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My dog's penis is stuck out and won't retract. What should I do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

my dog’s penis tip will not retract, it has been stuck out for the past few minutes and will not go back. I tried a cold compress but nothing is working.

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on December 3rd, 2019

Oh no, that's not good! It sounds like 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 him into your vet.

25Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on November 24th, 2019
This is a medical emergency, and you have to take Papito into a vet now. It looks like he is suffering from paraphimosis, which is an inability to retract the penis. This leads to constricting of the blood flow will lead to a larger engorgement of the penis, necrosis (dead tissue), and potential damage to the urethra. You cannot treat this at home, you have to take him into a vet immediately.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By David Darvishian
Veterinarian
Published on August 28th, 2017
Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear that Hyden is having this problem. I would observe him closely and make sure that his penis retracts back into the prepuce or sheath. If it remains out for an extended period of time, this is called paraphimosis and can become a medical emergency. Swelling, constriction of the blood flow, and damage to the urethra, along with self trauma can cause many complications. So my advice would be if you cannot manually help him retract it into the sheath, take him immediately to a veterinarian who is open. If left untreated, this condition can quickly deteriorate into more severe problems. Let him calm down and then reassess the situation. Good luck with Hyden.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Published on February 7th, 2020
This could be paraphymosis. It should be considered an emergency. You can try using sterile lubricant to gently slide the penis back into the sheath. If it doesn't retract, do not force it. Have him seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible to prevent permanent damage.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on June 23rd, 2016
It isn't abnormal for a dog's penis to be out of it's sheath for a bit after mating. If it's out for longer than a half hour to an hour, however, it can become dry and uncomfortable, and he may not be able to pull it back into his prepuce. Gently wash his penis with warm water to get it lubricated again, and hopefully he can pull it back into his sheath. If this doesn't seem to help, then getting him to his veterinarian before his penis becomes very swollen, dried out or damaged is best. The blood on his penis is likely from the female, as female dogs bleed when they are fertile and in heat.
10Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Related Questions

My dog's penis is sticking out, red, and he won't stop licking it. What's wrong?

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's penis is swollen and won't retract. Is it an emergency?

There are a couple of things this could be causing this to happen to Bruzer. It could be that he has an erection, and the penis is swollen and the tip is out because he is aroused. He could also be 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. Should you suspect it isn't an erection and it is paraphimosis, I will give you some advice that may help Bruzer. 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 Bruzer into your vet.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog's penis is out and won't retract. Is this a serious emergency?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Klaus. If you are unable to retract his penis back into the skin covering, I recommend that he sees a veterinarian tonight. He could sustain longterm damage if it is exposed too long or if he traumatizes by biting or licking. You can try applying a lubricant such as KY jelly to see if you can replace it. If not, he will need veterinary care. I hope this information helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's penis is out like a cherry, why do I pull the skin back?

Most likely it was mild paraphimosis, which is condition when the penis does not come back to his normal position. It is very important to pull the skin back as soon as possible as trapped penis may have impared blood supply which may result in bad injury to the penis. It usually happens to young, not castrated dog and is a result of sexual excitement. If it happens to him in the future the best thing to do is to pull the skin back, or if it is not possible to apply a cold compress for a few minutes till the penis does go back.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My male dog's "lipstick" is red, swollen, and stuck out. What do I do?

Hi, I believe you are referring to pharaphamosis. The glands in the penis swell and the penis can get stuck outside the skin. This occurs in unneutered young dogs who are sexually mature. To reduce the swelling, try an ice pack wrapped in a wet towel to the groin area. Also, lubricate it with a water based lubricant and gently massage it to try to get it back in the skin. Sugar applied to the penis itself can help reduce swelling. These things should get the penis back down and normal again. If not and it is stuck outside for more than 6 hours with no improvement, he needs to go to an emergency vet or the penis could be damaged. Good luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's penis was stuck out. Is it back to normal, or should I worry?

Thank you for providing a picture of Harley's penis area. Yes, this does look normal, it should be contained within the penile sheath normally. You did the right thing by apply a cold compress to help it return to the sheath, and I would not be concerned unless his penis becomes stuck outside the sheath again. If that happens again, try the same method but if it remains stuck outside the sheath for longer than 30 minutes, he will need to see a vet immediately. It becomes an emergency at the point because leaving it that way can lead to constricting of the blood flow causing a larger engorgement of the penis, necrosis (dead tissue), and potential damage to the urethra. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog's penis is stuck out, bleeding, and won't go back in after humping.

It is common for the penis to be exposed when a male is humping, but if it becomes too enlarged, they can have a problem with the penis not being able to slide back in the prepuce (the skin covering the penis). This is called paraphymosis. It can be a significant problem and can result in damage to the penis and pain. Normally, we will recommend using a sterile lubricant along the penis to get it to slide back in the prepuce. If the penis stays out of the prepuce it can become damaged. Since you can seen blood associated with Pico's paraphymosis, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him to make sure no other treatment is needed. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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