My dog has pus coming out of his penis: causes and types

Dog penis health This is not always obvious. We may not pay much attention to this area of their body unless we bathe them or lie down to expose their tummy. This is why it is so important to observe any changes in our pet's behavior. If they are licking their genital area excessively or picking at objects, we should check for signs of pathology.

One of the most intuitive signs that something might be wrong is when we see discharge from your penis. It is sometimes yellow, green or white. Colors can mean different things, but if your dog has pus coming out of his penis , it's important to know if you have cause for concern. HowMeow helps highlight those outliers that highlight health problems, as well as those that are normal.

Causes of penile discharge in dogs

It is true that a dog may lick his penis excessively due to pus, but it is not always the case that there is a problem. There are normal residues and discharges that do not pose a serious risk to your dog's health. These are the most common causes of discharge and it is important to remember that a dog licking his penis is part of his normal hygienic behavior...

When the discharge is yellowish or green, it is potentially normal, but we need a diagnosis to be sure. Rarely, this may be a sign of infection. If there is blood in the discharge, this is a cause for concern. Let's look at a list of possible causes of penile discharge in dogs before looking at them in more detail:

Urination
ejaculation
Smegma
Lack of hygiene or accumulation of dirt.
parasitic disease
Foreskin
Venereal disease
Traumatic injury
cancer

Diagnostics in a veterinary clinic

The basis for making a diagnosis of urethritis is anamnesis, visual examination of the animal, results of clinical blood and urine tests, and ultrasound. Symptoms characteristic of the disease can be mistaken for other pathologies, so the diagnosis must be differentiated, excluding diseases such as diabetes, chlamydia, leptospirosis, cystitis, pyometra, prostatitis, etc.

What kind of discharge is normal for a dog's penis?

As with the human penis, the dog's limb is used for two main functions : urination and insemination of women. This means that there are two main types of healthy discharge that can come from a dog's penis, urine and semen .

Dog penises are not like those of other mammals. At the base of the shaft, the dog's penis has bulbs. This is the round part that swells when mating with females and gets stuck to ensure insemination. When a dog's penis is protruding , it does not mean there is a problem. This usually just means they have an erection, which can happen even if the dog has been neutered.

The outer part of a dog's penis is known as the foreskin and is essentially the dog's foreskin. This is fur and a fur cover that protects the barrel and interior headgear. When the dog is not in an upright position, the foreskin should cover the penis. When a dog gets an erection, the mucous membrane becomes red or pink. It is sometimes colloquially referred to as lipstick for obvious reasons. If your dog's foreskin has some yellow spots around the fur but is otherwise clear, the urine is probably that color.

Dogs practice growing behavior before they reach sexual maturity . Like most puppy behavior, their actions are designed to help them when they participate in adult activities. The montage helps them practice seeing women in the heat like sexually mature dogs. They may masturbate by rubbing their genitals on blankets, couch cushions, or anything that helps stimulate their erect penis to ejaculate. If there is white discharge from the penis, this may be normal ejaculation.

Spaying your dog will seriously reduce his sexual urges and may even prevent him from masturbating. However, it is unlikely that male dogs will stop riding together as they use this action for other reasons, such as demonstrating dominance.

Can a neutered dog still produce sperm?

Since male dogs that have been castrated no longer have testicles, they will not be able to produce sperm. Other types of sterilization, such as a vasectomy, may continue to produce sperm..[one]. If this is the case, they may still have a white discharge in the form of semen. However, ejaculation is not only made from semen. Most dog semen is made from fluids obtained from other reproductive organs, although the exact composition is not entirely understood.[2]. Dogs may have white mucous discharge even if they have been neutered.

If sperm is present in the dog's semen, it should appear whiter and thicker. If this is the case, then we must double check to ensure that sterilization was effective.

We'll discuss several different types of penile discharge , but there is one that should always be a cause for concern. If your dog is leaking red blood from his penis or if there is blood in his urine, it is likely due to a serious condition. This may be due to an underlying pathology, infection or injury. Whatever the reason, you need to take your dog to the vet for a diagnosis...

