Decision analysis tree for deciding whether to remove an undescended testis from a young dog

A decision analysis tree was constructed to estimate the life span which might be expected for a dog presented with cryptorchidism at one year of age if it underwent a preventive orchidectomy or if it did not. The tree was constructed by using risk factors associated with cryptorchidism and data on the prevalence of complications after surgery from the literature. The expected life span without an orchidectomy was not significantly different from the expected life span after an orchidectomy.