It can be an embarrassing topic to discuss as pet parents. But, when things go wrong down below, it’s important to talk confidently with your vet so they can help your dog. Dogs can suffer with penile problems and erectile dysfunction.

The penis is a very sensitive organ, and any problems can be very painful for a male dog. Penile problems can get worse quite quickly, so if you are in any doubt, it’s always best to call your vet sooner rather than later.

What’s Normal When It Comes to Dog Erections?

The canine penis is a bit different to the human penis and sometimes these normal differences can be a worry to owners if they don’t know about them. Like humans, dogs have a penis and prepuce. However, a dog penis is always rigid, even when the dog is not having an erection. This is because the dog penis contains a small bone, called the os penis (baculum).

Dogs have erections where the body of the penis swells as it fills with extra blood in response to sexual arousal. Dogs have two glands at the base of the penis, and these also swell during sexual arousal and can be seen as visible lumps – this is a normal dog erection and nothing to worry about. Dog erections can still occur after being neutered, but they are less frequent.

The penis normally sits inside the penile sheath inside the dog’s body. The penis pops out when the dog has an erection. The erect penis is bright pink or red and moist in appearance and should return to the sheath quickly and easily as the erection subsides. A normal erection in dogs may last from a few minutes or up to an hour.

A dog penis is normally straight, but there is variation to shape and size - if your dog’s penis seems misshapen or bent then contact your vet. Some dogs can have a “persistent frenulum” that causes the penis to bend when erect. Normally this frenulum naturally disappears at puberty, but it can persist in some dogs. It’s usually straight forward to correct a persistent penile frenulum with a minor surgical procedure.

A small amount of discharge from the penis can be normal but speak to your vet if you are worried.

It’s normal for dogs to lick their penis and puppies may do this more than adult dogs. If your dog’s behaviour with his penis is different to normal or if he seems upset, withdrawn or in pain, speak to your vet for advice.

What if My Dog’s Erection Isn’t Going Down?

If you notice your dog's penis is not retracting back into the prepuce as it should, it could be they have a persistent erection. Vets may call this “paraphimosis”, which is just a fancy word to describe the fact that the penis is unable to go back into the preputial cavity. If this doesn’t return to normal within an hour, or your dog seems distressed call your vet for advice.

Paraphimosis in dogs may be caused by long hairs getting caught on the penis and trapping it, nerve problems, sexual stimulation, fracture of the os penis, infection, foreign body (such as grass seeds) or even due to cancer (but this is rare).

Another term your vet may use is “phimosis”. This describes when the dog has an abnormally small preputial orifice (the hole in the body wall, where the penis comes out). This small opening prevents the penis from coming out as it should, or sometimes, allows it out, but the dog then has difficulty drawing their penis back into the body.

Some dogs are born with phimosis and others may develop phimosis due to trauma, infection, or cancer, etc. Your vet will be able to determine whether your dog has paraphimosis vs phimosis and advise as to whether treatment is required.

What Are the Treatment Options?

If your dog’s erection isn’t going away, call your vet for advice. The penis is a delicate and sensitive organ, and you may cause your dog further injury or distress if you delay getting help or attempt to deal with penile problems at home. Your vet will be best placed to advise you on dog paraphimosis treatment.

Your vet may advise castration (surgical or chemical) for persistent erections related to sexual activity. There are also surgical options to correct phimosis. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs may be required to treat penile infections and pain relief will be provided when needed.

Other Things to Look Out For

In addition to erection problems, your dog’s penis can have other problems too. The penis may be injured during playing, fighting, or running and jumping. The penis has a large blood supply, and strong blood flow, so injuries to this area can result in significant swelling, bleeding, and bruising. If your dog receives an injury to their penis, they’ll need to see your vet promptly for emergency pain relief and first aid.

There should never be blood coming out of your dog’s penis. Bloody discharge could be a sign of injury, infection or even cancer within either the penis or within the urinary tract (kidneys, bladder, etc). If you notice bleeding from your dog’s penis, call your vet for advice. They may want to examine a urine sample, take a swab to test in the lab or investigate with imaging such as x-ray or ultrasonography.

Sometimes the first sign something isn’t quite right may be that your dog is excessively licking his penis a lot more than is normal for them. If you notice this, ask your vet to take a look and check there isn’t a problem.

A little discharge from your dog's willy is normal, especially in entire dogs (not neutered), but if you notice unusual, excessive or foul smelling discharge from your dog’s penis call your vet for advice.

Dogs can suffer with penile problems. It’s a very sensitive organ and problems can get worse quickly, so call your vet sooner rather than later. Don’t be shy when it comes to discussing your dog’s penis with your vet. Your dog will be grateful you did!

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Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Canis – www.vetlexicon.com/canis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.