Male Dog Penis And Sheath Discharge
The phone call started in an ordinary way, “Dr. Randolph, I need to make an appointment for Gus.”
A quick glance at Gus’ file in our computer system showed he wasn’t due for a routine visit, so I inquired of his owner about possible problems as a reason for the visit.
“He has a yellow-green discharge from his penis.”
A yellowish to greenish small-volume discharge from a male dog’s sheath is normal.
I closed the appointment book, and pressed F1 on the keyboard, sending the computer software back to the Main Menu.
“No appointment needed,” I explained to Gus’ master. All male dogs have a yellow-green discharge. It’s actually coming from the sheath, not the penis. Quantity can vary from undetectable to a drop, but it’s all normal.”
The material, which looks much like pus to the naked eye, is actually made of cells and lubricant fluid in the prepuce that surrounds the penis inside its protective sheath. It has a pungent, acrid smell and will sometimes be noticed where a male dog has lain.
Discharges from the sheath with other characteristics, such as blood, or a large volume of material that resembles pus, would be a cause for concern.
As for me, I’ll just have to wait for a big, sloppy Gus-kiss until another day.
See you tomorrow, Dr. Randolph.
Reading the comments on this article have been helpful. My one year old male (neutered) lab has had discharge since he was 4 or 5 months. Vet hoped neutering would solve it; it did lessen somewhat but still present frequently, and he does not lick it much like I think other dogs do. My partner is unwilling to keep him if we can’t resolve the discharge (ruins the furniture, etc). Our vet wasn’t familiar with the issue like you seem to be; they had us try elimination diet, Benadryl, Cytopoint injection, none with lasting effect. He went on doxycycline for kennel cough in the fall and the discharge disappeared! … until about 2 weeks after the abx course ended. The vet did a culture on the discharge and found staph, E. coli, all sorts of bacteria; said doxycycline wasn’t enough and had us do a course of cefpodoxime ($$$!!). Again, discharge all but disappeared until about 2 weeks after course ended. Vet’s last idea was to have a scope done to check for foreign object; went to the specialist for that but she didn’t think we should waste our money as she didn’t think that was the issue. She did an ultrasound and found nothing. Questions for you: based on the history, is there anything you would recommend? And is it safe to have a dog on an antibiotic like doxycycline long term (perhaps 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off for instance)? Our vet mentioned having dogs on it long term for gingivitis, but they don’t want to approve a prescription for our dog’s issue.
This is a fascinating case, and, I’m sure, quite frustrating for you and your pet’s doctor. There is no way to justify using systemic antibiotics for this condition, the risk of creating antibiotic resistance is just too high, and indefensible. However, I’m thinking your veterinarian could make you a topical wash to flush the sheath cavity, maybe weekly, or every other week, or monthly (try various intervals and do it only as often as you have to in order to control the discharge). Please write back and let me know if you try that and how it works. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hi,
I’ve noticed that my male dog has discharge. I have wood floors and it looks almost like a mint green. I’ve seen conflicting information on whether or not that is a sign of a UTI and I really can’t afford an unnecessary vet bill. I’m considering buying an at-home uti test kit to find out. Does this sound normal or do you think it warrants a vet visit.
Thank you,
Melanie
If I knew what test results were going to be in advance, I’d never need a laboratory again. If he’s not having any symptoms and only discharge, you COULD take a wait-and-see approach, but examination and testing is the only way you’ll know for sure. Sorry I couldn’t do more remotely. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
hi my husky puppy so active playing running ..like all normal’s dogs but i have problem …from hes penis going out some sometimes white…sometimes yellow staff…and a lot!!!!and its going about few month..its was stopped for some time but after few days again starting …dnno what to do!!! please help
If it seems to be more than what we’ve described in the article he will need to see his doctor. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
My 11 year old GSD mix was at the vet yesterday when I noticed that the tip of his penis looked…. odd. It was out because he was excited, and he has no problem putting it all the way back in. Our vet said that his actual penis had turned inside out, rolled up like a sock. He wasn’t bothered by it in the least. The doc fixed it, sent him home with preventative antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory. I noticed a few minutes ago that it was out, and rolled again. Like I said before, he has no problem putting it all the way back into the sheith, but the penis itself is still rolled. At this point, I can’t get it back out to check it again. I’m about to take him for a car ride, see if that…. works… just so I can see if it is still rolled. I can not remember what our vet called the condition, was wondering if you would be able to give me some additional information.
Your pet’s doctor probably used the term “priapism,” but, I’m afraid I can’t picture what an inside-out penis looks like, rolled up like a sock, so I’m afraid I’m not much help. Your local veterinarian should be able to guide you. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hi, my Labrador Chad, is about 8 years old. The last week or so he has been licking his genitals way frequently, to where we noticed he had licked all the hair off around his genitals. This was a wk or so ago. After that his licking slowed down, until the last 2-3 days, & he now has started licking again not as frequently, but enough to notice. I noticed today a milky green pus coming from his genitals. Is this normal? Or should I take him to the vet. He just got off his antibiotics about 20 days ago because he had a toenail that was infected…other then that full check up went great. But he just seems like he’s not feeling good, lethargic also, other family members noticed also, but we chalked it up to 4th of July fireworks & that’s why he was hanging out in his room all night which is abnormal…just worried about the boy any suggestions? Should I take him to the vet, or if not any thing I can get him medicine OTC stuff that could help?thank you for your time!
Your description of the discharge sounds normal, but the licking is not. He should see his doctor again. Thank you for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hello, 2 weeks ago my dog seemed to have blood in his sheath, which is usually yellow and without smell. I though he might hurt his penis because he fell down to a ditch, and it was just one time the discharge looked red. However today he had more of this pinkish/redish discharge and it has a bad smell, he seems fine otherwise, eating, walking and playing. But he has been licking more than usual, should I be concerned ? I am booking a vet appointment however I wanted to know your experience. Thanks in advance
Being unable to examine him it’s impossible for me to say. Please write back after he has his examination and let me know what was found. Thank you for reading, Dr. Randolph.
The vet told me he has a UTI, started treatment but he still has some yellow discharge and keeps licking. Will take a urine sample next week to see if it clears up.
Thank you for the update, please let us know that he clears up and is fine. Thanks again for reading, Dr. Randolph.
We just got. 10 week old Great Dane. He is producing the yellow pus. Is this normal at such an early age?
If it is, indeed, pus, it is not normal. However, to the naked eye, normal sheath discharge can look like pus. If there is any discomfort, or if your pet begins to be ill, he should see his doctor right away. Otherwise, take him in when his next regular puppy vaccination visit is and be sure to inquire of his veterinarian then. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hello and thank you in advance for your response. My 13-year-old beagle/Jack Russell Oscar had been licking for a day or two. We thought maybe he got tree sap on his belly, so we started to wipe him off with a damp towel. My wife noticed some thick, off-white substance that had the consistency of toothpaste. Using her fingers on the outside of the sheath, she squeezed as much out as possible and removed it with a damp paper towel. Overall, I estimate there were about one to two tablespoons worth. I’ve read about sheath discharge and wanted to make sure that it wasn’t anything more serious. Ten minutes later he seems to have stopped licking, so I’m hoping this has relieved any discomfort he had been feeling. Thank you again!
Whatever works. If it relapses I’d definitely have his doctor take a look at it. Thanks for the story, and for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hi Doctor,
I have a 17 year old cockapoo who has been with us for years. We noticed just recently after giving him a bath, that he had a few dry little white flakes in his penis hair, near the tip of his genitals (almost cottage cheese-ish but not quite, looked more like coconut flakes). I started noticing a little smell, nothing to crazy, he has issues with urine, he’s very old and tends to drip now which we’ve taken him to the vet for, they say it’s due to old age. The smell was a little different from urine though, any thoughts I should be concerned? I cleaned the area and he seems fine but just want to ask the professional.
Thank you!
You are right to ask the professional, but you need to ask the professional who can examine your baby. I simply cannot give you a diagnosis from your description. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hi there Dr. Randolph. Let me preface this by saying thank you for any advice you might have, and that we would take our beloved 13 year old shepherd/basenji mutt to the vet, but due to quarantine/social distancing we are hoping to avoid it if possible. Over the last two weeks, he has begun vigorously licking the opening of his prepuce and genital area. This is a much faster-paced and focused licking that his usual cleaning, but it only happens in the mornings (usually after about 5-7 hours of sleeping since his last evening pee). He stops being interested in it after we get up and feed or walk him (stopping seems to be more related to getting up than actually urinating). The most concerning thing is that this behavior is accompanied by a strong, unique odor from the penis area, but absolutely no discharge or inflammation. He also licks the parts of his legs that come in contact with his genitals while in his curled up sleeping position (inner hind leg thighs, foreleg elbows, etc). Once we move him from bed, feed and walk him, he shows no abnormal interest in the area (and the smell goes away) until the next morning. Have you ever heard of anything like this before? Thanks!!