Yellow discharge from a dog's penis.

Many barbers will have to shave around the foreskin to even get the look. If they are careful, they can do this without problems. This is usually a good time to check for abnormal discharge. The urine stains mentioned above are normal and expected. However, it is important to note the color and consistency. The viscous discharge will not be from urine, it should be the consistency of water.

Yellowish discharge from a dog's penis may be due to smegma . In mammals, smegma is a secretion that appears in the external reproductive organs. It is made up of skin cells, moisture and oils that act as a lubricant. It can be any range of yellow, but often it is not a very deep color. Smegma is usually accompanied by an unpleasant odor, but it should not be very strong...

In rare cases, a dog may simply create large amounts of smegma. When this happens, the dog may decide to lick it off the genitals. You should not be concerned if this yellowish substance is present as its presence is not a symptom of a problem. Licking the genitals This is not a good indicator of a health problem as dogs will do this as part of their routine. However, excessive licking can be a problem.

Green discharge from dog penis

While smegma is normal discharge from a dog's penis will rarely be green. However, it may look a little greenish depending on the amount of dirt on the organ. The most important thing is to distinguish between normal and abnormal discharge.

Smegma is usually not abundant and has a thick, almost oily consistency. Fresh smegma usually has a thinner consistency than older discharge. If the discharge is strong in color, has an unpleasant odor, and is in relative abundance, it is most likely pus. The presence of pus makes a sign of infection more likely. Distinguishing the difference between pus and smegma This is important because it will help us know if we need to take them to the vet.

balanoposthitis

The discharge of pus is a sign of infection, one of these infections is balanoposthitis . This is when the infection affects the head (foreskin) and foreskin of the dog's penis. Such an infection can be caused by various agents, but the main two are from a foreign body or canine herpes virus.

Foreign bodies can get caught between the foreskin and the penis when they are in the world. Vegetation, rocks or dirt may get caught while running. The foreign body irritates the mucous membrane, causing friction and irritation. The result may be a pus-like substance coming from the penis. herpes virus It works from the inside, sometimes it is reduced by sexual intercourse and leads to the presence of pus..

phimosis This is a contraction of the foreskin. The hole is so small that it can interfere with urination and cause infection. This is a condition that may be present at birth or develop later in life.

Factors causing pyometra

One of the dangerous diseases of dogs is pyometra. Pyometritis is a purulent inflammation of the uterine mucosa (translated from Greek). If the disease is diagnosed on time, effective treatment is possible. Otherwise, the dog may face death due to uterine rupture and sepsis.

The causes of this disease are different. Their essence is problems with the reproductive system .

The reproductive system is especially unprotected during estrus. The chances of pathogenic bacteria entering the uterine cavity increase significantly.

Emerging hormonal disorders are possible against the background of tumors, cystic neoplasms, and during puberty. The imbalance of the body entails the production of large quantities of secretion, which can result in hyperplasia. Against the background of this disease, suppuration in the uterus is observed.

Hormonal agents used during estrus can also provoke pyometra.

Progesterone is responsible for the growth of the uterine mucosa and the mammary glands. Violation of its level can lead to illness. The release of the hormone provokes increased production of mucus in the uterus, which entails a sharp decrease in immunity and closure of the cervix. Pus collects in the uterus, which can lead to its rupture, since the mucus cannot come out.

Sometimes pyometra can appear due to the vagina’s own microflora, but more often harmful microorganisms enter from the outside (for example, under unsterile conditions during childbirth).

Experts note the following risk factors for pyometra:

The female is older than five years;
Unsterilized dog;
Overweight animal;
nulliparous dogs;
Frequent pregnancies;
Females with symptoms of false pregnancy;
Dogs leading a sedentary lifestyle;
Animals receiving an unbalanced diet that does not contain enough vitamins.

Does pus mean my dog has an STD?

