Etiology

• Kicks during mating.
• Fighting (particularly when bulls are introduced to a new bull herd).
• Jumping over fences.
• Trauma may occur following ‘mis-service’ (eg, slipping off of a female mid-mount or attempting to serve a cow through a hazard such as a barbed wire fence).
• Iatrogenic presentations include dramatic testicular swelling following castration using the Burdizzo method or the inappropriate use of elastrator rings  Castration: methods.

Predisposing factors

• Anatomical location of the pendulous testicles in the scrotum.

Pathophysiology

• Trauma to scrotum results in pain, scrotal and preputial edema, scrotal hemorrhage, elevated scrotal temperature, pain, hematocoele formation or rupture of the tunica albuginea (often leads to testicular Hematoma Hematoma Penile hematoma).
• If hematocele occurs this may lead to adhesions within the scrotum (particularly between the visceral and parietal tunics).
• Testicular/scrotal trauma may be associated with unilateral or bilateral enlargement of testicles and Orchitis Orchitis.
• Severe trauma to the scrotum may result in epididymal duct blockage which can lead to sperm-free seminal fluid ejaculate.
• Puncture wounds or lacerations of the scrotum can result in additional problems such as secondarily bacterial infection.
• Intrascrotal hemorrhage and/or edema often becomes organized if left untreated to form fibrous tissue; also cicatricial (healed) scar formation that obstructs the epididymis may interfere with thermoregulation of Spermatogenesis Spermatogenesis leading to degeneration of seminiferous tubules and progressive testicular atrophy.