Itchiness in the area you describe is often associated with allergy, however, I don’t recall ever seeing an allergy patient’s body be concerned with the time of day. Strange. Might anxiety be a part of this picture? In your sheltering in place, do you and your family discuss the situation with worry or anxiousness in your voice? He could be picking up on that. the important thing is to watch for it to get worse, if it does, especially if it spreads to other parts of the day and the activity begins to cause dermatitis. Veterinarians here have been deemed essential (as we should be classified everywhere), so you should have little difficulty making an appointment if the situation worsens. Please do let us know how he does. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
My dog has the yellowish green discharge coming from his penis which I know is normal but it appears to be developing a rash or sore on his tummy should I take him to the vet and if not what can I put on it to soothe it should I try Desitin or something of that sort I’m assuming it’s equivalent to some type of diaper rash type thing
Call your pet’s doctor right away. A normal sheath discharge should never be associated with dermatitis, as you’ve described. Thank you for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hi , my dog seems to be in love with me. I let him luck my face until just lately saw that he was aroused by it and now he always try to luck my face. Any help guys?
Arousal is a good term, but it’s not sexual. Erections sometimes arise when male dogs are happy. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hello, I was searching articles on discharge in male dogs and found your site and wondered if you can help. Our neutered male Lab-hound mix, 11-12 years old, had a discharge from his penis in late summer. It was yellow-green and I thought it was pus. We never really saw discharge until this point in the years we’ve had him. We got him to the vet and the vet said he didn’t like the look of his penis and agreed something was likely off. He prescribed cefpodoxime for two weeks and that seemed to clear it up. We probably finished the meds about six weeks ago. I have recently noticed our dog licking his penis quite a bit (frequently, and for what seems like a length of time). Last night, I saw more discharge for the first time since the earlier issue. He does not seem to have issues with urination or anything else. Is there any chance this is normal or age-related? Should we go back to the vet? Thank you in advance.
This is a tough question to answer without seeing the patient. A followup examination can’t hurt. If there is an issue, you might consider a culture and sensitivity test on the discharge. You might also consider asking the doctor to take a cytology specimen and send the slides to a pathologist. I wish I could help more. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hi there – we have a 2 year old 25 pound mix. Recently I noticed he’s been licking his genitals and anus a bit more than usual (not constant or anything like that, just a little more). I also recently started noticing an uptick in discharge. I first noticed it as it appears in a few spots on the bed where he sleeps, and sometimes in runs against his stomach or back legs and dries making the fur stick together. I’m a little concerned he might have a UTI or something, but he hasn’t shown any sign of pain while urinating/ hasn’t broken his house training/ hasn’t really been going more frequently than usual. Is it worth the vet visit or am I being paranoid? Thanks!
The safe choice is always a good examination, at a minimum. If he has a urinary tract infection, it would take a urinalysis and urine culture and sensitivity to know for sure. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hello! From what it sounds like , my dog has a very natural discharge coming from his sheath. Our veterinarian agrees.However, this discharge is left on anything he lays down on. We like to cuddle with him on the couch and have him sit on our laps which is leaving a mess on all of our furniture/floors and clothing. We have a small westie so he gets picked up a lot leaving spots on our shirts. Do you have a recommendation on how to keep him or our things cleaner? Is there a way to clean his area better to produce less discharge? Or is this just something we will have to mitigate with slip covers for our furniture?
We appreciate any feedback we can get!
I could make two recommendations. First, I’d try culturing the material, just to be sure there are no pathogenic or harmful bacteria growing in this discharge, making its volume be excessive. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, you might consider requesting a referral to a board-certified veterinary dermatologist to investigate it further. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hi there!
I just brought home a puppy three weeks ago. Even since being at the breeders, he’s had watery eyes. Upon me getting him – he’s been to the vet once for 9 week shots and I asked her to examine his eyes to make sure they were physically okay. She said they’re fine. Likely allergies. Since then he’s started scratching. Not a crazy amount of scratching, but he scratches a lot. He is on flea and tick prevention. I’ve noticed a light green discharge at the end of his sheath after he urinates. Nothing excessive. He also had a pimple looking bump on his sheath that I popped, but another one reappeared about a week later. Popped it too. Yellowish pus. Pretty small. Today all of a sudden – I have a raw spot on my leg that is blistering. Thinking staph. As I’m reading about staph for dogs … all of these things are symptoms. Am I right in my thinking? I have SMZ TMP on hand, is this safe for dogs? He currently weighs 25 lbs.
WHOA! PLEASE don’t be giving antibiotics to your puppy without direction from your veterinarian. Please don’t pop any more pimple-looking bumps. Photograph them, serially if necessary, and show them to the doctor on his next visit. It’s likely that the sheath discharge is normal, as we discuss in this article. As for your leg, please have it examined by your physician. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hi there I was wondering if dogs can still get this discharge after they have been neutered? My dog is Belgian/German Sheppard he is nine months old now, we neutered him almost 2 months ago. I just noticed today while grooming him that he had yellowish/greenish secretions coming from his penis. It looks the same as the smegma before he was neutered so I wasn’t sure if it is possible. He is also feeling and acting normal so I wasn’t concerned enough to take him to a vet yet. I’ve read conflicting information on the internet so I wanted to double check before taking him in.
Thank you for any help you may provide.
The material in the sheath is not hormone-induced or hormone-related, so, yes, it should be present in the same quantity in a neutered male dog as in an intact male. Thanks for reading our blog, Dr. Randolph.
Thank you for your information I appreciate it
If a dog is neutered, will it stop 99% of normal penis discharge?
Or I could use diapers till he needs to go outside.
Neutering does not affect sheath discharge. If your dog has so much material coming from his sheath that he requires a diaper, you need to have his doctor intervene. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
My most recent rescue appears to be a yorki mix, with severely rotted and disfigured teeth, and the vet thinks maybe 10-14 yrs old. He has had a very rough life. He’s been disoriented and slowing down dramatically the last few months. Has very little appetite, and all of the other characteristics of a senior. I noticed two days ago that the pussy discharge he leaves behind now seems to be equal amounts of blood, but he doesn’t seem bothered by it.
The prevention clinic I take him to does not offer any testing, it would be impossible to medicate him anyway. What are some of the possible causes?
Thank you!
Passing blood and a decreased appetite, this baby needs more than a “prevention clinic,” he needs some proper, full-service care. Please seek the help of a qualified veterinarian. Thank you, Dr. Randolph.
Hello,
I have a 5 month old rescue puppy and we think he is lab/german Shepard/ pitbull mix. I have taken him to several vet visits because he has glands that swell up which we found out was normal and it was the bulbous glands. He has yellow/green discharge and my boyfriend and I have been using medicine prescribed by the vet to flush his penis once to twice a day. This has been an ongoing situation for over a month and I am getting really tired of the anxiety of this. He is still having discharge come out of his penis, and now his left side of the penis is swollen. Yesterday 6/11/2019 there was just one swollen ball, now there are 3 swollen balls, only on the left side of the penis and not near the bulbous glad it is towards the tip of the penis. I cannot afford another vet visit seeing as I have taken him to the vet 5 times for this one issue but the side of his penis has never swelled up this much and it still current right now. He is not in any pain and we had him tested for UTI which came back negative. Also he is neutered. I need help and answers because it is very unsettling not knowing why my poor dogs penis is not normal.
This sounds very odd. You say “I cannot afford another vet visit” but I feel you need a second opinion. I’m sorry I can’t be more help “remotely,” unable to examine your pet.
I have male dog and he has been getting a gross erection, like everyday, today I went to check on him outside and there he was liking him self, right now it just won’t go down what should I do, I’m to the point of giving him to the water melon ranch, but my husband feels sorry for him, what could be wrong with my dog poor my poncho please help us what to do
Is your dog neutered? Based on your reply, we can continue the discussion.
My Mastiff/Lab mix has been having discharge lately that he readily licks up. It makes his breath smell HORRIBLE and i personally love puppy breath… He is only 9 weeks old and is already getting frequent erections due to all the licking. Is this normal for a pup that young? Thanks for any input!
I’ve never seen a 9 week old puppy obtain an erection. Anything “HORRIBLE” should always be checked out by a veterinarian. Please write back and let us know what he/she has to say about it. Thanks for reading!
Thanks so much for this! I was worried, but the drop here and there on his penis sounds like nothing to worry about in the absence of other symptoms, and he seems very healthy. My vet probably would have had us come in unnecessarily.
Dr. Randolph,
My eight year old Lab, Shadow has been going through some things but our local vet hasn’t really giving me the reason for a regular recurrence.
