Preputial Sac Eversion in Dogs

1 Symptoms

The exposed portion of the preputial sac appears as a cylindrical tissue in contact with the outside world. It is easily contaminated by debris and shows abrasions, purplish bruises, and fissures.

Early on, the preputial sac periodically protrudes from the penis head during eating, urinating, defecating, or sexual excitement, and urine dribbles out in a thin stream. Over time, urine soaking the sac wall worsens the eversion and causes inflammation. Without treatment, the exposed tissue develops fibrous thickening, leading to stubborn eversion and phimosis.

2 Causes and Transmission

The condition is not infectious. It is caused by factors that force the preputial wall outward, most often abnormal sexual reflexes in male dogs or repeated mechanical friction and inflammation of the prepuce during improper artificial semen collection.

There is a degree of individual and breed variation in susceptibility.

3 Diagnosis

Diagnosis is made by visual examination of the protruded preputial lining and the history of repeated exposure, friction, or abnormal sexual behavior. The veterinarian rules out phimosis, tumors, and posthitis as underlying causes.

4 Treatment

For habitual and early non-habitual eversion, the goal is to reduce inflammation and prevent stubborn eversion and complications. The exposed tissue is cleaned, anti-inflammatory care is applied, and the animal is kept from worsening the trauma.

When conservative care fails, a continuous lock-stitch suturing technique can fix the everted preputial wall back onto the sac wall to achieve correction. A veterinarian should perform any surgical management.

5 Prevention

Avoid improper artificial semen collection and minimize repeated mechanical friction to the prepuce. Manage abnormal sexual reflexes through behavioral and environmental measures.

Address early, mild eversion promptly to prevent progression to chronic, fibrous, and irreducible eversion.