Why is my dog licking and pulling his penis until it's exposed?

Causes of licking the prepuce/penis area could be a urinary tract infection, crystals in the urine, stones in the urinary tract, or trauma to the area. It is important that you make an appointment to have Mako seen by your veterinarian as soon as you can to help determine the cause of his behaviour and to start treatment. If you notice him straining to urinate/unable to produce urine, this is a medical emergency and he should be seen by a vet immediately. I recommend you put an e-collar (cone) on him to help prevent him from biting/licking at the area as this may help reduce the risk of infection

Most dogs do not like to be petted under their belly or groin - this is a vulnerable place which is instinctively protected by a natural reflex. I would be concerned he is licking because the tip is constantly exposed and irritated - a full vet check to assess for underlying injury or complications is recommended and surgical repair may be necessary to prevent further self trauma and injury. I recommend you take a fresh urine sample with you to rule out UTI also

It could be he is suffering from paraphimosis, which is an inability to retract the penis back into the sheath. This can quickly turn into an emergency situation, as constricting of the blood flow will lead to a larger engorgement of the penis, necrosis (dead tissue), and potential damage to the urethra. If his penis hasn't been out too long (less than an hour), you can try to put it back yourself. First, thoroughly clean the penis, making sure there is no foreign material (such as fur) that is wrapped around the penis. Take a bag of frozen veggies wrapped in a towel, and apply it to the penis for five minutes at a time to try to reduce the swelling. Packaged peas work very well because they are mobile around the penis. Then apply a lubricant such as KY Jelly onto the penis, and very gently try to move the penis back into the sheath. Very gently try to push the penis back into the sheath, or try to gently pull the sheath over the penis. If this does not work, or if the penis has been outside the sheath for more than 30 minutes to an hour, you will need to take Lukas into your vet. Best of luck.

Hello and thank you for your questions about Jonesy. It's difficult to know if this is normal or not without being able to examine him. Some dogs do have a protrusion above the urethral opening on their penis and it's often lighter colored than the rest of the tissue. This is normal. However, if you are noticing him licking more than normal, this often indicates discomfort. Young male dogs, especially if they are not neutered, often get infections in the prepuce and this can cause excessive licking and often an increase in discharge. Male dogs can also get bladder infections which can also cause increased licking. Since Jonesy cannot talk and tell you why this is happening, I recommend to have him examined this week. This is the best way to know what is happening and if treatment is needed. I hope this gets figured out quickly. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tiny. If it happened this same time last year, then seasonal allergies are a likely cause making him itchy. Place an E-collar on him when he is unsupervised to prevent self trauma. You can also bathe him with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula to help soothe the skin. If he seems excessively itchy or has trouble urinating, then he will need to see his veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

Dogs can definitely do this as part of normal grooming behavior, or maybe a bit excessively sometimes. It's also possible that something is irritating him down there. This could be something like an infection, allergies, or impacted anal sacs. It's a good idea to have a vet check him for any medical problems leading to the excessive licking. It's definitely possible that there is a reason for this, which can be corrected. I hope that helps.

This presentation could be due to a localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria) or a more extended urinary tract infection. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.