My neutered dog's sheath is swollen. Is it infected? How to clean?

If the discharge cleared while Zion was on antibiotics, then it's likely a bacterial infection of the sheath. He may need to take a longer course of antibiotics, or your vet may suggest a bacterial culture and sensitivity test to determine the most effective antibiotic. Typically, skin infections and penile sheath infections clear faster with topical therapy as well as oral medicine - talk to your vet about using a diluted antibacterial flush to clean the area. I'm not sure I can explain why he had a black blister, but maybe a bruise or injury from licking himself? Recurrent skin infections and bladder stones and crystals can sometimes be due to an underlying medical condition- if it's not been done already, some blood tests to check for endocrine illness may be a good idea. Your vet will want to work with you to help resolve this condition permanently.

This swelling is likely edema from the inflammation or infection, You should finish giving the antibiotics prescribed by your vet. If the swelling is still there when you have finished the course of antibiotics, you should take your dog back to the vet for a recheck. This actually does not look very bad, as it is neither red, nor painful nor looks abnormal other than the edema/swelling.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The sheath produces fluids to lubricate the penis. This fluid should act as a natural flush for any foreign bodies. I would monitor for any heat, swelling, or foul smelling discharge and seek a vet if noted. Good luck and kisses to Rocky!

This looks like scrotal dermatitis, which is not uncommon in unneutered dogs. Often, there is an infection present, which will need prescription medication to treat it. This particular problem tends to take a long time to heal and can get worse without proper treatment. For these reasons I recommend taking Dexter to the vet for an accurate diagnosis and treatment. For now, wash/spray the area with cool, clean water (no soap or other antiseptics) for at least 5 minutes at a time. Do this at least twice a day. It's important not to put any ointments or creams on this, because they will likely be licked off and may not be helpful anyways. I hope that helps and Dexter gets better soon.

Hello. With the chronic nature & non responsiveness to medications of this condition, I would be suspicious of a foreign object high up in the fornix of the sheath. It can be something as tiny as a piece of plant material like a grass awn or cedar chip or a tiny piece of stick. It is generally pretty easy to do the exam under anesthesia, but sometime it requires the use of a rhinoscope or bronchoscope to really get a 360 degree view of things all the way back. Please discuss this with your veterinarian & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor guy. Scruffy has likely caused some trauma to his penis, leading to inflammation and this can lead to the penis getting stuck outside the sheath, strangulation of the penis, and even infection. I am unsure exactly how the penis currently looks, but the treatment is dependent on its current condition. If it is stuck outside the sheath then the vet needs to treat this by doing a sugar pack on the penis, or similar method to reduce the inflammation enough to replace the penis back inside the sheath. Also KY jelly is often used to facilitate this. If infection is present then oral antibiotics along with a copious sterile flush (i.e. chlorhexidine solution 3% diluted) of the penis is needed. Pet friendly NSAIDS (i.e. Meloxicam, Rimadyl) are also often need to reduce inflammation and provide comfort.

Poor Remy! Without seeing it, I cannot say for sure what the cause is - it could be from an infection, licking it a lot, humping too much, a laceration on the inside of the prepuce and much more. With it being SO swollen, I would strongly recommend to have your vet look at it. I worry that Cephalexin won't be a strong enough antibiotic unless your vet has seen the prepuce already and they have determined that it is. Again, I need to see it in person to make the judgement call. Also, it sounds like he may need an anti-inflammatory pain medication to help with some of the swelling. Do not give any human pain meds as these are toxic to dogs. Your vet will be able to prescribe this once he has taken a look at it. I hope this helps!