Everything You Need To Know About Dog Penis

Like any other body part of a dog, a dog penis can easily get injured or even diseased. When a dog’s penis gets affected or injured, it can get quite uncomfortable for the dog as well.

So if you see that your dog is suffering and his penis is wounded, then there can be serious health issues on the dog penis.

Since you have a dog or planning to get one, there are certain things about a dog penis you need to know about in order to keep your dog safe and healthy. Keep on reading this article to know more about dog penis and how to keep them safe.

Dog Penis Health: How Should It Look?

In order for you to know when something is wrong with your dog’s penis, you first need to know how a dog penis looks normally. Well, to start, a dog’s penis is not visible. It stays enclosed within a protective, hairy sheath known as prepuce. It is made up of skin and other tissues. It looks like hairy skin, quite similar to the skin in any other part of a dog’s body.

If you have ever looked at a dog penis, you know that it is usually pink or red in color and appears moist. This is because it is covered with a layer of mucous membrane. An interesting thing to note about a dog’s penis is that it becomes visible only when the animal is experiencing an erection.

Also, around the opening of the penis or the prepuce, a greenish-tinged or slightly whitish-yellow discharge can be seen. That discharge is known as smegma, and it consists of dead skin cells, protein, and other bodily fluids. The smegma has a mucousy texture. 

It is quite normal for healthy male dogs to eject a small amount of smegma. So if you see a little bit of yellowish-white or greenish tint discharge around your dog’s penis area, your dog is in perfect health.

It can be seen that for a canine, the penis stays rigid, even when the dog is not having an erection. This is due to the presence of a certain bone known as the “os penis.” Also, positioned on either side at the base of the dog’s penis, you will find two glands which are called “bulbus glandis.”

But when a dog gets excited or aroused, these two bulbus glandis fill up with blood, which creates two bumps clearly visible under the dog’s skin. A dog’s erection can last anywhere between a few minutes to up to an hour. You should also know that some people are uncomfortable with the term dog penis. As a result, they use terms like “dog lipstick” or “red rocket dog” while talking about a dog’s penis. 

Is My Dog’s Penis Infected?

It can be quite worrisome for dog parents regarding any infection on their dog’s penis. Sometimes the normal smegma or pus might seem like a sign of infection.

For healthy dogs, you might seem surprised by the amount of discharge or smegma that they can produce to clean or remove them the dog usually licks their penis.

Excessive licking of the penis and draining of the prepuce is a few of the most common symptoms of penis infection or on the sheath.

• If your dog seems ill or restless.
• When the color of the discharge is changed, or the quantity is increased.
• If your dog keeps on licking his penis more than usual.

Why Is My Dog Licking His Penis?

One of the obvious reasons why a dog licks their penis, in order to keep their penis clean or only that it feels good. There are situations when a dog even licks their penis till they are getting an erection, even when they are neutered.

If you see your dog simply licking like this, then you can ignore your dog altogether. But if you see any health problem in your dog, only then should you take notice of him.

Although if the excessive licking is paired with pain, lethargy, and drainage, then these can be a sign of injury and infection. Or maybe there is some other problem going on with your dog’s reproductive or urinary tract.

Is There Blood Coming Out From My Dog’s Penis?

If you suddenly see that blood is coming out from your dog penis, then that can be due to many reasons like bladder stones, tumors or infections, even diseases like blood-clotting diseases, or injury of the prostate gland.

But in common sense, blood discharge from the penis is due to benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), also non-cancerous prostate gland enlargement with excessive testosterone exposure.

If you suspect BPH in your dog, then the first thing you should do is consult your vet and schedule a rectal examination. But neutering your dog will cure most of these problems, like BPH.

Why Is My Dog’s Penis Stuck Out?

Even if you neuter your dog, on certain occasions, it might get an erection. Suppose your dog’s penis is erect and easily visible, that too for a long period, then it returns back to fully enclosed inside the prepuce and seems like everything is normal again.

Now suppose your dog has a persistent erection along with retracting it back, then it is all normal. And if these things are normal, then you won’t have to worry about anything.

But if your dog is having problems retracting his penis, then it can be a problem like prostate disease, neurological problems, or even anatomical abnormalities. If you see that his penis is somewhat discolored or it is becoming dry, then you need to take your dog to the vet immediately.

What Is This Discharge Coming From My Dog’s Penis?

If you see a whitish-yellow or somewhat greenish-colored discharge coming out of the penis, then the normal discharge is called smegma. It also contains dead cells and also collects in the enclosure of the dog prepuce.

