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My dog's penis is stuck out and won't retract. What should I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

my dog’s penis tip will not retract, it has been stuck out for the past few minutes and will not go back. I tried a cold compress but nothing is working.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on December 3rd, 2019

Oh no, that's not good! It sounds like he is suffering from paraphimosis, which is an inability to retract the penis back into the sheath. This can quickly turn into an emergency situation, as constricting of the blood flow will lead to a larger engorgement of the penis, necrosis (dead tissue), and potential damage to the urethra. If his penis hasn't been out too long (less than an hour), you can try to put it back yourself. First, thoroughly clean the penis, making sure there is no foreign material (such as fur) that is wrapped around the penis. Take a bag of frozen veggies wrapped in a towel, and apply it to the penis for five minutes at a time to try to reduce the swelling. Packaged peas work very well because they are mobile around the penis. Then apply a lubricant such as KY Jelly onto the penis, and very gently try to move the penis back into the sheath. Very gently try to push the penis back into the sheath, or try to gently pull the sheath over the penis. If this does not work, or if the penis has been outside the sheath for more than 30 minutes to an hour, you will need to take him into your vet.

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25Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on November 24th, 2019

    This is a medical emergency, and you have to take Papito into a vet now. It looks like he is suffering from paraphimosis, which is an inability to retract the penis. This leads to constricting of the blood flow will lead to a larger engorgement of the penis, necrosis (dead tissue), and potential damage to the urethra. You cannot treat this at home, you have to take him into a vet immediately.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By David Darvishian

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 28th, 2017

    Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear that Hyden is having this problem. I would observe him closely and make sure that his penis retracts back into the prepuce or sheath. If it remains out for an extended period of time, this is called paraphimosis and can become a medical emergency. Swelling, constriction of the blood flow, and damage to the urethra, along with self trauma can cause many complications. So my advice would be if you cannot manually help him retract it into the sheath, take him immediately to a veterinarian who is open. If left untreated, this condition can quickly deteriorate into more severe problems. Let him calm down and then reassess the situation. Good luck with Hyden.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on February 7th, 2020

    This could be paraphymosis. It should be considered an emergency. You can try using sterile lubricant to gently slide the penis back into the sheath. If it doesn't retract, do not force it. Have him seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible to prevent permanent damage.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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