Abstract A 9‐month‐old, neutered, male Pomeranian presented with a 3‐day history of dysuria and stranguria following a routine pre‐scrotal orchiectomy at the referring practice. Initial investigations, including serum biochemistry and abdominal ultrasound, revealed severe azotaemia, peritoneal fluid, pyelectasia, bilateral ureteral dilatation and a severely distended urinary bladder. Retrograde contrast urethrography showed a complete obstruction at the level of the penile urethra. Exploration of the castration site revealed a single encircling suture ligating the urethra, causing obstruction. Urethral catheterisation was feasible after the suture was removed. Further exploratory coeliotomy found severe inflammation of the urinary bladder and aseptic peritonitis, secondary to post‐renal obstruction. The dog was discharged 1 week postoperatively, upon normalisation of the renal parameters and having resumed normal micturition. This is considered a severe but possible complication after orchiectomy. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first reported case of reversible iatrogenic distal urethral obstruction following pre‐scrotal orchiectomy in the dog.
Proia et al. (2026) studied this question.