New Delhi, Feb. 26 -- I recently had to operate on my three-year-old Golden Retriever, Musafir, to address his undescended testicles. This is just one of many congenital diseases that can affect pets. Congenital diseases are disorders or abnormalities that are present from birth. They can be inherited from a pet's parents or caused by developmental issues during gestation. Some congenital conditions go unnoticed for years, while others manifest early on. Though they can affect any breed, some breeds are genetically more predisposed to them.

Retained testicles, or cryptorchidism, which is what Musafir had, is a condition where one or both testicles fail to descend into the scrotum. It is common in dogs, particularly in breeds such as Chih...