Spermatocele in a 3-year-old Galloway bull : a case report

A 3-year-old Galloway bull was admitted to the clinic for a breed-ing soundness examination. According to the preliminary report, the cows mated by him did not get pregnant, although ejaculation could be found in the vagina of the mated cows. General examina-tion showed no divergent findings. During andrological examination the right testicle was found to have a higher thickness than the left one. There was also an asymmetry in epididymides, with the right one being enlarged and more rigid in consistency. In addition, there was a palpable fluctuating mass dorsolateral at the right testicle with a diameter of 3 cm, that was movable to the scrotum and to the testi-cles. In sonographical examination parenchyma of both testicles was slightly unsteady with multiple hyperechogenic specks and small anechogenic areas, in the right one more than in the left one. The mass dorsolateral at the right testicle was multi-chambered with an-echogenic content in ultrasound. Anechogenic tubular structure was more prominent in the right cauda epididymidis than in the left one. Examination of ejaculate, collected with an artificial vagina while the bull mounted a standing cow, revealed nearly no sperms in ejaculate. Histological examination of testicular biopsies showed intact tubuli seminiferi convoluti with predominantly normal spermatogenesis surrounded by leydig cells, but intense plasma stasis in testicular tissue on both sides. These results indicate the diagnosis of sper-matocele with azoospermia, which is usually caused by obstruction of the efferent ducts and occurs commonly in rams and goats, but rarely in bulls.