Also, there are other types of discharge that come out from the penis, and that too whether they are healthy discharge or not. If the discharge is pus-like bloody coming from the prepuce and penis, then you should immediately go to the vet and get diagnosed.

• Prostatic Disease

• Erectile Disorders

• Anatomic Abnormalities

• Blood-Clotting Disorders

• Traumatic Injury

• Urinary Tract Stones (Uroliths)

• Infection Of The Reproductive Or Urinary Tract

• Cancer Of The Reproductive Or Urinary Tract

• Foreign Material Lodged Within The Prepuce

What Is This Bump, Lump, Or Growth On My Dog’s Penis?

If you have a dog, then you would know that it is quite normal to have lumps on each side of your dog penis during an erection. But these lumps usually disappear when the erection ends. You can also find nipple-like lumps around the penis area as well, it is quite common.

But these lumps are different than certain bumps, growths, inflammation, tumor, or even cysts are quite different. These growths are not normal at all, and you should consult your vet immediately.

Some Notable Complication Of Dog Penis And Treatment

Now that you know everything there is to know about a healthy dog penis, I think you are ready to discuss two of the most notable medical complication your dog might face when it comes to their penis. So without wasting a single minute, let’s look at some of them.

Balantitis 

This is a disease that causes inflammation of the glans penis or the head of the penis. This is common in all male dogs. However, intact (unneutered) male dogs are more prone to this disease compared to neutered dogs.

Research shows that approximately 3 to 11% of males go through this problem. This is usually caused by bacterial infection, but there can be other causes too. These are as follows:

• Injuries
• Phimosis (constricted prepuce that can’t retract)
• Tumors
• Foreign bodies stuck in the prepuce

Here are some of the symptoms of Balanitis in dogs that you need to keep an eye out for: 

• Yellow/green discharge (pus) from the prepuce
• Bloody discharge
• Swelling of the penis and prepuce
• Excessive licking of the genital area
• Discomfort or disinterest in breeding
• In severe cases: lethargy, fever, and loss of appetite

If your dog is down with balanitis, then your vet would put our dog on antibiotic treatment and would also prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs. Moreover, the vet can also suggest a cone collar. This would keep the dog from licking the infected area and causing more irritation.

Paraphimosis 

Paraphimosis in dogs is a serious condition where the penis becomes stuck outside of the protective sheath (prepuce) and cannot retract back in. Unlike an erection, paraphimosis is a painful condition for the dog. In the case of paraphimosis in dogs, you may notice the following symptoms: 

• The penis is red, swollen, and appears dry and irritated.
• The dog may lick or bite at the exposed penis excessively, which can worsen the irritation.
• Difficulty or inability to urinate.
• The dog may appear restless or uncomfortable.

Swelling of the prepuce after an erection is the most common cause of Paraphimosis in dogs. However it should be noted that Paraphimosis is not a naturally occurring condition in dogs who mate naturally. According to PetMD, it generally happens when a dog has an erection during a manual semen collection procedure for breeding purposes.  

However, there can be other causes too, such as:

• Cancer
• Foreign objects stuck in the prepuce (like a hair band)
• Congenital narrowness of the prepuce
• Infection
• Trauma to the penis or prepuce
• Neurological problems
• Muscle weakness

This is another very common penis related medical condition that you need to know as a dog parent. This is a more complex issue to deal with. If suspected paraphimosis, then your vet would immediately try and get your dog’s swollen penis into the flaccid state. This is usually achieved by a sugar solution and lubricants that are specifically meant to draw the liquid out of the penis.

This is a painful affair, therefore, the vet might put your dog into some sort of sedation. In some extreme cases, your dog might have to go under the knife. The vet can make a small incision into the prepuce, in order to give the penis some breathing space and promote proper blood supply.

Rashes 

The prepuce, or the skin surrounding a dog’s penis is a sensitive spot. This can develop rashes and skin problems from time to time. Since the prepuce touches the ground every time the dog sits, it can get infected in an easier manner. Moreover, coming in contact with allergens, irritants, and other contaminants. The best way to proceed in such cases is by maintaining a strict hygiene code for the dogs.

However, please be mindful of the pH level of the soap that you are using. But if the infection is caused by a parasite or a bacterial infection, then the situation becomes more complicated. In these cases, it is best that you consult a vet as the infection can be very irritable and can persist for days. Home remedies will not be able to help you here.

Wrapping Up!

Now that you know everything about dog penis and what are the things that can be problematic with your dog’s penis, and what you should do about it.

So if you have a dog already, then you should already know some or all these facts. But if you are planning to get a dog of your own for the first time, then these facts are important for you to know. It will help you to watch out for any slight changes in your dog’s penis and treat the same as soon as possible.

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