He gets these red inflaming sores on his paw pad, in between them and they look too painful. Each time I took him to the vet they tested and confirmed bacterial infection and prescribed a 15 day antibiotic course. This comes back every month or hasn’t been fully cured before the treatment ends.
Every time we walk him, I hose down his privates and paws with water and throughly dry them.
Sometime he also get these dry big dandruff like scales- flakes on his back and bites on it, the treatment is again the antibiotic.
Lastly, now that the penis liquid thing has been clarified from your explanation, I’m just curious if white creamy stuff should be around his anus sometimes, and he (very rarely) leaves these black boogers from his anus areas where he sits. It stinks horribly, is that normal?
His anus gland was cleaned by our vet three months ago, I don’t know if that has anything to do with these issues.
I would really appreciate your input on these issues, I have taken him to other doctors before finding our vet, he is the best in the city but I’m still worried.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Iva
(Bombay, India)
I won’t be able to help you much from thousands of miles away, as I can’t examine your pet, but here are some thoughts. Sores in the pads are often interdigital pyoderma, and interdigital pyoderma can be related to food allergy, but not always! Wetting parts of the body repeatedly with a hose probably isn’t good for them. I would discontinue that practice, tell your veterinarian about it, and ask whether he has a medicated shampoo to use in times when areas need cleaning. Click here to read proper medicated shampoo instructions. Just because anal sacs were emptied three months ago doesn’t mean they didn’t fill up again. Click here to read more about anal sacs. Perineal problems. especially itchiness, can be an indicator of food allergy, also, but not always! Lastly, you may need to seek the advice of a board-certified veterinary dermatologist to find the long-term solution to your dog’s skin problems. Thanks for reading, and please write back and let us know how he progresses.
My 11 year old male beagle has. A smelly yellow green stuff coming out off his penis I don’t know what it is
His attending veterinarian should examine him and tell you whether the discharge is a problem. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
hi I have a pitbull and lately he has been walking with the back leg limp he can’t walk on it for 3wks now somedays he can walk on it but some days its seems like it’s getting worse he is getting thinner and today he refuse to eat anything I even tried to give him milk and he refused he has no energy and when he is laying down it looks as if its painful for him to breathe he does eat anything and everything ever since we put him outside can you help we dont take him to the vet cause we dont have the money
Your dog is in need of major medical care. Perhaps friends or family can front you the cost of his care and you can pay them back. I’m sorry you and he are going through this.
For the last 3 months my male boxer has been having yellow green discharge from his penis and he will get sick to the fact that he wont eat drink anything for like 3-4 days and just lay in bed with pain. I have token him through several vets and they would run tests on him and nothing would come up, after 3-4 days that he stays sick all of a sudden he is better and active again, but this process repeats itself every 2-3 weeks, can somebody please help me I do not know why my dog keeps getting sick.
Please ask your veterinarian to refer you to a board-certified veterinary internist for a more thorough workup. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
My dog is supposably a mix Labrador and chiwawa and he is a year old. For six months, he licked his penis and we haven’t neutered him but I don’t think that’s the reason. There used to be liquid that was greenish yellow coming out from time to time but recently he started bleeding. We took him to the vet and they tell us he might’ve broken it and that the middle of the broken bone seems to of gathered pus. They put a cone on and said to take it off after a week or two but now its been three and days away from four. When we took it off after two weeks, he still had the problem. The vet had told us he’d never had someone come in with this problem so it doesn’t sound so assuring with what he is telling us to do with our dog so I just wanted to know if there is anything I can put in his private part so it goes away or any medication.
Step one for this baby is cytology and step two is bacterial culture and sensitivity. Those two tests should give guidance about treatment. Did he have an X-ray of his penis to confirm a broken bone (os penis)? Please be so kind as to write back with an update when these tests have been done. Best wishes, Dr. Randolph.
We had left him with the vet for an hour and when we came back they did conform he had broken is private part.
OK, thanks.
Hello Dr., my 1.2 yr old neutered Malinois/German Shepherd mix baby is having issues with his sheath and penis; and possibly his kidneys. After a long Sunday walk, I noticed an unusual amt of discharge coming from his sheath, the consistency is a little different too (think yeast infection vs lotion smooth) with trace amts of older blood (brownish vs bright red), and the tip of his sheath is pink/red inflamed. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to be in any pain. I managed to find a vet that was open on Sunday who got him in quickly. The vet examined him and said no fever, they performed an US and told me their were no visible stones or unusual findings, they used a needle to pull urine from his bladder which was sent to ANTECH for analysis, and offered us antibiotics/BAYTRIL (an injection, +4 days) until the urine results were ready. A couple days later (TUE) we were able to get him into see him home vet who also performed an exam – no fever, discolored discharge (which had improved some after being on the antibiotics for 3 days), prostate ok, and noted 3 small lesions on the topside of his penis which the other vet missed. Home vet suggested a IDEXX Young Preanesthetic Profile Complete serum test, to continue the antibiotics until the urine results were available, and if his issue is not a UTI or kidney infection then it’s possible he has debris trapped between his sheath and penis. Ok – that makes sense… 2 days later (TH) after our walk I notice the discharge coming back strong with trace amts of old blood so again we go back to the home vet. He said the tip doesn’t look as inflamed, the 3 lesions noted previously were a little smaller but the odor of the discharge was definitely more foul/stronger with increased output. He said to stay the course – keep using the antibiotics, washing off his back-end using soap and water; but no soap on his penis, water only to gently irrigate and to NOT pull the sheath back and if no improvement by the following Mon (4 days) then we should consider sedation to peel back the sheath to see what’s happening, irrigate. By TH end of day, I had his labs and urinalysis, am now even more concerned and am having a hard time playing the waiting game.
——- Urinalysis Results ——-
His urine culture had no growth so they said no UTI
Urine was yellow and clear (although the vet said that it looked concentrated at draw)
Specific Gravity 1.020 (1.015-1.050)
pH 8.5, (5.5-7.0) HIGH
Protein 2+ (neg) HIGH
Occult Blood 3+ (neg) HIGH
WBC none/ RBC 11-20 (0-3) HIGH
Struvite Crystals 0-1
w/ No Casts, Bacteria, or Epithelial Cells
——- CBC Results ——-
WBC high end of norm 16 (4.9-17.6)
Lymphocyte high end of norm 4.624 (1.06-4.95)
Eosinophil 1.888 (0.07-1.49) HIGH *he has seasonal allergies so I did expect ‘something’ here
Baso 0.016 (0-0.1)
IDEXX SDMA high end of norm 14 (0-14)
Creatinine high end of norm 1.3 (0.5-1.5)
BUN high end of norm 31 (9-31)
Hemolysis 1+
Keep in mind that his urine sample was a sterile draw vs. free catch. Based in his urinalysis there’s no apparent Bladder or kidney infection yet he has several HIGH values that are of concern to me but his doctors don’t appear to have any sense of urgency… I’m trying to contain my expectations but admittedly not doing a great job at it, hence this comment to you.
To me, it seems like he may have 2 different things happening and that one was perhaps an incidental finding.
1) The infection seems to be localized to his sheath/penis, after several Google searches I could only conclude balanoposthitis possibly resulting from debris, a flea bite (he’s slightly allergic to them) or bacteria/fungal/viral infection. Should the discharge be cultured as well? I don’t think the antibiotic will take are of fungus or a virus 2) I believe his Urinalysis and CBC speak to a possible kidney issue.
What do you make of all of this? So sorry for the long post.
Kind regards,
Angela
I believe that both cytology and culture of the sheath discharge would be worthwhile. Consider waiting until he’s been off antibiotics, to get a true picture. I’m concerned that a dog this young has elevation of BUN, creatinine and SDMA, although all three of these are affected by dehydration (which could have been present if he was feeling bad). A thorough evaluation, under general anesthesia, of the sheath for foreign material seems to be in order, if your local doctor concurs. Please do write back and let us know how he does and what the doctor’s and laboratory’s findings are. Dr. Randolph.
Hi my 9 month French bulldog has a swollen penis and it would not go inside after a while it went back in but it is still swollen and very red. I just want to know if there is anything I can do? The penis is not out anymore but I’m a little concerned as to why it is swollen and he has done nothing this morning.
Thank you
Your baby needs to go and see his veterinarian. It is called priapism. Neutering usually resolves the problem.
My puppy took the first and second round of vaccine but we missed the 3rd one and it has been a month since we were supposed to take the third shot. Does he have to start the vaccines all over again on can I just take him there and get the last round?
Click here to read the vaccination schedule we use. Keep in mind that not everyone follows the same schedule. Under our schedule, if your puppy is under 12 weeks of age, you would just return for the next visit and pick up where you left off. Over 12 weeks of age you would repeat the 12-week and 15-week visits. It’s all about the pet’s age. Click here to read about the limitations of booster vaccinations, and why they have to be administered not less than 3 weeks but not more than 4 weeks apart. Best wishes, Dr. Randolph.
