Canine Perineal Hernia Associated with Prostatic Disorders: Is Castration Really Beneficial?: A Retrospective Study

Prostatic disorders are commonly observed in older, intact male dogs and have been a primary etiological factor in the development of PH. Most literature recommends per-forming perineal herniorrhaphy concurrently with castration to reduce the recurrence of PH, although some studies remain controversial. Limited literature exists regarding correcting PH with castration in dogs suffering from prostatic disorders, including management and long-term clinical outcomes. This retrospective study aimed to de-scribe the management of prostatic disorders and evaluate outcomes and recurrence following perineal herniorrhaphy with castration. A total of 315 intact male dogs that underwent perineal herniorrhaphy due to prostatic disorders were classified into two groups: a castrated group (PHC; n=184) and a non-castrated group (PHNC; n=131). The clinical signs of the PHC group showed significant improvement in the postoperative, short and long-term follow-up phases (p< 0.001). Prostate gland enlargement, hetero-geneous parenchyma and intraparenchymal cystic lesions were more prevalent in the short-term of the PHNC group and the long-term of the PHNC-2 group (p< 0.001). Nevertheless, the incidence of recurrent PH showed no significant differences between the PHC and PHNC groups (p=0.48). In conclusion, this study indicates that castration does not significantly reduce PH recurrence, addressing prostatic diseases during sur-gery is crucial to improve outcomes.