It’s the one part of your male dog you prefer to pretend doesn’t exist. No owner wants to get overly familiar with their dog’s penis. We know it’s there, but tend to ignore it, understandably.
Despite our natural discomfort, your dog’s penis health is important. If you notice green discharge coming from their penis, it can indicate a problem. However, it can also be a normal bodily function.
Why is a green discharge coming from my male dog’s penis?
Your dog rolls over, exposing their belly and unmentionables. You are distractedly scratching their belly, when something catches your eye. You notice a green discharge coming from their penis.
What’s going on? Should you be worried, or just grossed out?
Healthy Discharge
Your dog’s penis has two main functions, just like human males. Their penis is designed for ejaculation and urination. These two types of secretions are obviously normal, and nothing to be concerned about. Of course, neither of these functions should create a green discharge.
Penis Anatomy and Function`
To understand what’s wrong with your dog’s penis, it’s important to know a bit about dog penis anatomy. Your dog has a bulbus glandes at the base of the penis.
When they engage in sex, this gland swells, causing them to get stuck inside the female. Once they are finished copulating, the swelling goes down and the dogs can separate.
On the outside of your dog’s penis they have a sheath of skin, known as the prepuce. This is basically the canine version of foreskin. It covers the penis when it’s not erect.
When your dog has an erection, the red or pink membrane is visible. Your dog can get an erection for many reasons, even if they have been neutered. An erection is not a sign of a problem.
Smegma Vs. Pus
Your dog will occasionally excrete smegma. This is made of dead cells and other materials that accumulate within the prepuce. This may have a green tint, but shouldn’t be bright or dark green.
Smegma is perfectly normal. It will be a thick consistency, similar to butter. There should only be a small amount.
If the discharge is a strong color, has a foul odor, or appears in large amounts, this is likely pus. Pus does indicate a health problem, unlike smegma.
Balanoposthiti
Balanoposthiti is a type of infection. It affects the glans and prepuce of your dog’s penis. There are two causes of this type of infection. The first is a foreign body.
Dirt, rocks, and other debris can find its way into your dog’s foreskin when they are out in the world. This causes irritation, which can cause infection.
The other causes is herpes. Just like humans, dogs can contract herpes through sex with another dog with the virus.
Phimosis
Phimosis is another cause of green discharge. the prepuce has an opening, which allows your dog to urinate. It can contract, which makes urination difficult. This causes an infeciton.
This condition can be present when the dog is born, or may develop later in life.
Transmissible Venereal Tumors (CTVT)
Get ready to lose some sleep once you learn about this one. Transmissible venereal tumors, or CTVT. This is one of only 3 contagious cancers known to science, and it is sexually transmitted.
That’s right, a cancer causing std is lose in the world. The good news is that it’s a rare condition, so it’s much more likely your dog has a simple infection.
The tumors can appear in many places in the body, so symptoms can be highly varied. You may notice your dog licking their penis excessively and abnormal swelling, in addition to discharge.
Prostate cancer has been shown to cause discharge in rare cases as well. This will cause painful erections as well as discharge.
Bumps on Penis
If you notice bumps on your pooch’s penis along with discharge, this cna indicate a few things. Remember that the glans will appear as a bump on each side of the penis near the base of the shaft.
If you see small bumps on the penis or a rash, it can be caused by a bacterial, fungal, or parasitic infection.
Why is green discharge coming from my male dog’s eye?
There are a few things that can cause green discharge to come from your dog’s eye. The most common is rheum, which is completely normal. However, it can also indicate conjunctivitis or eye injury.
Rheum
Rheum is colloquially known as sleep. If you’ve ever woken up to goo or crust coming from your eye, you’ve experienced rheum. It seeps from the eyes, nose, or mouth. It’s part of the body’s cleaning system, and nothing to worry about.
Once rheum is wiped away, it should not return during waking hours.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctiviitis is an infection of the membranes around the eye. They become swollen, and can cause the eye to close partially. There are a wide variety of causes, from allergies to infections. It needs to be evaluated by a vet for proper treatment.
Ulcer or Foreign Object
Dogs explore the world with their noses, and their eyes are never far behind. They may get a scratch on their eye, known as a corneal ulcer. More concerning, they can get a foreign object stuck in or around their eye. Sticks, grass, and even dirt can become lodged in the eye.
Either of these problems can lead to infection. Just like an open wound on the skin, a wound on the eye makes it susceptible to infection. The bacteria on a foreign object and the irritation of the object itself can also cause infection.
Autoimmune Diseases
It’s possible for a dog to develop eye discharge due to an autoimmune disease. If this is the case, they will develop other symptoms as well. These can include fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, and vomiting.
What to do about green discharge coming from a male dog?
If your dog has green discharge, what to do will depend on the cause and any other symptoms they have.
Normal Discharge
If you suspect the discharge is normal, either smegma or rheum, you’ll simply need to groom the area. A wet washcloth can be used to clean away the discharge to help your pooch stay clean.
Write it Down
If you are concerned about the green discharge, the first thing you’ll need to do is observe them. It can be very helpful to take notes as well. Write down when it started, the consistency, smell, and any other details you can think of.
You should also document any other symptoms your dog has. If they show signs of illness or behavioral changes, write these down.
If you need to visit the vet, the information will be useful when they make their diagnosis.
Vet Visit
If the discharge doesn’t seem normal, it’s best to make an appointment with your vet. If it’s an infection or other serious disorder, faster treatment leads to a better outcome.
When to Seek Veterinary Care for Green Discharge from Male Dogs
You want to take the best care of your pooch possible, but you don’t want an unnecessary trip to the vet. Here are the signs you should bring your dog in for a check up.
Excessive or Smelly Discharge
If your dog has a lot of green discharge or it’s very strong smelling, you should bring them to the vet. Smelly discharge typically indicates an infection, which needs antibiotic treatment.
The longer you wait, the worse the infection will be. It’s not an emergency, but it is urgent to get them care.
Blood
If there’s blood in the discharge from your dog’s penis, they need to see the vet immediately. Blood can indicate a serious disease or an injury to the penis.
Bloody discharge from the eye should also be evaluated quickly. It may be an eye injury which needs fast treatment.
Swelling
If you notice excessive swelling, this is an indication you should get your pooch checked out. The swelling will be uncomfortable for them, and can be a sign of a serious condition.
Remember that swelling is not the same as an erection. If your dog has an erection that goes down soon after, this is fine. However, if they have an erection that doesn’t go down and seems painful, this warrants a trip to the vet.
Other Symptoms
Lastly, check your dog for other symptoms. Are they lethargic? Do they have a fever? Have they lost their appetite? These are indications of an illness that needs veterinary treatment, particularly when accompanied by green discharge.
On the other hand, if your dog seems perfectly fine other than the discharge, you don’t have as much to worry about.