My dogs is shaking, drooling and won’t move from his cage. Even when I am calling him he won’t budge unlike before that every time I call him he would be walking around and clingy. He wouldn’t drink water, and he also had limp leg two weeks ago. I suppose he has rabies considering there was a time when he had a fight with the other dogs wherein the other dog died, and the one who had bitten him is a carrier of Distemper virus. A week ago I had him shot with Anti-rabies. I don’t know what to do now that his veterinarian is in Singapore. What do I do? I cannot carry him considering he is very anxious with a single touch and he might snap or bite me. Thanks and I am hoping for your reply. Thanks!
Almost no one survives Rabies! Therefore, since you suspect Rabies he is a danger to YOU as well as himself. Please be in touch with his veterinarian again and let him know (IN ADVANCE) that you suspect Rabies. One bite could be deadly. Even getting his saliva in an open wound could transmit Rabies, and you could die. Please don’t take any chances. I am sorry you are having to experience this.
My pitbull wokeup with a small ball next to his ball sack and he’s having a hard time walking.he can’t jump.he isnt himself this was just overnight.my daughter did say he jumped into a dirty pool could he have picked up an infection?
Yes. He needs to see his veterinarian. Thank you for reading http://www.MyPetsDoctor.com.
I have a German Shepherd and recently his penis is having a slimy yellow-greenish discharge, its gotten to the point to when it drips at times when he is walking. Is this normal or is there a certain point when it should stop or be less than what I am seeing? He doesn’t seem to be in pain, but he does lick it off so often and the same amount seems to be coming in very soon after him licking it off. I wipe it off at times but its an all day thing. Should I be concerned and take him to a vet or is this the normal discharge male dogs have?
That’s WAY too much discharge! I’d want my veterinarian to have a look at that. Thanks for reading http://www.MyPetsDoctor.com.
My boyfriend’s massive indoor lab has been having that exact issue in excess for at least three years. It is a CONSTANT hassle. I admit I have an OCD about floor contamination and I can’t even walk in socks on my own floors. My house is so unsanitary I can’t even feel comfortable in my own home. I made him take Bo to the vet to have his pecker checked and the doc said it was normal and laughed it off. I don’t think he communicated that this issue isn’t just every now and again… It’s a steady drip. Could he have gonorreah or some other STD?! He doesn’t seem bothered at all by it. In fact he doesn’t even realize it. His examination before breeding didn’t raise any flags. I love this dog but refuse to have children until this dog is dead. What can I do?! (Boyfriend will not put the dog outside… considering throwing him out him out as well.) HELP ME PLEASE
Since I am unable to examine your pet, the best I can recommend is a second opinion. If two or more doctors say that your dog is normal, he probably is. If you live in or near a large city, you might be able to find a veterinarian who specializes in or has a special interest in the reproductive tract, and he or she would be the best choice for followup. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
My 9 year old pit bull mix had some crusty dry material on the opening of his sheath the other day and out of curiosity I gently pulled the skin back. I found a yellowish substance that to me seems similar enough to a tonsil stone. It came off of his penis radially enough. But I didn’t want to pull his skin back to far and hurt him without meaning to. He spends most of his time in the yard, and he has a tendency to eat his poo. I’m no vet, but I would think that he ate some excrament, licked himself, and wound up with a bacterial infection of some kind. Are there any ways to treat it without going to the vet? Ill take him if I can’t fix it myself.
Heloise, it’s going to be hard for you to fix this if you don’t know what it is, and even I don’t know what it is, even with your excellent description. We certainly don’t want to be treating for an infection if he doesn’t have an infection, so, I would recommend taking him to his regular veterinarian right away and having this situation evaluated. And, please, write back after he’s looked at and tell us what the doctor says. Thank you, and thank you for reading http://www.MyPetsDoctor.com.
I took my 10 yr old springer the vet for leaking white fluid. He was put on a two week course of antibiotics as I was told he had an infection. But it still hasn’t cleared up. What would be there next step. I payed over 2 thousand pound last year after he had a abscess in the same area and he ended up swelling up with in days and his penis split open. Im worried this is going to be the case again
As much as I would love to help, your dog’s situation is simply not the kind of problem one can treat over the internet. It does, however, sound like the kind of problem that deserves the attention of an internal medicine specialist, and/or surgeon. We wish you the best.
Hi,
I have a 13 year old chihuahua mix and the past 3 days he has been excessively licking himself down there and this is very out of character for him. Today I checked and his penis is very red and has a little pus coming out that I can see. He’s been licking it about every half hour or so. It looks very irritated and slightly swollen. He has a vet appt tomorrow but wanted a second opinion. Thank you!!
I’m sorry I couldn’t get to your question sooner. Could you write back and let us know what his doctor said? Thanks for reading http://www.MyPetsDoctor.com.
My 4 year old Maltese mix has obsessively licked himself since we adopted him a little over a year ago. Ive never known if it was caused by anxiety or a medical issue, and no vet has been able to help me either. He will lick and lick until his red rocket is out and often he has licked it so much that it gets stuck out and we have to help out it back in. This has become such a hassle that we keep a male wrap on him while he’s in the house to discourage licking.
The past few days, he has had discharge in his wrap when we take it off him. It bothers him so much and he obsessively licks his wrap and penis. You can tell it bothers him because his tail is down and he won’t even walk or play without licking himself. I made an appointment with his vet to get it checked out, but I’m wondering what your thoughts are. I’m desperate to help him and would love to not have a wrap on him anymore. Thank you!
You say his doctors have been unable to help him before. IF the visit you already have scheduled isn’t fruitful, ask your veterinarian to refer to you a board-certified veterinary internist. We need to know whether this is a medical problem or behavioral problem. If medical issues are ruled out (he’s determined to be healthy), you can then seek the assistance of a board-certified behaviorist. We happen not to have one close by, but we consult by phone with Dr. Ken Martin of Austin, TX, and he gives us advice, which we convey to the pet owner as the person with a doctor-client-patient relationship.Something similar could be worked out between your veterinarian and Dr. Martin, if a closer behaviorist isn’t available. Please let us know how things work out, and thanks for reading http://www.MyPetsDoctor.com.
Hi, our dog is a 10 month old Weimaraner male puppy, lately there has been more and more of this yellow discharge stuff, is this a concern? It drips on couch floor, ect, not sure if this is normal please reply he’s our baby
The only way you’re going to know for sure whether the discharge your baby has is normal, is to have him examined by your local veterinarian. Thank you for reading http://www.MyPetsDoctor.com.
I have a 15 yr old yorkie who has recently been diagnosed with chronic kidney failure. Lately he has had a very strong odor coming from his penis, minimal discharge, but the odor is so strong! Also the end of the sheath has shriveled and sagged. I don’t want to rush him back to the vet. The poor little guy has been there 3 days a week for a month and we have now started his SQ fluids at home so he can be more comfortable and less stressed. With his kidney failure I was worried the strong odor coming from his discharge could have any relation to his kidneys.
He had his last bloodwork 2 weeks ago and had improved greatly with SQ fluids and had no infections. His next appointment is in 2 months and I’ll definitely have them check him over fully then. He’s lost interest in cleaning himself like he used to so I suspect that’s why we’ve recently noticed his smell, but I want a second opinion if he needed to be seen before his next scheduled visit.
April, My condolences on the diagnosis of renal failure. (Click here to read about renal failure.)I’m afraid I won’t be able to give you a second opinion, because I’ve not examined your baby. Certainly uncleanness can be a cause for an odor, so bathing just that area might be indicated. Dehydration can also cause the urine odor to be greater because of greater concentration of the urine. However, my greatest concern would be the possibility that an infection has developed after his most recent test. If he hasn’t had bacterial culture and sensitivity, which is more sensitive for finding infection than urinalysis, you wouldn’t want to wait two months to find that, so discuss it with his doctor and together you can come up with a diagnostic and treatment plan. Please write back and let us know how he’s doing. Thanks for reading http://www.MyPetsDoctor.com.
I don’t know what is happening to my dog he is discharging a light green product in a good quantity it never happened before. I’m a little bit worried what should I do?
Please make an appointment with his veterinarian. Thank you for reading http://www.MyPetsDoctor.com.
Hi my 6 month old manaloid puppy has a very dark green discharge coming from his penis or sheath. He is afraid of doctors because every time I take him he puts his tail between his legs. I am very concerned I would like to give him antibiotics but first I need to know if he’s OK or if this is normal. Please and thank you
Sounds like your puppy is a perfect candidate for what we call “just a visit.” Call ahead to see whether your veterinarian’s office is busy, and, if it isn’t, stop in with your pet for a pat on the head and a treat. Here is a link to the piece I wrote on the topic. As for your pet’s discharge, he needs to see his veterinarian. You certainly don’t want to give him antibiotics for a problem that isn’t related to bacterial infection, and, you can’t get antibiotics without having him seen anyway. Please give your pet’s doctor a call, and make those periodic non-doctor visits to the clinic so that he can get over his anxiety. Thank you for reading MyPetsDoctor.com.
