May 2013
Autoimmune testicular atrophy is an autoimmune disease that attacks the testicles. It does not have significant health impact but does cause sterility. Testicular atrophy can have a variety of causes and diagnosis of the autoimmune form requires ruling out those other causes. Unfortunately, there is no treatment.
Since this disease renders the dog sterile, breeding ceases to be an option. However, because this is a type of autoimmune disease and therefore genetically predisposed; if semen from the dog has been stored, it should be discarded. Near relatives of affected dogs should not be bred to mates with a family history of any autoimmune disease.