Why is my dog's erect penis stuck, causing him to arch and struggle?

Dogs can become sexually aroused even if they aren't sexually active, getting an erection. If his penis is swollen and sticking out, I would be concerned that the swelling could potentially constrict his urethra, leading to difficulty urinating. Because he's having trouble walking and his penis is swollen, I recommend you taking him into your vet to have the paraphimosis resolved. It's important to have him seen now, as it's causing him difficulty walking and you don't want it to lead to a constriction of the urethra.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If the swelling is transient and goes away after a few moments this may be normal arousal in an unneutered male. However if it has lasted more than a few minutes I recommmend having Beethoven checked by a veterinarian. Prolonged swelling can be an emergency if it affects circulation to the penis.

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.

It is common for the penis to be exposed when a male is humping, but if it becomes too enlarged, they can have a problem with the penis not being able to slide back in the prepuce (the skin covering the penis). This is called paraphymosis. It can be a significant problem and can result in damage to the penis and pain. Normally, we will recommend using a sterile lubricant along the penis to get it to slide back in the prepuce. If the penis stays out of the prepuce it can become damaged. Since you can seen blood associated with Pico's paraphymosis, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him to make sure no other treatment is needed. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes it is. He could be suffering from priapism, which is an abnormally long-lasting erection. A dog's penis is not meant to be exposed all the time and will dry out and become cracked and covered with debris, like carpet fuzz if this problem is not addressed by your veterinarian right away. If it continues to happen and he is not neutered, I suggest having him neutered as this will lessen the amount of male hormone in his system that can trigger this behavior and condition.

Oh no, that's not good! It sounds like 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 him into your vet.

If a male dog is aroused by a female dog that is in heat and close by, the penis will become erect. You typically don't see the penis, as it is "hidden" inside the prepuce, or sheath. Depending on the size of the dog it can be quite long, so I would consider this likely to be normal as long as it returns completely inside the sheath once the arousal is over.