Hello. My 8 month old chow has been having a yellowish discharge and I happened to find this site which explained everything and now I feel more at rest.
He likes humping so I got him a teddy bear so he doesnt hump anything else.
Today, for the first time, he gave a short cry when he made a sudden movement and it seemed like the penis was taking too long to retract. but I am not sure how long it should take for the penis to retract again.
I noticed my dog has a yellow greenish discharge and he is whining i took him out to go to bathroom when he cam back and sat in the car he was dripping can you pleast tell me if he has a infection
I’m sorry, but there is no way for me to know if your dog has an infection remotely. He will need to see his veterinarian. Whining is probably an indicator that he is in pain. Thank yo for reading MyPetsDoctor.com.
Apologies I don’t know how to create a new post on here. I have an 18 month old golden retriever and we’ve been having problems for months with finding green smelly discharge around the house (and he smells of it too!). We took him to the vet and they checked his anal gland but nothing. The next day the smell was just as bad so we checked for ourselves (by sniffing him) where it was coming from and it is from his penis.
I’ve read all of the posts on here and none I’ve read so far seem to mention the foul smell – is this something we should be taking him to the vet about? We potentially jumped the gun and assumed it’s because he’s intact and if we got him neutered it would help, could you tell me if this isn’t the case? Thanks
I happened to have been blessed with a good sniffer. While that can be a negative some days, it often aids in diagnosis, just as it did when I was an automobile mechanic. The smell from anal sacs is dramatically different from the normal smell of sheath discharge. I’m glad you mentioned that your dog isn’t neutered, because an intact dog’s urine can have a strong, musky odor, and that odor can get on the hair of the sheath and surrounding skin. My biggest concern, however, is that he might have a foreign object (stick, grass awn, transmissible venereal tumor) inside the sheath that isn’t evident from the outside. Another trip to the doctor is in order, and you can start by telling him you’ve located the source of the odor, and he can start from there. This is not something I would ignore; we need to be sure that everything in that area is normal. Best wishes, and please do let me know what the doctor says. Thank you for reading MyPetsDoctor.com.
Did you ever find a resolution to this problem? We have a 14 month old Golden with the exact same issue. We too are hoping neutering fixes it..
Hi there!
My dog Sonny, is a yellow Labrador retriever. He is going to be 10 in February. He’s not neutered and has been discharging yellow/green mucous looking stuff from his shaft which hasn’t happened before, at least what we’ve noticed. Now, I’m seeing very light drops of what looks like blood. Should I contact his Vet? Or is this normal for a dog his age?
Blood is always a cause for concern. He should see his veterinarian right away. Thank you for reading MyPetsDoctor.com.
Hi Dr. Randolph,
I have a five month dachshund that is just starting puberty. He was humping my boyfriends arm so he was trying to shake him off. After a while I noticed a little blood on the couch and figured out it came from my pups penis.
It stopped shortly after and hasn’t happened since. Is it possible that my boyfriend or my puppy was too rough while humping and it hurt his penis causing it to bleed?
It’s certainly possible. As long as there is no recurrence of the bleeding there should be no cause for concern. However, at the first sign of more bleeding, call to make an appointment to have it evaluated. It’s not too soon to schedule neuter surgery. Thanks for reading MyPetsDoctor.com.
Just wanted to thank you for this article. I am disabled and have very limited income, so if I were to take him to the vet, it would be a financial hit (though I WOULD do it)….he’s been eating, drinking, and going potty normally, not in pain, his regular happy self. Then today, I was brushing him and I noticed discharge from his sheath. I had never seen that before on him, though he’s almost 5 years old now…he usually licks that area a good deal though (always has) so he keeps it clean. It was just a tiny bit and it doesn’t get on anything, he anyway cleans himself first. I was worried, but wondering because he didn’t seem out of sorts and was eating and drinking normally and not in pain, even upon me touching the are to examine it. A quick google search and I found this article. Very glad I did! It put my mind to rest and saved me a vet trip and the money it would have cost.
Though I wonder how I’ve had several male dogs and never knew this!
My golden has this discharge and over time has gotten on walls and furniture. Does anyone have any remedies for removing it from walls/furniture once dried? Any cleaning products that work best? Thanks!
Any safe cleaner will work, such as Simple Green, 409 or Fantastik. Thanks for reading MyPetsDoctor.com.
My boxer, 2, had an accident last night and it seemed to be a wet dream, but was extremely foul smelling, and I can’t seem to get the smell to go away, no matter what I clean the area with. Is this odor normal??
The most foul-smelling material a dog can exude is anal sac contents. Click here to read about anal sacs. Test an inconspicuous area first with isopropyl alcohol. If everything is good, you can treat the spot with it and, IF it’s anal sac material, the smell will be neutralized.
I currently have the same problem. My dog’s penis is dripping some reddish with white substance in it. Is this something I need a vet to look at? Pls advise.
Absolutely! The red color you’re seeing may very well be blood, and blood is NEVER normal in the sheath discharge. Thanks for reading MyPetsDoctor.com, and please let us know what your doctor finds.
Thank you doctor I was a little freaked out when I seen my max the tank have the light green discharge coming out of his pee pee lol mommy bain I’m so releived to know it’s common thanks and keep up the good work
I had the same problem mine Shar Pei is four monthseasons old and I just got him and he was laying in my front passenger seat today and I looked down and saw this yellowish green drop of pus coming from his penis and I was like omg he has a UTI or an infection and then I start googling and I found this and I was so glad lol.
Hi! I have a boston terrier puppy, exactly at 7 months old and I have noticed lately this yellowish discharge that does resemble a puss, that is coming out of his genitals. I am quite worried because after i wipe it out, maybe 30 mins later, it starts to come out again, although in small quantities but you can see that its almost dripping at the end of his genitals. I just want to know if i really need to be worried about this. he is pretty normal. eats branded dog food. but I sometimes ,just started a couple of weeks earlier, feeding him with small amounts of white bread in the morning. Im just really concerned. Thats all! Thank you so much Doc!
If it seems bothersome, you could ask his regular veterinarian. Just a phone call. This sounds like too much discharge to be normal. As for the bread, I’m not a fan of giving any people food to pets. Click here to read why. Thanks for reading MyPetsDoctor.com.
My 10 months old male staff leaves his discharge all over my bed sheets, furniture and floor. But he won’t clean himself down there. He only lucks his scrotum and anal gland. I know when my 13 year old dog was still alive a month ago, he would go to her to lick and clean his private part. How do I teach him to lick himself there?
I don’t know, Patty, but, if you figure it out, let the rest of us know. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
So, i’m curious since I’ve had a male puppy for a while and just noticed the greenish white discharge today, but… Does the discharge start only after they are sexually mature? Does is occur earlier than maturity? My puppy is around 5 or 6 months old now and it’z only just started today. I have to groom his coat weekly, so I see his underside often and would have noticed it much earlier if it had started sooner. Would bringing a female puppy (non fertile) into the house possibly trigger the didcharge?
My observation has been that the discharge occurs prior to sexual maturity, around 10-14 weeks of age. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Is it true that if you neuter your dog it reduces/eliminates the discharge from occurring?
Sorry, no, there is no correlation. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hi. I’ve read through all your comments here. I have a 7 year old male Westie. I rescued him when he was a year old and had him neutered right away. Tonight is the first time I have ever seen a green discharge from his sheath. the more I wiped it away, the more seemed to come out. At one point, a bit of dark green discharge came out, before it turned to the lighter green again and finally tapered off. I have been plagued with sinus infections for years and years, and this looked like infection to me – especially the darker green. He doesn’t seem to be in pain, but he’s pretty stoic. If this is the typical discharge you’ve been describing, I find it hard to believe I’ve never seen it in the six years I’ve had him, but anything is possible. I hate to just rush my dogs to the vet unnecessarily. What’s your opinion? Thank you!
If you never had an interest in a Cadillac SUV, then you considered getting one, you’d begin to see them anywhere. If I correctly understand the sequence of events you describe you didn’t start looking until you read the sheath discharge post. Now, you’re a little obsessed with the discharge and it seems to be excessive. While I can’t give a long-distance medical opinion, I don’t read anything in your post that causes me concern. As you correctly state, the only way you’ll know for sure is to take him to see his doctor. Varying shades of funky green are not unusual for a dog’s sheath discharge, so, despite the analogy to your own nasal discharge, the color doesn’t cause me any concern. Frequently we see normal dogs leave sheath discharge on our examination table, meaning that level of discharge also isn’t a problem for that pet. Thanks for reading our blog, Dr. Randolph.
