Male dog genital issues

[Lunavioleta]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

Ok sorry to be a little graphic here but since I got my pup he's had a lot of spots around his genitals that come and go, at his last appointment the vet said to keep area clean.

He's had lots of baths, wiped and even a little vaseline on the area.

Last week he rolled on his back and there was a hazelnut sized lump next to his penis. Over a few days it's gone down but the skin around the area is miscoloured. It looks dirty but doesn't wipe off. The lump that was there has left some sort of bruising??? It also kind of looks like he has an inverted nipple with dirt inside it??

Does anyone have any ideas? This is my first male puppy.

 

[arealhuman]

Could it be an impact injury? My dog has had a big scab in a similar area which has just fallen off which we put down to rummaging through bushes and he got caught on something. As always, if you have concerns, I'd suggest getting him to the vet.

 

[JudyN]

How old is he? Dogs can get acne. My dog also seems to have some ingrained dirt on his chest where I think he had a combination of allergy rashes and rubbed-in dirt in the past. So maybe something similar has happened with your dog.

But this is guesswork and as arealhuman says, we can't replace vet advice.

 

[Lunavioleta]

Hi thanks for the replies.

I am not asking anybody to replace vet advice for me.

I thought that with this being a dog forum with a health section that we were able to discuss health concerns and find out if anyone has experienced anything similar.

Never mind then, I will just contact the vet.

 

[JudyN]

Lunavioleta, neither of us was suggesting that you shouldn't be asking this question, and I'm sorry if it came over that way. It's perfectly fine for you to post asking if anyone has any ideas and suggestions for what to do.

We only mention that our advice can't replace vet advice because particularly when discussing 'lump' related or that could possibly be some other sign of serious disorder, we would hate someone to think that they didn't have to worry about something that subsequently turned out to be serious. Most people, and I'm sure you are one, wouldn't ignore a problem because someone on a forum said they'd seen something similar on their dog that turned out to be completely harmless, but some people would and this is what we want to avoid.

Again, apologies if our posts sounded anything less than welcoming - it wasn't intended

 

[leashedForLife]

.

How old is the puppy, @Lunavioleta ?
If he's under 12 to 14-WO, scattered small pimple-like sores on the lower abdomen & groin, where the hair is thinly scattered & short, are common; called puppy pyoderma, it's a stage that he'll outgrow as his immune system matures, & keeping his belly clean is one way to reduce it.
photos of puppy-pyo:
puppy pyoderma on abdomen - Google Search

get a diagnosis from the vet - but puppy-pyo, once U know that's what U're dealing with, can be treated safely at home.
Only the 1st 2 rows of photos in the link above can be trusted; everything after that, may be other things. // Puppy pyo can show as acne-like creamy-yellow pimples, or black or brown flat "heads" with pink-walled lumps under them.
The individual spots - the "pimples", whatever their shape - can be individually treated with 1st-aid strength hydrogen peroxide on a Q-tip. Bathe 1st as below; I'll put the directions for the peroxide under the bath section.


The no-rinse liquid bath solutions in flip-top bottles, sold for bed baths of disabled, ill, or injured patients, are very mild cleaners & safe for daily use; dampen a washcloth, wring it, put a small dollop of the liquid soap on it, wash gently & firmly 1st AGAINST the hair-growth, then "with" it, & finally, rinse - twice. Despite the fact that it's a "no rinse" soap & shouldn't irritate skin if there's a trace left behind, humans do not typically lick our skin; dogs do.
U do not want him licking any residue & swallowing it! So rinse anyway.

Here's one such product, just as a sample - there are many brands:
Mustela No-Rinse Cleansing Water - 10.14oz

the FOAMING ones use less soap per application / waste less:
https://www.cvs.com/shop/cvs-health-foaming-rinseless-shampoo-body-wash-prodid-879471

Note the fat, wide, rectangular opening on the bottle-cap? - that's a foaming head.

