyway.