My unneutered dog's penis swells after licking. How can I help?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Diesel. I suspect that his skin of his prepuce is irritated from the recent grooming appointment. You can start by bathing that area with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula to soothe the skin. You may need to place an E-collar on him to prevent any further licking. If these measures do not help, then he will need to see his veterinarian. I hope this information 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!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Buster. He should be evaluated by his veterinarian for this issue. The rubbing and licking indicate that he is uncomfortable in the region. He could have foreign material stuck in his prepuce. I had a patient that continually humped his bed and had pieces of blanket in his prepuce. He could also have a mass on his penis. In the meantime, you can try to get his penis back into his prepuce. If this is not possible, then you can apply lubrication such as KY jelly to the penis. This will prevent the exteriorized portion from drying out. I hope this information helps!

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.

Hello, sorry to hear about Bear. This is a problem with unneutered dogs and excessive stimulation. Ideally, you should not touch his penis any longer and keep him in an area where he is not stimulated. You could sprinkle sugar on his penis to try and bring the swelling down. Ultimately, if his penis does not resolve, he will need medical attention as this can lead to severe complications and his penis may begin die due to lack of circulation. Please have him evaluated by a veterinarian if his penis does not go back into the prepuce within the next few hours after sprinkling sugar on it. If it does go down, you should really consider neutering him soon. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Your dog may have been licking his penis tip a bit excessively and therefore it appears swollen, If the swelling does not subside within the next day or two and/or if he cannot retract the penis tip all the way into the prepuce, or if the color changes, then you will need to have him examined by your vet, He may need some medications or ointment to reduce the swelling and to keep the tip from drying out.

Poor Golondrino! Since you feel that his penis is looking worse after following your vet's initial instructions, you should take him back to discuss surgical attempts to correct his paraphimosis. At home, you can try using cool compresses to cause constriction of his blood vessels, as this may help to improve the swelling. A water based lubricant can also be applied to keep the penile tissues moistened. However, since the paraphimosis is likely to persist, Golondrino will likely need to be sedated to have a purse string suture placed in his prepuce (sheath) for a few days to hold his penis in place. I hope that all goes well!