Male pseudohermaphrodite in a Shetland cross sheep- a case report

Abstract

Summary

A 1.5 year old Shetland cross sheep was presented to the University of California-Davis (UCD), Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) for reproductive evaluation and sterilization surgery. On physical examination, female external genitalia were present including an enlarged, erect clitoris, as well as two subcutaneous inguinal masses. On exploratory abdominal laparoscopy, spermatic cords could be identified bilaterally, however no female internal genitalia or gonads were observed. The inguinal masses were surgically removed and confirmed histologically to be testes. Hormonal assay results were consistent with cryptorchidism (testosterone= 658.1 pg/ml; AMH= 4.1 ng/ml; progesterone= 0.1 ng/ml). The sheep was genotypically an XX/XY blood chimera, with male gonads and female external genitalia, and was therefore identified as male pseudohermaphrodite. Of the known etiologies for this condition 5 reductase deficiency is the most probable cause.