Earlier today at about 3pm my male dog, 5 years and neutered, had a full erection with two large lumps at the top. The erection went down but there is still 1/2" of penis showing that hasn't retracted as usual. What could be wrong?
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The lumps you saw were likely Billy's bulbourethral glands. These are a normal part of his anatomy, and they become enlarged when the dog is aroused or excited. It is concerning, however, that part of his penis hasn't fully retracted. It could be that 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 Billy into your vet.
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