MALE PSEUDOHERMAPHRODITISM ASSOCIATED WITH A SERTOLIOMA IN A DOG: A CASE REPORT

Abstract

Disorders of sex development (DSD) are infrequent reproductive abnormalities in dogs, which can result in discrepancies between gonadal, genital, and phenotypic sex. This report describes a case of male pseudohermaphroditism associated with a Sertoli cell tumor (sertolioma) in a dog. A nine-year-old, 20 kg, mixed-breed dog—phenotypically male—was referred for an exploratory laparotomy due to an abdominal abscess located near the penis. Ultrasonographic evaluation revealed structures consistent with a uterus, as well as testicular abnormalities suggestive of cryptorchidism and neoplasia. The patient presented with anemia and leukopenia, requiring a blood transfusion prior to the surgical procedure. During the laparotomy, a distended uterus, an atrophied testis, and an enlarged testis were identified. An ovariohysterectomy and orchiectomy were performed. Histopathological evaluation revealed cystic endometrial hyperplasia with squamous metaplasia in the uterus, a diffuse seminoma in one testicular structure, and a Sertoli cell tumor (sertolioma) in the other. The presence of a uterus in an individual with male external genitalia and an absence of female gonadal structures characterized the condition as male pseudohermaphroditism, likely associated with the persistence of the Müllerian ducts. The Sertoli cell tumor may be linked to excessive estrogen production and the development of these reproductive abnormalities. The patient showed a satisfactory clinical recovery following surgery and was discharged after a four-day hospitalization. This case underscores the importance of clinical, ultrasonographic, and histopathological investigation when reproductive abnormalities are present, highlighting the significance of an accurate DSD diagnosis for therapeutic planning and a better prognosis.