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Dogs of different ages without testicular diseases were evaluated to study possible age-related changes in hormone concentrations in serum. Dogs with testicular tumours were also investigated to study the relation between tumour type and hormone concentrations; in this study, dogs with Sertoli cell tumours, Leydig cell tumours and seminomas were included. We measured testosterone, oestradiol, LH, FSH and inhibin-like immunoreactivity concentrations in peripheral venous and testicular venous blood of these animals.

In normal dogs there appeared to be no age-related changes in the concentrations of the investigated hormones, except for a significant age-related decrease in oestradiol concentrations in testicular venous blood (P< 0· 02). Dogs with a Sertoli cell tumour had greater oestradiol concentrations and inhibin-like immunoreactivity in both peripheral and testicular venous blood than did dogs without a neoplasm (P< 0· 05). Testosterone concentrations were reduced in dogs with Sertoli cell tumours, as were FSH and LH. Feminisation occurred in eight of 13 dogs with a Sertoli cell tumour and in two of 14 dogs with a Leydig cell tumour; it was accompanied by a significantly greater oestradiol concentration than in normal dogs and in