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My 4-month-old puppy's testicles haven't dropped. Is this normal?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 15 lbs

Hi Bowie is 4-5 months old and he has his Frank but his beans haven't dropped yet. Hes a German Sheppard dalmatian

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Penelope Graben, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on September 20th, 2019

Hello, This condition is called cryptorchidism, when the testicles are retained inside the abdomen. You can wait for the testicles to drop, but if they haven't by one year of age, they generally will not. It is especially important to remove retained testicles, as they commonly become cancerous or torse. https://www.petcoach.co/article/cryptorchidism-undescended-testicles-in-the-dog/ I hope this helps. Thanks for using PetCoach.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

    Published on October 27th, 2017

    Testicles should have dropped by now. If you or a vet can't feel them, then it is unlikely that they will drop. While it isn't common, it certainly happens frequently. This means that Indy Oliver will need surgery to remove the retained testicles to prevent them from becoming cancerous later on in life. Here is some more information on cryptorchidism (retained testicles): http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2743

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on December 10th, 2017

    Great question! By the time a puppy is two months old, both testicles should have dropped into the scrotum. It may occur later in some breeds, but rarely after six months of age. I see that Willie is almost six months, so at this point I would suspect he has a retained testicle (called a cryptorchid). It's not normal for any breed to have this happen, and in cases like this, it is always recommended to have the dog neutered. Dogs who are cryptorchid should never be bred because it is a genetic problem. In addition, the testicle that has not dropped is more prone to developing testicular tumors and from suffering a testicular torsion. I recommend making an appointment with Willie's vet to have him neutered. Good luck, I hope this helps!

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