Spermatocele in a South African Boerboel dog

A 2-year-old intact male South African Boerboel presented for semen cryopreservation and was discovered to be azoospermic. The dog had excellent libido and had sired litters within 6 months, so a further investigation of why his collection lacked sperm was warranted. On further examination of his scrotal contents, his right epididymis had an enlarged area with a hard texture. Ultrasonography revealed that the enlarged area of the right epididymis was fluid filled. A sample of the fluid was aspirated for aerobic culture. No bacteria showed growth. Although the culture was negative, it was suspected that this dog had an epididymitis or epididymal abscess, and treatment with enrofloxacin at 10mg/kg orally was initiated for 4 weeks. The abnormal texture and fluid-filled cavity in the right epididymis persisted, despite antibiotic therapy. Cytology of a repeat aspiration of the fluid-filled area after antibiotic therapy revealed a mixture of red blood cells and sperm. Owing to the potential for blood-testis barrier disruption, a unilateral orchiectomy of the right testicle was performed, as an attempt to protect future sperm production of the remaining testicle. A spermatocele was confirmed on histopathology. After another month, an excellent-quality semen sample was collected, with 90% progressive motility, good concentration, and few morphologic abnormalities. A subsequent collection was acquired and was successfully cryopreserved for future breeding. In dogs with spermatoceles, semen quality can be preserved with aggressive treatment to remove the affected testicle. The disruption of the blood-testis barrier in spermatoceles may result in antisperm antibody production and eventual infertility; however, cryopreservation can result in long-term options for owners seeking to continue using an animal in their breeding program.