My neutered dog has painful, disappearing swelling near his genitals.

I see that your dog is unneutered - one condition that can come on suddenly and be extremely painful is called testicular torsion. Basically, one of the testicles becomes twisted inside the scrotal sac, cutting off the blood supply and causing swelling and intense pain. Based on your description, I would be concerned about this possibility and would recommend getting your dog to a vet as soon as possible, since he is in a lot of distress and there is really nothing that can be done at home to help. Other possibilities would include a scrotal or testicular infection, a tumor, or even a scrotal hernia.

Poor guy...that does look uncomfortable. It may be infected, but I would suspect a discharge at the incision or a fever, lethargy. It is more likely that this is a scrotal hematoma. These typically do resolve in their own, but it can take weeks. Keep his activity level as low as possible to discourage more swelling, continue the anti inflammatory medication, make sure he cannot bite or lick it by using a “cone” if needed. It can provide some relief if he will allow you to do a cold compress on the area. Try wrapping an ice pack with cloth and apply to the area for 15 minutes..three times daily. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It could be a hernia, but it is unlikely related to the surgery since we don't handle that area during a routine neuter. I would recommend having the vet check it again if it doesn't improve after the NSAIDs, or sooner if Roman seems painful or stops eating and drinking.

Poor Quentin! From what I can see in the photo, it does look like he has some swelling and discoloration of the scrotum, and a small amount of bruising around the incision site itself. These issues can sometimes happen after a neuter - they're more common if the dog has been too active (I know this is hard to avoid sometimes!), but sometimes they just happen as a result of the surgery itself, just like post-op swelling and soreness in humans. If your pup is still eating and drinking normally, and seems alert and otherwise okay apart from being sore and reluctant to move around much, then it would be reasonable to wait until Monday to have him checked out by your regular veterinarian. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medication, as there are no OTC human options that are safe for use in dogs. In the meantime, you can use a warm compress on the area (a washcloth soaked in warm water, and then wrung out) for 5-10 minutes once or twice a day if he'll let you - this can help some with the soreness, and help the swelling resolve more quickly. I would also restrict his exercise as much as possible (crate rest would be best), since the more he moves around, the more he will aggravate the swelling. Make sure he isn't licking the incision or his scrotum at all, as this will also make things worse - use an e-collar (plastic cone) if needed to prevent this. If you feel that the swelling and bruising is continuing to get worse over the course of the weekend, or if your pup is not eating or acting extremely depressed/lethargic, then the safest bet would be to have him seen at your nearest emergency clinic to make sure there's nothing more serious going on.

Was there any chance Gunter had trauma to that area such as being hit by a car or laying on hot pavement at some point. That is a typical lesion comparable to road rash or an abrasion of some sort. The swelling may be edema or a possible hernia in the muscle wall causing the swelling if there was trauma. Because a hernia can be life threatening it is best if he is seen by a vet to check for that. You can keep the area clean with cool water and apply an antibiotic cream to help until you can get him seen. Make sure you monitor for urination since the swelling is close to his prepuce and penis.

Thanks for reaching out about Basil. If there is swelling around the genitals and he is already neutered, a veterinary visit is highly recommended as soon as possible. If he was castrated recently, there is a concern over an abscess or seroma in the scrotum or a hernia. A hernia could be a medical emergency, if intestinal tract has herniated. Monitor appetite, defecation and urination. Good luck.

Swelling in this area can be caused by inflammation, decreased lymphatic fluid flow, fluid building up in the belly, among a few other things. Since this sounds like it started very quickly, I would recommend that Rascal get checked out by a vet today to see what can be causing the swelling. It is unlikely that it is related to him being previously neutered.