Neuticles are prosthetic testicular implants for neutered dogs and other domestic animals. The implants may be made of

polypropylene Polypropylene (PP), also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications. It is produced via chain-growth polymerization from the monomer propylene. Polypropylene belongs to the group of polyolefins a ...

or silicone.

History

Gregg Miller developed the idea for Neuticles after his

bloodhound The bloodhound is a large scent hound, originally bred for hunting deer, wild boar and, since the Middle Ages, for tracking people. Believed to be descended from hounds once kept at the Abbey of Saint-Hubert, Belgium, in French it is called, ...

, Buck, was castrated to stop his wandering. Miller, along with a veterinarian, patented the procedure for implanting Neuticles. To sell his idea, Miller established CTI (Canine Testicular Implant) Corporation, and the first commercial Neuticles were implanted in 1995. Miller won the 2005 Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine, a parody of the real

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...

, for the invention of Neuticles. The company states that humans cannot legally get Neuticles; while the materials in them are approved by the FDA, a second approval is required for similar implants in any specific areas of the human body. In 2018 it was reported that Miller has no plans for Neuticles for humans due to the cost and the time needed for FDA approval.

Opposition

In the UK, the regulatory body for veterinarians, the

Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) is the regulatory body for veterinary surgeons in the United Kingdom, established in 1844 by royal charter. It is responsible for monitoring the educational, ethical and clinical standards of the ...

, states that the use of any form of cosmetic surgery is unethical. The Veterinary Council of New Zealand says "the insertion of neuticles (prosthetic testicles) cannot be justified. This procedure has no benefit to the animal and can be used to conceal genetic defects."

Popular culture

* On the reality television show ''

Keeping Up with the Kardashians ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians'' (often abbreviated ''KUWTK'') is an American reality television series which focused on the personal and professional lives of the Kardashian–Jenner blended family, airing between 2007 and 2021. Its prem ...

'',

Kim Kardashian Kimberly Noel Kardashian (formerly West; born October 21, 1980) is an American socialite, media personality, and businesswoman. She first gained media attention as a friend and stylist of Paris Hilton, but received wider notice after the s ...

's dog, Rocky, was given Neuticles. *On Season 2, Episode 10 “High School Reunion” of the television comedy ''

The League ''The League'' is an American sitcom that aired on FX and later FXX from October 29, 2009, to December 9, 2015, for a total of seven seasons. The series, set in Chicago, Illinois, is a semi-improvised comedy show about a fantasy football leagu ...

'', Kevin publishes in the group's high school reunion program that Andre had a “nudicle” inserted after he was “sack-tapped so hard that my left testicle was damaged and eventually had to be removed.”

References

External links

Neuticles web site
* {{cite patent , country=US , number=5868140A , status= , title=Surgical method and apparatus for implantation of a testicular prosthetic device , pubdate= , gdate=9 February 1999 , fdate=12 August 1996 , pridate=7 November 1995 , inventor= , invent1=Miller, Gregg A. , invent2=Holder, R. Duane , assign1=CTI Corp , url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US5868140A/ Veterinary castration American inventions Prosthetics Prosthetic manufacturers