My puppy's bulbous glands are rock hard for hours. Should I worry?

That gland is a normal occurrence when they get excited. When they calm down they go away and don’t swell. It is not painful for this process and they are firm to the touch. Getting him neutered will prevent this from happening in the future

Male dogs have a structure called the *bulbus glandis* along the shaft of the penis. The gland swells when they get excited or sometimes when they have to urinate. These glands are responsible for the "tie" that occurs during breeding. Even though your dog is neutered, he can still get erections, so likely something excited him causing the glands to swell. It is a perfectly [normal part of his anatomy](https://www.petcoach.co/article/anatomy-and-function-of-the-reproductive-system-in-dogs) and no cause for concern.

If what you're seeing looks like a symmetrical swelling near the base of his penis in front of the scrotum, what you see is likely the *bulbus glandis*. This structure is a normal part of the male dog's anatomy. The *bulbus glandis* swells during [mating](https://www.petcoach.co/article/anatomy-and-function-of-the-reproductive-system-in-dogs) which causes the dogs to tie or 'lock' together during the act. It may swell when the dog is excited, even in a neutered dog.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If the swelling is transient and goes away after a few moments this may be normal arousal in an unneutered male. However if it has lasted more than a few minutes I recommmend having Beethoven checked by a veterinarian. Prolonged swelling can be an emergency if it affects circulation to the penis.

If a male dog is aroused by a female dog that is in heat and close by, the penis will become erect. You typically don't see the penis, as it is "hidden" inside the prepuce, or sheath. Depending on the size of the dog it can be quite long, so I would consider this likely to be normal as long as it returns completely inside the sheath once the arousal is over.

Thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your question about Cypress. I'm wondering if this bulge was toward the back of his penile shaft. If it was, then what you likely saw was his bulbourethral glands. These are normal structures of the penis, and they become enlarged when the dog is aroused. Even neutered dogs can become aroused. Given that this bulge is now gone and he's totally normal, that would be my suspicion. There's nothing to worry about here! I hope this helps!

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!