The surgical procedure where the penis is removed of a male dog is penile amputation. Today we’ll be discussing this sensitive subject when it comes to your beloved pets, particularly dogs. After this procedure, your dog will be incapable of mating with female dogs.
Penile amputation is rarely required because penile tumors are very rare.
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Penile amputation procedure
The procedure starts by giving a full general anesthetic to the dog. The belly is safely clipped and the dog is prepared for the surgical procedure. The important thing that follows is the part where the surgeon passes a urinary catheter into the urethra and this allows them to identify the urethra. That’s because the urethra needs to be sutured in such a way as to be patent in the penile stump so it can allow the dog to normally urinate.
Next, the sheath may need to be incised so it exposes the penis, of course depending on the level of the amputation. If there is excessive bleeding, a tourniquet will be applied, and then the surgeon starts to dissect around the penis circumferentially down, to the level of the urethra. To reduce hemorrhage, pressure is applied with sterile swabs.
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Now the soft tissue is sutured to the urethra and this creates a seal that will reduce any bleeding and will ensure the dog has a patent urethra to urinate through.
Finally, the tourniquet is removed, the sheath is sutured, and the dog patient woken from the anesthetic.
Penile amputation recovery in dogs
The most important thing in this phase is that the dog doesn’t lick or chew the surgical site, which at that moment is critical if done otherwise. The best you can do for your dog in those moments is to make it wear a cone until the healing is complete. And that will happen approximately after two weeks. Pain relief is essential after the surgery. After the surgery, there may be a urinary catheter attached to your dog so it can ease the discomfort. Two complications may immediately occur and those are hemorrhage post-surgery or infection of the operation site. And the long-term complications may prevent urination including scar tissue formation which can occlude the urethra.
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If the recovery goes perfectly fine the dog should be able to function normally in two weeks.
Penile amputation prevention in dogs
The growths that could become large – cauliflower-like is a risk because they could spread again. These are transmissible venereal tumors and can be spread via coitus. It can be vastly reduced the risk of infection if the avoidance of coitus is successful, so, therefore, desexing intact dogs is very much advisable.
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Also, if you keep the hair trimmed around the sheath it can reduce the probability and possibility of an erect penis getting trapped and strangulated.
Then, an prompt diagnosis of the underlying cause of bloody urine can prevent bladder stones to pass into the urethra. If this happens then there will be a need for surgery of the penis so that the stones are removed from the urethra.
