Care And Treatment Of A Canine Penis Condition
A dogs penis is exposed to the elements and is prone to injury and irritation. It’s important for each owner of a male canine understands the differences between normal canine penis function to conditions that point to some kind of medical problem.
In terms of anatomy, an ordinary canine penis includes an outer skin layer, referred to as a prepuce, and the inner part called the glans penis. A healthy penis is red or pink and is totally covered in a prepuce until an erection is triggered. At the bottom of the penile shaft, a round part of the genital area called the bulbis glandis, which can become enlarged. When in this state it can discharge a white substance referred to as smegma. This is perfectly normal and shouldn’t be of concern.
Now that normal is defined, anything that is different from a healthy pink look may be a medical condition that should result in a trip to the veterinarian. Two frequently seen problems are called Priapism or Paraphimosis. In both of these conditions, the penis will remain exposed outside the prepuce for an unusual period of time. In priapism, the erection lasts a prolonged amount of time. In this case it is the result of either a neurological illness or a prostate problem. In Paraphimosis, the penis is stuck and isn’t able to retract. Both of these problems requires prompt medical treatment. These conditions can constrict blood flow, which explains why they need to be treated on an emergency basis.
If hospital treatment is necessary, a veterinarian will use saline, epinephrine or dextrose to extract liquid from the penis. This will enable the vet to manually placed it back into the prepuce. A stitch on top of the prepuce could be required to keep the penis from leaving the prepuce again. In extraordinary cases, surgery is needed. In extreme cases, the vet will recommend penis removal.
It is unusual for a problem to be due to a cancerous neoplasm or a tumor. The tumor is known as TVT or a transmissible venereal growth. It is due to a sexually transmitted virus after two dogs come in contact with each other. In this situation, the tumors are visible on the outside of the penis. The vet will take a skin biopsy or sample to figure out the exact nature of the tumor.
A dog penis problem can be dangerous. Be cautions and seek the required owner attention and immediate veterinary care.
Cathy Doggins is the editor of several articles on anatomy and the canine penis. When not writing about dogs, Cathy can be discovered playing with her 2 furry friends, or volunteering at a local shelter.