Thank you for you reply. You misunderstood the sequence of events. I saw the discharge, then I began to look for an answer to why this might be happening, and whether or not it was something I needed to take my dog to the vet for. I don’t have an inclination to read about what ‘might’ happen with my dogs and then go look for it. As I mentioned, I do no like to take my dogs to the vet unnecessarily, and to call me obsessed is rather out of turn on your part. I merely mentioned the fact that I had read through all the comments here to let you know I was up to date with what you had told others. I appreciate you taking the time to answer me. I apologize if I was not clear enough in the way I stated my concerns – I was a bit worried about my dog at the time. To make sure I understand what you are saying, what I’m hearing is that my dog’s discharge is normal like most of those in this thread, and I do not need to be concerned. Again, thank you for your response. I am thankful for your advice on the dog, but not so much on my character.
You are correct, I did get your sequence of events out of order. You didn’t start reading until you saw the discharge. I didn’t mean “obsessed” in a bad way, whatsoever. Nor did I mean to impugn your character, whatsoever. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
How do I stop the discharge he is ruined our sofa and carpet an do u no of a free vet I only make 11.00 an hour have 2 kids my new dog really needs to see one his back leg hurts him an he kind of stiff leg when he walks I thank he was abused please he needs help
You can’t stop the discharge. It is a natural part of being a boy dog.
Thanks in advance for your reply dear dr .
My 3 years old golden retriever male has a lot of green yellowish discharge and it’s all around the house I always clean after him but is it normal ! He plays , eats and drinks normally but I’m worried .
That is way too much discharge. He needs to see his doctor to find out why there is so much. Thanks for reading http://www.MyPetsDoctor.com, Dr. Randolph.
I know this is an old post, but we rescued a 3 year old golden retriever last year. He was and still is having the greenish yellow discharge and unless we have a band around him he drips constantly and all over the place. We have had him tested numerous times – and at several vets. He has been on every kind of antibiotic to no avail. Even the antibiotic that was determined to work with his makeup did nothing. One vet hypothesized that he had a testicle that did not descend (his testosterone was off the charts) and they thought that was the source of the discharge issue. He had surgery as the vet was correct that he did still have a testicle which hadn’t descended and was not caught when he originally got neutered before we ever had him. His surgery was seven months ago and there has been no change to the color and frequency of his discharge. Needless to say we have spent thousands and thousands of dollars (putting us in debt) trying to get to the root of the problem but we have gotten nowhere. Surgery for the testicle had to be done because apparently leaving it would have increased his risk of cancer greatly. The vets are out of ideas to try and I was hoping maybe you were able to find a cause and solution to your dog’s problem. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!!
I’ve had this question before, and my recommendation is to see a board-certified veterinary internist for this problem. I know you’ve spent a lot of money already, but, if you want to get to the bottom of it, that’s what it will take. Alternatively, you could continue bandaging him. To read about cryptorchidism, click here.
Dr. Randolph,
Thank you in advance for reading this message and for disseminating information and advice for pet owners all over the world.
I am having an issue with a discharge from the sheath of my miniature schnauzer’s penis. He is about 7/8 years old (rescue dog so it’s impossible to say with any certainty) and has been in good health. He eats very well, loves to play, seems completely normal, and is neutered. He displays no mounting/humping behavior and is isolated from other dogs in general. However, about a month or two ago, he developed a very heavy, thick, foul smelling yellowish discharge from inside the sheath to his penis. The discharge seemed to have “calcified” (? hardened?) around the exterior of the entire shaft, which was clearly visible when the penis was exposed. I took him to his regular vet here in South Korea where I live and work (I’m American) who cleaned the inside of the sheath/shaft which caused my dog great pain (he normally has a very high pain threshold and doesn’t yelp much even when getting injections, but was clearly in great pain on this occasion). The vet prescribed antibiotics (with maybe some other drugs mixed into the cocktail–not sure) for a few days but the infection continued. An extended round of antibiotics (around two weeks in total) was then prescribed along with daily flushing out of the sheath (at home) with an iodine solution. The infection cleared up and went away.
Fast forward to yesterday and it seems the whole process has begun once again. I have attached two links for images of the infection/discharge below, along with a short YouTube clip showing the problem. Are we looking at a bacterial infection here or something else? What could be causing such a rapid recurrence?
Again, many thanks for your advice.
Still shot #1:
[IMG]http://i64.tinypic.com/4v0cvr.png[/IMG]
Still shot #2:
[IMG]http://i63.tinypic.com/2wlys7m.png[/IMG]
Video clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKlpfla0-Gc
Noah, you’ve got me on this one. From what I can see, and that’s pretty limited, given the portal, I don’t see anything abnormal. However, given that he is as uncomfortable as you describe, that’s certainly not normal. How long until you are back in the States?
I have a 13 week puppy has yellowish white discharge coming from his penis is this normal. Never seen it before. He licks down there sometimes .
If he is happy, eating well and has a normal stool you probably have nothing to worry about. Thanks for reading MyPetsDoctor.com, Dr. Randolph.
Hi. My dog has a small yellowish discharge from his penis and he keeps licking his balls which is now pink. He doesn’t eat and drink and has this noisy breath sounds from his nose like hes having a hard time breathing. Vet gave him antibiotic for 7 days. Its his 4th day already but still no improvement. Help. Thanks
I’d love to help, Tiffany, but a pet who isn’t eating is in big trouble, and needs the hands-on care only your local veterinarian can provide. Thanks for reading MyPetsDoctor.com, Dr. Randolph.
Hi Dr. Randolph
My 7 mo golden is being treated for colitis but seems to have several things going on at once. A month ago, he had heavy discharge bordering on green and his sheath and penis were highly irritated, and he was treated with amoxycillin. He stopped his constant licking and the discharge was off white and less often. It’s back again, plus he huffs and sneezes a lot, has bumpy scabs under his soft coat near his pinna, and now he’s got colitis with bloody diarrhea and he vomited once.
Parasite negative, parvo negative, X-ray and ultrasound clear, with some light spleen swelling and corrugation in his colon. Showing some slight anemia but otherwise blood work was good according to the vet. He’s been eating Honest Kitchen rehydrated with various proteins (beef, chicken, egg, lamb) for a month and we switched to their Thrive with chicken+quinoa mix a few weeks ago. Could any of these issues stem from an environmental or food allergy? He’s now on a chicken, rice, and pumpkin diet for two days. He’s on an anti diarrheal. His last stool was super wet but no blood. He’s been seen by three vets and no clear reason why all this hit him at once. Thanks for any advice.
Nick, this isn’t a case I can help with, except to say that if his regular veterinarian feels overwhelmed by all of these symptoms, rather than go to a third general practitioner, I would ask for a referral to an internal medicine specialist. Thanks for reading MyPetsDoctor.com, Dr. Randolph.
Hi, my 2 year old Golden Retriever has quite a bit of discharge around his penis. It is exactly as you describe and he has been to his vet and got an A++ but I just worry about the amount. We have recently moved house and all our floors are light in colour so I don’t know if it’s just more obvious now but he would almost always have a drop of the discharge on his penis. Is there something that can be done to reduce the amount?
Nothing that I know of, Becky. Is he otherwise happy and healthy? It would be worth making a note of to his veterinarian on his next visit, though. Thanks for reading MyPetsDoctor.com, Dr. Randolph.
Hi. My Dog was recently sick. vomiting and diarrhea and has sense been feeling much better. I had taken him to the vet where he was treated with fluids and antibiotics. His last antibiotic pill (chewable baytril) was two days ago. Since then he has a bit of white dripping from his penis and tends to want to keep licking at the area causing it to redden a bit. I was wondering if this is a normal side effect from that medication of if there is another concern. My dog is a 12 year old miniature pinscher and in the past I have never noticed any white drippings as such. Thanks
No, Baytril will not cause a penile discharge. Monday, call your pet’s veterinarian and ask whether he needs to be seen again. Thanks for reading MyPetsDoctor.com, Dr. Randolph.
Hi.
My Boxer has this discharge from his seath at a rapid rate and seems to be quite constant. We have recently moved house and for the first 2 weeks I noticed it wasn’t happening much. Now 3 weeks on and it’s returned to happening in amounts more than usual.
Is there any possibility that it can be stress or anxiety related?
On top of this, my other concern is the smell!
It’s terrible!
No longer after I give him a bath to stop it, he’s back to being covered in this pungent stench.
I clean his bedding constantly but it’s soon back to being covered in this seath goo. More to the point is it drips all over the floor and carpet inside the house so it leaves our house stinking of this stuff and gets quite off putting when we have visitors. He also misses out on getting pats coz people don’t want to touch him which is not fair on him.
Is there anything that can possibly be done to stop the stink this stuff let’s off??
Your pet needs to be seen by his veterinarian.