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) Also known as sexually transmitted infections (STIs), they are relatively rare in dogs. However, if your dog has been sexually active, this is still possible. There are not as many known varieties as there are in humans. Three main types:

Herpes virus
Transmissible venereal tumor (TVT)
brucellosis

We previously mentioned the herpes virus and will discuss TVC in the next section.. Brucellosis This is an STD caused by the passage of bacteria (Brucella Canis) through the genitals during sexual intercourse. The clinical signs of brucellosis in dogs are not considered to be pathognomonic, meaning they may share symptoms with many other problems..[3] Purulent discharge is not very common in male dogs, but it is possible. Inflammation is a more common clinical sign..

Symptoms of various inflammatory processes

Despite the various foci of damage to the reproductive organs, inflammatory processes have common symptoms of the disease.

Characteristic symptoms of inflammatory processes in the genital organs, in addition to existing discharge, include:

excessive attention of the animal to the genitals: the pet licks the loop more often than usual due to itching from the secretion;
lethargy is noted in behavior;
temperature increase;
increase in abdominal volume;
thirst - the animal consumes a lot of water, vomiting is possible;
depressed state;
hard breath;
weakness;
refusal to go for a walk;
Frequent urination, including at home.

If the symptoms described above appear, you should not self-medicate. It is important to understand that the disease in its advanced form is much more difficult to cure, and if assistance is delayed, the result may be the death of the pet.

Does pus on my dog's penis mean they have cancer??

In most cases, pathological discharge on the dog’s penis is easily treated. The presence of smegma is not likely to increase the risk of cancer [4]. If a dog isn't licking regularly, poor hygiene may be a factor, but even that is difficult to prove.

However, some types of penile cancer can cause discharge. One type is known as Canine Infectious Venereal Tumors (CTVT) which is one of the few types of sexually transmitted diseases in dogs. There are only three types of cancer in the world that are considered contagious. However, prostate cancer can also lead to abnormal discharge, as was the case in a four-year-old Newfoundland cross reported in 2002.[5].

Metastatic cancer has reached the penis, causing discharge. It was also accompanied by priapism, which means the painful erection continues. If your dog is neutered and does not stay close to a woman in the heat, she should have normal consistency. Continuous erections or when the dog's penis is swollen . These could be signs of something unpleasant. If there is cancer or a serious infection, they are likely to be accompanied by other symptoms. This is why it is so important to take your dog to the vet if you observe symptoms of pathology...

What to do at home

If urethritis is suspected, the owner can give the dog an antispasmodic, for example, No-shpu, Baralgin, but the dosage should be checked with a specialist. The drug will relieve pain, calm the dog and allow it to be easily transported to the veterinary clinic.

You cannot self-medicate, replace medications with traditional therapy methods, try to independently regulate urine flow, and do massage. Pressure on the bladder can cause bladder damage.

The dog needs to be provided with quality care, peace, and good nutrition. It is better to entrust the preparation of the diet to a specialist to avoid acidification of the urine, which can cause irritation of the urethra. As auxiliary therapeutic measures, it is advisable to use herbal decoctions (bearberry, chamomile, nettle), and thermal procedures.

My dog's penis has lumps

As we said earlier, if a dog's penis is swollen and protruding, it could simply be due to a normal erection. In addition, as we have already said, the dog's penis has bulbs. It will look like two big bumps at the base of the shaft, but that's okay. They will go away when there is an erection.

However, there may be bumps, rashes or swelling that are not normal and should be addressed. Although it is rare, a dog can develop tumors on the penis, which may not be noticeable if it does not have an erection. Although the lumps may be uncomfortable, they are likely not itchy , so they may not lick their penis excessively.

Other bacterial, viral, or fungal infections can cause bumps. They can also be parasitic infestations. Injuries may also occur, leading to inflammation or discoloration . If you see any of these symptoms, you should take your dog to the vet to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment will depend on the underlying cause, such as surgery for tumors or antibiotics for infection...

This article is purely informational. HowMeow does not have the authority to prescribe veterinary treatment or diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the vet if he has any problems or pain.