Puppy-pyo & peroxide:
After bathing, PAT - do not rub! - his belly dry, using 1 or 2 paper towels so they can be discarded. He can be standing for the bath & the drying, so he won't be too fussy when U put him belly-up, as that's where he needs to be for U to apply the peroxide accurately. Let the pup run about a bit while U get the peroxide & such ready.
This part, unlike bathing [which can be done with him standing on a hassock while U kneel beside it, holding his collar with one hand & wiping his tummy with the other], is best done with the pup on the floor, so he cannot possibly get away from U & fall.
Take the cap off the new, small bottle of peroxide; PRICK THE FOIL SEAL with a pin that U've previously wiped clean with medical alcohol. [This keeps the H2O2 potent longer, by minimizing its exposure to air. Oxidation turns H2O2 into H2O - water.]
Have a dozen or so clean Q-tips set within reach, on a clean dry surface, such as a paper towel or a saucer. Set a small trashcan nearby, to drop the used Q-tips into.
Dribble a tiny amount of peroxide thru the pinhole into the CAP of the bottle; set the cap on the clean surface beside the Q-tips, & put the bottle of peroxide well-out of the puppy's reach, so if he kicks, it won't fall or spill. Have some small but high-value tidbits to give the pup, again, out of his reach, but within Urs. Diced chkn-breast or turkey, lean beef, canned water-pack fish, etc; pea-sized or half-pea size is plenty.
Now, catch the pup, bring him over, & lay him gently on his back. Put one hand on his chest, scratching gently with yer fingertips & using mild pressure from yer palm to hold him there. Talk soothingly in a deep-pitched tone.
Dip each end of a Q-tip into the cap, & use 1st one end, then the other, to dab directly on each visible pimple-head; if it's a flat area like a mesa, swirl entirely across it. DO NOT "double dip"! - each Q-tip end goes into the clean peroxide only ONCE.
Don't touch more than 2 pimples with each end; dab only ONE if it's large [over 1/8th inch]. Then use the 2nd tip, & discard that Q-tip; GIVE A TIDBIT with the hand that's been using the Q-tip. Pick up a fresh Q-tip, repeat, dabbing each pimple only, & giving a tidbit after each used Q-tip is discarded.
[It won't take as long as it sounds it will. Depending on how many pimples, 5 minutes is time enuf for most pups to be done, & released.]
Keep him busy for a few moments once U let him up - so he's not tempted to LICK his belly, & introduce more bacteria. Ex, have a solid-rubber ball or other safe small toy in a pocket, & toss it as soon as he's standing. That run-around time also gives U time to clear away: cap the peroxide, lift the saucer, put the trashcan out of reach, lift the tidbits.
______________________________________

re the lump under his skin, does it sink into his abdomen when he lies on his back, & become more visible or more palpable when he's STANDING? - do not pinch or push it, palpate means to gently examine by touch using the pads of one's fingertips; if it's more obvious & can be easily felt when he stands, while it's a lower dome & less "findable" when he's supine, it could be a hernia.
Hernias can be mild or very dangerous, it all depends on where they are, how large the opening, & what's behind the hole in the body-wall, & might pop thru & be strangled. // A mild one might be able to wait till he's neutered; a hernia in a bad spot may need to be closed immediately.
Only a vet can tell U if it is indeed a hernia, & if it needs immediate attn, or can be safely left [but monitored for any changes] until later, & done at the same time as his desex. If it's urgent & needs to be done now, so long as he's otherwise healthy & over 2# / 1 kilo in weight, he can be neutered now, while the hernia is closed.

Hope this helps,
- terry
.

 

[JoanneF]

Please be aware OP and @leashedForLife that what we refer to as peroxide is, as I understand it, a different product in the UK from the US. Ours is much harsher and may not be suitable for sensitive skin.

 

[leashedForLife]

Please be aware OP and @leashedForLife that what we refer to as peroxide is, as I understand it, a different product in the UK from the US. Ours is much harsher and may not be suitable for sensitive skin.

.

pardon me, @JoanneF - but i did SPECIFY "1st Aid strength", i-e, medical H2O2 - not HAIR BLEACH.
I do know the difference.

a UK source of 1st-aid H2O2 -
Hydrogen Peroxide Solutions 3% 10 vols | First Aid | Chemist Direct

happy, now? 3% H2O2 is 97% water. Don't drink it, U will puke violently, & don't get it in eyes or on other mucus membranes.
Cheers,
- terry
.

 

[JoanneF]

.

pardon me, @JoanneF - but i did SPECIFY "1st Aid strength", i-e, medical H2O2 - not HAIR BLEACH.
I do know the difference.

a UK source of 1st-aid H2O2 -
Hydrogen Peroxide Solutions 3% 10 vols | First Aid | Chemist Direct

happy, now?
Cheers,
- terry
.

