Coincidence of Persistent Müllerian duct syndrome and testicular tumors in dogs

Abstract

Background Persistent Müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS), a rare form of male pseudohermaphroditism in dogs, is an abnormal sexual phenotype in males that is characterized by the existence of a hypoplastic oviduct, uterus, and cranial part of the vagina. Dogs suffering from PMDS are often accompanied by cryptorchidism. To date, it has been mainly found in the Miniature Schnauzer breed.

Case presentation In this report, two cases of PMDS with a malignant testicular tumor originating from cryptorchidism in breeds other than the Miniature Schnauzer breed are described. The patients were a seven-year-old male Maltese dog and a 17-year-old male mixed-breed dog weighing 3.8kg. They also exhibited an enlarged prostate with or without abscess and an elevated serum estradiol level and were surgically treated to remove the testicular tumor and Müllerian duct derivatives.

Conclusions It is recommended that PMDS should be differentially diagnosed by ultrasonography and that orchiectomy be performed at an early age in patients suspected to have cryptorchidism to prevent the ectopic testes from becoming tumorous.