My dog has a red spot on his penis. Should I worry or see a vet?

It is good that you are very observant of your pet. These red spots look like what’s called petechiae, which is abnormal bleeding under the skin. I would recommend getting Oshie examined by your vet to look for other areas on the body that also have this. Some common areas are the belly and gums. If bleeding is suspected then a blood test can be performed. Some common causes of this kind of bleeding abnormality is a coagulation disorder or any number of tick borne diseases. Most of these are treatable, and you have obviously caught this early on before it starts causing any major issues with Oshie, so that is good. I hope you get to the bottom of this soon. Best wishes with Oshie. Take care.

If these truly are hematomas, I would be concerned that Leo may have a problem with his platelets, which are the cells in the body that allow the blood to clot. In the absence of trauma, hematomas can occur spontaneously if platelets are very low, because the body is bleeding into places such as the space under the skin. There may also be bleeding into internal cavities, such as the chest or abdomen. As these spots have resolved and recurred, I recommend getting Leo checked out by your vet, at least to determine if his platelet count is normal. If it is, I recommend having your vet check this new spot to see if it might be a skin tumor, such as a hemangioma (benign) or a hemangiosarcoma (malignant)

Unfortunately it is hard to tell when we cannot see exactly where on the penis this purple spot is. If it is a round swollen area, then that would be the bulbus which swells during copulation and locks the penis in the vagina of the female. If people separate the two dogs rather than wait until they part themselves, this bulbus can get injured and the female can also get injured. It is not a good idea to let this male mate with the three females in heat as he will introduce bacteria into their vagina and possibly uterus and so could cause a uterine infection (pyometra). If you could take some good photos of your dog's penis, we could better assess the situation and give you a more specific answer.

I think its reasonable to monitor it for a few days; if it is not resolving, get him in to see your vet. Also place an Ecollar on him to prevent him from licking at it. If he starts to have any trouble urinating or if the spot is getting bigger, or is appearing more red and inflamed, or it it starts to bleed, take, him in ASAP. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It could be he injured his penis, or the blood is a sign of infection. I don't see much blood in the picture, so I'd keep an eye on it for now. If the bleeding continues or increases, have him seen by a vet. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! That area definitely looks like it needs to be removed. It likely has a poor blood supply and healing can be difficult. I recommend having it removed and have it sent to a pathologist to determine what it is. There is no way to know just by looking at it. I would see if you can move your vet appointment up to have the mass looked at sooner. When the skin is ulcerated like that, most pets won't leave it alone and it can get worse. I'm the meantime, you can wash it with a mild soap and water. Good luck and kisses to Jacks!

Hello there and thank you for your post! From the pictures you have posted, it the red blood blister like mass you are seeing is most likely what we call a hemangioma, which is typically benign. However, hemangiomas can turn into hemangiosarcomas that are cancerous. I would recommend having this removed if possible to prevent this from progressing. If Gizmo does not do well at the vet, you can ask if they can provide you with an anti-anxiety medication / sedative to administer prior to an appointment to get this looked at. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.