I do beg your pardon. I find your posts quite hard to follow so I may sometimes miss salient points.

 

[Violet Turner]

I have just seen this thread, my dog olive has what I believe is the exact same rash. I took her to the vets this afternoon to get it checked out and it’s down to allergies... In my old career I would see this nearly every week, (but never self-diagnosed it on Olive because I want sure it was) I would recommend stop with the Vaseline and start with saline solution on it as it acts as an antiseptic and is great for this rash (if it is allergy related). It could be Atopic dermatitis this is due to skin allergies here is a link to a website that will explain this a little bit more easier than me, unless you would like me to explain what it could be I don’t mind just ask. - https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/skin/c_dg_atopic_dermatitis

 

[leashedForLife]

I have just seen this thread, my dog Olive has what I believe is the exact same rash.
I took her to the vets this afternoon to get it checked out and it’s down to allergies...

In my old career I would see this nearly every week, (but never self-diagnosed it on Olive because I [wasn't] sure [what] it was).

I would recommend stop... the Vaseline and start [putting] saline solution on it, as it acts as an antiseptic and is great for this rash (if it is allergy related).
It could be Atopic dermatitis ... due to skin allergies -
[This] website... will explain this ... [If] would like me to explain what it could be, I don’t mind - just ask.
-
Atopic Dermatitis Causes, Symptoms, & Treatments | petMD

.

hi, Violet -
this is a rash on a puppy's abdomen, & generally speaking, ATOPY [which is symptoms on the skin from inhaling allergens] is diagnosed in dogs of at least 18-MO, often 2-YO & up. // The dog's immune system needs to be exposed to the item repeatedly, over a long enuf period that it becomes reactive & shows an allergic response.
The OP has yet to reply my Q about the pup's age, but atopy is pretty rare in any pup under 6-MO; they haven't been around long-enuf to develop the overreaction to normal environmental factors that's the defining trait of atopy.

Atopic Dermatitis Causes, Symptoms, & Treatments | petMD

It's almost unheard of to be "allergic" to something nontoxic & GRAS the 1st time U eat, drink, or touch it - my older sister developed a severe allergy to shrimp, but by the time she reacted to it, she was in her late-50s or early-60s, & had eaten shrimp with no after-effect for over 30-years.
In contrast, poison-ivy & other noxious plant oils aren't allergens - they are toxins. Reacting to them is actually normal; they are skin irritants. Breaking out in a nasty rash when U walk on grass is actually not normal, as grass isn't noxious.

I'm very interested to hear just how old the puppy is - if he's over 5-MO & the vet confirms that he has puppy-pyo, that's not a good sign. He may have an underdeveloped immune system; normally, older pups are not susceptible to puppy-pyo, only infant pups "catch" it. [Often it's caused by a commensal microbe on the dog's skin.]

- terry
.

 

[Violet Turner]

.

hi, Violet -
this is a rash on a puppy's abdomen, & generally speaking, ATOPY [which is symptoms on the skin from inhaling allergens] is diagnosed in dogs of at least 18-MO, often 2-YO & up. // The dog's immune system needs to be exposed to the item repeatedly, over a long enuf period that it becomes reactive & shows an allergic response.
The OP has yet to reply my Q about the pup's age, but atopy is pretty rare in any pup under 6-MO; they haven't been around long-enuf to develop the overreaction to normal environmental factors that's the defining trait of atopy.

Atopic Dermatitis Causes, Symptoms, & Treatments | petMD

It's almost unheard of to be "allergic" to something nontoxic & GRAS the 1st time U eat, drink, or touch it - my older sister developed a severe allergy to shrimp, but by the time she reacted to it, she was in her late-50s or early-60s, & had eaten shrimp with no after-effect for over 30-years.
In contrast, poison-ivy & other noxious plant oils aren't allergens - they are toxins. Reacting to them is actually normal; they are skin irritants. Breaking out in a nasty rash when U walk on grass is actually not normal, as grass isn't noxious.

I'm very interested to hear just how old the puppy is - if he's over 5-MO & the vet confirms that he has puppy-pyo, that's not a good sign. He may have an underdeveloped immune system; normally, older pups are not susceptible to puppy-pyo, only infant pups "catch" it. [Often it's caused by a commensal microbe on the dog's skin.]

- terry
.

it could also be an allergy to a shampoo the OP uses... Well you think what you think and i have my own opinion