Deep Snow/Cold Weather Testicle Protection

[Jeff]

I guess you don't want him hiking around in a pair of tighty whities? I tried to find a snow suit for dogs for you but they all seem to leave their "nether regions" exposed to the elements or you have to remove it for the dog to relieve himself. Let's see, I've seen these little ear warmers that people knit or crochet for baby calves to keep their ears from freezing in the cold... Can you crochet a doggy jock strap? Sorry! That's all I could come up with!

https://kalfkozies.ca/

You didn't state the obvious, hold them for him keep them warm

Heard about undescended testicles but have not heard of this problem. Spaying may help and if your vet deems it necessary maybe scrotal ablation. Have not heard of a scrotal "uplift". Grandson's dog has low hanging testicles, at least to me, but I'm not used to seeing many as our males have all been neutered except Chip. Chip's seem to really tuck up in the cold weather and really don't hang low when he is warm. I can see where it would be a problem with as active as Eddy is in rugged, brushy areas. Cannot not even think of a way to hold them up with any type of pant or strap because it would interfere with him having to poop or pee. I'd be interested in hearing what the vet has to say.

Cliff has undescended testicles.

Heard back from the Vet. She did have to neuter a dog with a similar problem but he was not yet 2 and he did tuck up after. He kept trying to jump things that were very high and slamming his testes into the tops of fences and things and injuring himself and getting painful swelling. Vet also said try bag balm. Eddy's bloody injury the other day did not bother him, he didn't even spend any time licking it. So we are going to do the old "wait and see" if it happens again. But I will try bag balm.

Hemi had a large pair on him, they looked terrible after he was neutered at age 3 as in deflated excess skin, but after about a year it all tucked back up. I wonder if something like the stuff for chapped dry lab elbows would work.

[Snowshoe]

Thanks folks. It's a moot point right now. Eddy had gotten to the 6.5 month mark in therapy for a right hind leg cruciate injury. He was just allowed off leash and we got snow. Now he has hurt the left leg. We were just about to start out at -15C (~4F) to cross country ski when I noticed him limping after his second potty outing yesterday morning. Vet made room for us, pronounced the right cruciate all better but felt drawer movement in the left, and something to do with a ligament that runs from under the spine to down the inside of the back legs, forget what it's called. So we are back to the beginning in therapy, four ten minute leashed walks a day. I would much rather deal with Eddy's continental soldier problem than this problem.

[Jeff]

Oh no, that a real bummer.

Hemi, in 2020 had a real issue with his ACL a partial tear. So the vet gave us an option we tried. It was either the big surgery to fix it, and lot of down time and rehab or Platelet rich plasma therapy. It was then $500 and really short recovery. You might ask if that is an option. The big problem with ligaments is there is no blood flow so they do not heal well. This takes his own blood and then in a centrifuge spin out all the really good healing stuff and then inject it directly into the ligament to heal. This is some down time, first 2 days were mainly me helping him walk. Then a week later he was given the go for light duty and medium week and the full on fun again. It's not right for everything but I did a lot of research on it. Worst case scenario I was out $500 and best case which we got, it full healed and he recovered with just a little down time.

Either way I certainly hope he heals fast and recovers.

[Snowshoe]

Jeff, that is so interesting. That has not been mentionned in a cruciate FB group I've joined, nor did the Vet. I will google it. Eddy did not have surgery for the first leg, back the end of May 2024. This just stinks so much because we are finally having a real winter here and Eddy and I were planning to ski the morning he did this and he knew I was getting the skiis ready. So disappointing for both of us. I walked him for his 10 minute therapy to the snomo groomer quonset yesterday and the look on his face was so sad and bewildered when we got to the spot I usually let him off the leash and instead we turned around and we walked back home.