I have mix Black Lab 9 yrs old and today i see that yellowish small-volume discharge from my male dog’s penis … is no that thick but i am concern too … people call me helicopter mother .. well i just want to make sure my baby is ok
If it looks similar to what I’ve described above, you have nothing to worry about. If it’s different, helicopter on over to his veterinarian’s office for an examination.
Mah dog is 2 yrs old. He is big and healthy but from last 4 days we are noticing a thick red whitish fluid is coming from his penis. I want to know why it is happening?
Thick and red are not acceptable characteristics of sheath discharge. Your dog needs to see his veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis. Thanks for reading MyPetsDoctor.com, Dr. Randolph.
Hello Dr. Randolph,
So my pup is almost 1 &1/2 yrs old. I noticed the puss and read this is fairly normal. Its been about 6 months though. He is extremely healthy and strong but just recently I’ve noticed its starting to look a little red or maybe irritated around the opening and he will be getting nuetured in 2 weeks. So my question is- should I have him seen before then or no because he doesn’t seem fazed by it or ill at all but to be safe since he’s my baby of 3…. What do you think?
If I were facing anesthesia and surgery, I would want to know that I was as healthy as I could possibly be, so, yes, I would take my “baby of 3” and have this evaluated prior to surgery. Thank you for your readership of MyPetsDoctor.com.
My dog is about 6 months old , my husband noticed yellowish thing come out of his penis , his always looking sad , been throwing up and gagging we are super worried because he doesn’t drink water or eats much food . We found out that he has worms but they going away little by little . Can you please tell us what’s wrong or help us .
Thank you.
Worms, vomiting and loss of appetite? Your dog doesn’t need an Internet diagnosis, he needs to see his doctor! Like human infants, puppies can become ill and die rapidly. They lack the reserves adult pets have. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
What does it mean if my dog won’t eat or drink and ther is something green coming out his penis.
We found out he has parvovirus , what can we do to make that go away .
Who told you that he has parvovirus?
Are you serious? Parvo is extremely serious and contagious to other unvaccinated and young dogs/puppies. You went to a vet and they diagnosed parvo? And you’re on the internet asking about treatment?
My puppy got parvo a week after I got him. It was devastating, he spent a week in an animal hospital under quarantine with a few follow up visits and meds at home. I spent 4,000 on treatment but have heard it can get up to the 8-10k range. And treatment is not garunteed, this disease is very serious and life threatening if it’s not caught early enough.
If your vet diagnosed this and sent you home with a sick dog without educating you about what this disease is then you should get a different vet. And if you’re seeking diagnoses on a serious issue via the Internet then you should reconsider your capability of owning an animal.
Hope your dog is ok and that your negligence doesn’t spread parvo to other dogs/animals.
Thank you doc for telling it like it is. Ignorance is not an excuse, but everyone thinks it is. I have a cane corso and I can by memory recite every detail about his breed and his own person AL as well as most illnesses that he can catch if left in kennel or around strange dogs. Even a dog park. He is my kid. Yes covered and fur and gives slobbery kisses. But I adopted him he is Family and he is treated as such. Research your breeds, your vets, and pay attention to your pets!
So I’ve had my Husky Mix since he was 3 and now he’s turning 7 and I’ve never seen any type of discharge coming from his area. I inspected him and it’s a yellowish green and lately it’s been a lot and I’ve noticed that there are a couple drops of it on the floors of my house on a daily basis. His nose is also warm and I’m unsure if he has an infection and needs to be taken to the vet.
The only way you will know for sure is to make an appointment for an examination. An exam doesn’t cost a lot and, if you find he’s well, you will have a great gift of peace. And, if he’s not, treatment can be instituted and you will have the comfort of knowing you didn’t delay intervention.
My dog has that discharge ONLY when I put a diaper on him. I want him to wear a diaper like all my other dogs, but when he has the diaper on there is a lot of the discharge, in the diaper, all over on him … so much of it. I don’t think this may be normal. I never notice it any other time … only when he wears a diaper. It’s a lot, please give me advice. Thanks!
Being remote from you and your pets, I’m not sure I can offer much advice, but my best guess is that he’s licking off the same volume of material when the diaper is off. When the diaper is on, he simply can’t get to it. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hello, I have read the article, as well as all of the comments. We adopted a 2 year old JRT yesterday and noticed a lot of discharge from down there. Is it only some dogs that get it as we have 2 other male dogs who don’t appear to get it or aren’t noticible. (Could be the dark fur colour as our new guy has white fur there). He seems to have a lot of hair around that area – and the greenish/yellow discharge seems to be sticking to the hair. He’s peeing normally and doesn’t seem to be licking it. I just find it gross as I haven’t experienced this with other dogs before. If I cut or trim the hair around that area – would that make a difference to keeping it clean at all? It is not dropping but I’d say about a dime size amount on him, some on his peepee and most on the hair. Thank you for your time!
I would not recommend cutting the hair of the prepuce. Sometimes this normal material can collect there, and sometimes a little urine can, too, but I’ve never seen it be a problem. Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
Hi, about a week ago my 7 year old male pitbull (desexed) had the tip of his red penis out and it wouldnt go back in so on closer inspection it had alot of sand and grit around it so we cleaned it and it went back in. We noticed this morning however that he had discharge like the above picture on it. It does sound like the normal discharge but considering we have never seen any fischarge before and what happened last week should we get him checked out? When we pulled the skin back to have a look his whole red part was covered in it. Thanks Dr, really appreciate it!
My biggest concerns comes from the part of your comment that says, “had a lot of sand and grit around it.” That could represent an abnormal crystal buildup in his urinary tract that could mean he has kidney and/or bladder stones, or that he is prone to developing them. Make an appointment with your veterinarian. To be properly prepared, fast your pet for 12 hours prior to the appointment (no food, no water) and have him go about 6 hours without urinating so that your pet’s doctor can obtain a urine sample for testing. If you find that sand/grit again, be sure to photograph it and show the photo to the veterinarian, also.
Hi I also have a related question, 2 weeks ago I brought my service dog in for a check up as we noticed the discharge in the picture above and it was determined that it was potentially a bladder infection. Antibiotics were prescribe (Tribrissen). Later that night my dog had what looked like an extremely painful erection for 10 mins at least. I called the vet and they did x-rays, blood work, and a prostate exam. Nothing was out of the ordinary meanwhile he had trouble with the abtibiotics, vomiting after taking then,vet tried clavamox and same result. Was told to keep him off antibiotics now and since he has had 3 different erections at random times, he wasn’t licking or anything to cause it, he is nuetured and even as a pup never exhibited much sexual behavior. Right now the vet is at an impass. Any suggestions? He is a 1 yr and 5 months old, lab/retriever mix. There are no other dogs in our home, but 2 cats.
That’s quite a puzzle, Jenna. It’s not terribly unusual for patients to vomit during oral antibiotic therapy, so you might ask your veterinarian if your dog is a candidate for Convenia. It is also not unusual for neutered dogs to infrequently become erect. However, frequent erections, especially with pain, that’s uncommon. Is he taking any other medications, especially corticosteroids?
Hello, my dog has a little mucus looking stuff coming from his thing kinda like in this picture but I read online that dogs can get STDs. Could this be a sign of an STD?
Only your veterinarian can say for sure. Please call for an appointment. Some of those conditions to which you refer can be transmitted to people through contact.
Hi Dr. Randolph my dog is a male and his private area has become bright red and looks to be inflamed, and has yellow discharge and licks himself a lot. Is this normal? It started yesterday but we didn’t think anything big from it because it was not noticeable but today it got worse. What could it be?
Your pet needs to see his veterinarian right away.
My 10 month old Great Dane is having that same discharge. But he is always licking it and his mouth always smells as gross as that discharge…I was reading online that it could be a penile infection…What do you think?
Your pet needs to see his veterinarian right away.
My dog is only about a year and half. He’s penis is the red thing, thats what it looks like but today when he was sleeping only the top of the usual red penis was out and the rest was covered in something darker red that looked lumpy.?
Also he has this fishy smell coming out of his butt from time to time.
I would really appreciate your help, thank you.
Your hometown veterinarian is going to have to look at your dog’s penis and tell you whether it is normal or abnormal.
The smell you are detecting is probably coming from his anal sacs. Click here to read about anal sacs. While your pet’s doctor is looking at the penis be sure to mention the anal sac odor, too.
I admire your patience Dr. Randolph
READ THE COMMENTS PEOPLE YOUR QUESTION MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED!
I noticed that my dog has had this discharge for about a week. As you say it is normal. I had noticed it really makes him smell kind of like an irony stench… is that normal?
I quote from the article: “It has a pungent, acrid smell and will sometimes be noticed where a male dog has lain.” I think it is more objectionable to some people than others. For me, I’m in agreement with you: “stench” really captures it! Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
I understand that the discharge for the male dog is normal but I’m wondering if this will go away after he is fixed?
