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Phimosis in Dogs

Phimosis in Dogs

Phimosis

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Updated on September 26, 2024

SUMMARY OF CONTENT

This is a condition in which the opening of the prepuce (the skin that covers the penis) is too small. This may result in an inability to protrude or retract the penis.

SEVERITY:

Severity is mild to moderate
  • Diagnosis Icon
    Requires a diagnosis by a veterinarian
  • Time to Cure
    Typically resolves after surgery
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian

VERY COMMON IN

Any dog is at risk. There are breed predispositions to congenital phimosis. The following breeds are prone to congenital phimosis: Bouvier des Flandres, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, and Labrador Retriever.

Symptoms & Signs

There may not be any symptoms of phimosis while the pet is small. However, when the pet is fully grown, the narrow opening can prevent them from being able to extend their penis adequately for urination, and urine may pool within the prepuce. This can cause dribbling of urine, infection, and inflammation. Clinical signs relate to urine that gets trapped within the narrowed prepuce. Pets may have irritation around the prepuce from urine scalding. Phimosis also results in unsuccessful mating. These males frequently traumatize themselves during mating attempts, which results in blood dripping from the preputial opening. Once phimosis is identified, neutering is recommended in addition to surgical correction, as phimosis is heritable.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of phimosis is straightforward. The veterinarian will attempt to push the penis through the preputial opening. If the penis cannot be exposed, the pet will be diagnosed with phimosis. Parphimosis may be diagnosed when a dog experiences an erection and is unable to retract the penis. In these cases, the preputial opening is smaller than optimal but not significantly constrictive.

Causation

Phimosis is a congenital condition where the opening of the prepuce is too narrow to allow the penis to fully extend.  

Treatments

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AT-HOME CARE

Activity should be limited after surgery for 10-14 days. Prevent licking of the surgical site until completely healed.
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SUPPORTIVE CARE

None
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MEDICATIONS

Anti-inflammatory medications, such as carprofen, may be prescribed after surgery. If your pet has an infection within the prepuce, antibiotics will be prescribed.
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DEVICES

None
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SURGERY

Phimosis can be corrected with surgery. The opening of the prepuce is enlarged to allow full extension of the penis. If urine pooling is not a problem and the pet is not used for breeding, surgical correction may not be necessary.
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SPECIALISTS

Most general practice veterinarians can diagnose and treat cases of phimosis.

Cost Of Treatment

Surgery to correct phimosis can range widely. Please consult your veterinarian on how much treatment may cost.

Recovery

Full recovery occurs after surgical correction

Monitoring

Rechecks are not typically necessary.

Prevention

Since phimosis is a congenital disorder, affected dogs should not be used for breeding.

Questions about Phimosis
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My dog I heated uses tampon is it an emergency

Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understand your question as I'm not sure what you mean by "My dog I heated uses tampons..." I'm wondering if Bella ate a tampon or if you wanted to use one on her while she is in heat. I will answer both to be safe. If she ate a tampon, then yes this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. Tampons can easily cause obstructions in the GI tract, especially since they are absorbent and can get large in the stomach from liquid in there. if Bella ate a tampon, you need to take her into a vet immediately to get it removed. If she is on heat, no you cannot use a tampon to control her bleeding. It's not safe to use at all, and are not meant for dogs. You can put a diaper on her to catch any bloody discharge. There are dog specific diapers online and at pets stores, or you can use one made of a human child. Just cut a hole in it for her tail. Hopefully this answers your question. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and ask you post again in the forum for free to it can get answered!

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I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

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My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

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My dog has an ear infection

Sorry to hear Marley isn't doing so well with his ears. It is not possible to tell from tge picture tve exact nature of the irritation but if it is indeed infected (typically red, hot, painful and smelly), he will need prescription medication from his regular vet. In the meantime I recommend gently cleaning tge outer war with cotton wool and a pet safe ear cleaner to reduce the build up of wax/discharge

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My dog vomited a pinkish colour. Does this look like blood vomit? She doesn’t have diarrhoea or anything else. Yesterday i fed her plain chicken with rice.

That is very red vomit, however, this color could be linked to a number of things including blood in the vomit, inflammation of the GI tract, having chewed on a toy this color, eaten a food item this color, or gotten into a plant or other item this color. If the vomiting continues, worsens, or other symptoms appear such as a painful or bloated abdomen, diarrhea or blood in the stool, or severe distress, I would schedule a veterinary appointment right away to rule out more severe issues. In the meantime I would continue the bland diet for 24 hours, and monitor for any additional vomiting or illness symptoms.

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Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. Treatment should only be provided under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.