Yes, the penis and its sheath will not behave differently, except that most dogs are unable to obtain erection after neuter surgery and no dogs are capable of impregnating females after neuter surgery.
My male dog is neutered and we just noticed about a month and a half ago of this discharge coming from his penis. It’s horrendous and it stinks up the entire room. It doesn’t look much like pus but a green liquid. Is there any way to make this stop? He sleeps in bed with us, but it is happening more frequent and keeps getting this all over the pillows so as soon as it comes out we smell it and it wakes us up. And have to wash sheets in the middle of the night.
If your husband had this problem would you take him to see his doctor? Your pet needs to see his veterinarian right away.
hi my dog oki has greeny yellowy pus coming out of his penis he doesn’t won’t do anything should I take him to the vet
YES! RIGHT AWAY!
My dog doesn’t want to do anything at all. He whines when I touch his back legs he doesn’t want to eat his dog food or drink water. He constantly shakes and he can barley walk. This has been going on for 2 days. Should I take him to the vet?
YES! RIGHT AWAY!
My male dog has a thick cheese like sheath behind his sheath what can this be??
I cannot say. He will need to see his veterinarian as soon as the holiday is over.
hi doctor..my dog doesnt want to eat his dogfood he preffer to eat table foods…what should i do to my dog?he loss his weight now..thank you so much..
As the human in the relationship, you control what your pet eats. Put down dog food for him to eat. Don’t make people food available to him. Problem solved. If needed, you can use a little canned food mixed with warm water to make some “gravy.”
Hi doctor Randolph, I recently adopted a 6 month old cross breed and am trying to toilet train him by putting him in the toilet until he eliminates then he can come out. However, his only urinates once or twice a day as compared to the usual 3 to 4 times a day when I brought him down. His urine is much smellier and yellower than most dogs. Although he pees very occasionally,the amount of pee is considered little. Is there anything I can do?
The “smelly” urine is a concern. I’d suggest you make an appointment for an examination and urinalysis. When you call for your appointment ask about preparation instructions to arrive for urinalysis. Best wishes, Dr. Randolph.
My male dog has been leaking greenish discharge from his penis. This has been going on for 1year. It’s everyday that this happens. We thought it was normal but, now I have no clue what’s going on. He is not fixed. He is 5 years or older. Boxer mix breed.
What could be happening? If I get him fixed will that help? Could he have soming wroug with him, how can I fix it? Could this be prostate cancer? Help me please. Thanks
As I said in the article, a yellow-green discharge from the sheath is normal. Whether your dog’s discharge is normal can only be determined by his local veterinarian. In the five years he’s had this discharge he should have had at least five examinations by his doctor. I suggest that you make an appointment for another examination, point out the discharge to the doctor and ask him to palpate the prostate on the same visit. If he determines there is a problem he might recommend cytology on the discharge. However, if it’s normal, what a great peace of mind you will receive! Thanks for reading, Dr. Randolph.
My rescue dog got neutered a few days ago and he has a greenish yellow substance coming from his penis. Is that normal?
Theresa, the only way to be sure there is no problem is to have a urinalysis and perhaps cytology on the discharge. The surgeon who neutered your pet should be happy to see him to evaluate the discharge. Without seeing your pet, no one can say for sure that there is no problem, because abnormal discharges do occur in the sheath, and excessive licking indicates a problem, while a certain amount of licking is normal. Please report back and let us know what your pet’s doctor says. Dr. Randolph.
Dr. Randolph, thank you so much for providing insight here!
My male dog has just started having the kind of discharge you describe. He’s 9 months old and neutered, so I don’t know if this is simply the age that dogs begin to have this happen, or if this is the onset of an infection. I just started seeing the discharge a couple of days ago. There’s no dripping, but it seems like a fair amount; if I clean it off, another “dot” has formed within an hour or less. But he is peeing normally (it seems to me), playing, eating, drinking water, etc.
To add to the confusion, one vet said bring him in for antibiotics (but couldn’t get me in the same day), and another vet said “it’s normal”. What should I do? Any thoughts are much appreciated.
Naomi, the only way to be sure there is no problem is to have a urinalysis and perhaps cytology on the discharge. Without seeing your pet, no one can say for sure that there is no problem, because abnormal discharges do occur in the sheath, and excessive licking indicates a problem, while a certain amount of licking is normal. Please report back and let us know what your pet’s doctor says. Dr. Randolph.
My dog has a thick, cheese like substance on his penis. It is putting off a horrible odor is this something that I need to be worried about? Should I clean it off? If so how?
“Horrible odor” is the operative phrase here, which means your dog needs to go and see his regular veterinarian as soon as humanly possible. Best wishes, Dr. Randolph
My dog is a springer spaniel x border collie. The fur around his penis is white. I noticed last week that it had gone a greeny yellow colour. Today it’s even worse, he’s been cleaning it. I’ve looked at it closer and it seems quite sticky. Is this normal?
Normal sheath discharge can be yellow, white or green or a combination of colors. There is only one way to know for SURE if YOUR dog’s discharge is normal, and that’s the make an appointment with your veterinarian. As for “cleaning it,” a little bit of licking of the sheath orifice is normal, but if it’s excessive, especially if he is licking enough to induce redness, it’s all the more reason to call for an appointment. Please keep us posted on his progress. Best wishes, Dr. Randolph.
My male GS has this discharge and it’s to the point to where he is dripping as he walked through the house. I have never seen a dog have as much as he does, he also licks himself a lot. It very annoying. Do you think he should get looked at or is it normal for him to drop all over the house?
Yes, ma’am, there should never be “drippage” from the sheath. Your dog definitely needs a good examination, including palpation of that entire region and regional lymph nodes. If he has ever been bred, he also should have a Brucella titer test. Best wishes, Dr. Randolph.
my male black Labrador has a smelly penis, but no discharge.
It is attracting a lot of attention from other dogs, which he doesn’t like.
Any advice please.
Jane, I find the normal discharge from the male dog’s penis to have an acrid odor. It that’s what you’re smelling (and you, like me, might have a very sensitive nose), you need do nothing. However, sometimes foreign materials get into the sheath and can cause a very uncomfortable, even dangerous inflammation. I suggest a good examination by your pet’s doctor. He should always be available to answer your questions during regular office hours, calling you back if you leave a message.
I Have Been Noticing That My Dog Has Small Amounts Of Fyr Missing On The Back Of His Hind Legs And His Ears. Is This Bad ? What Should I Do ?
You will need to call your veterinarian and have him evaluate your pet for the cause. Here are a couple of posts that may apply. Click here. And click here.
My dog has been leaving marks allover our leather couch from it and its pretty gross ! Is there a way to get rid of it? It doesn’t smell to me but my other dog seems to really notice the smell a lot which is frustrating for me and the dog being harassed. Any thoughts ?
A normal discharge from the prepuce does have a distinct, acrid odor, but “all over our leather couch” sounds like an excessive volume and should be checked out by your veterinarian. “Hiding” inside the prepuce masses, foreign bodies and other problems can get to be pretty serious. Transmissible Venereal Tumor can even be passed to people simply by touching the mass; all are good reasons to get an appointment right away. Please write back and let us know what your pet’s doctor finds. Best wishes, Dr. Randolph.
My female kitten has the same problem and it’s been going on for a couple of days, should I be worried? I’m trying to take her to the veterinarian sometime this week.
Your kitty should see her veterinarian as soon as you are able.
I took her to the ER last night after I couldn’t get an appointment until the weekend, the veterinarian said she’s pregnant (which I’m extremely happy about) and the discharge is normal. I continue to worry. She continues to have this discharge and she is grunting a lot, is this normal? What does the grunting mean? It sounds to me as if she’s complaining about something. Is she in pain? Please help!
Ashlaii, I would be delighted to help, if I could. However, I can’t be there to examine your pet or to hear her grunts or to determine whether she is expressing pain. All I can do is to encourage you to continue to consult your local veterinarian, who has examined your pet and, thus, has some insight. If the grunting is a new problem, not present at the time of the first examination, he may need to see her again to evaluate it.
Hello. I have a 5 year old male pug. I have recently noticed that he has something wet around one of his testicles. I dont know where it is coming from or what exactly it is. It is clear but has no real odor. This is continuously occuring and I have notice a scab like substance forming around the area. While cleaning him off I noticed there is rarea seems irritated and is noticeably red. It doesnt seem to bother him at all. No licking or signs of pain. He recently sprained his ankle jumping out the car but other than that no other injuries. He stays inside and is never around any other animals. What could this be?
What could this be? There are a few dozen possibilities. With the combination of “continuously occurring,” “scab,” “irritated and “red,” it is past time for him to see his veterinarian. Thanks for reading MyPetsDoctor.com.