204 Vol. 24, No. 3 March 2002 Comments? Questions? Email:
[email protected] Web: VetLearn.com • Fax: 800-556-3288 CE Article #2 (1.5 contact hours) Refereed Peer Review Surgical Conditions of the Canine Penis and Prepuce KEY FACTS Aristotle University of Thessaloniki I Many penile and preputial Thessaloniki, Greece abnormalities are hereditary; Lysimachos G. Papazoglou, DVM, PhD, MRCVS trauma is the main cause of George M. Kazakos, DVM acquired defects. I Dogs that have one defect should ABSTRACT: Abnormalities of the canine penis and prepuce may have congenital or acquired be examined (especially in the causes. Diagnosis is based mainly on physical examination of the external genitalia. Treatment midline) for the presence of other of these abnormalities may require surgical intervention or medical management. Because abnormalities. many of the conditions may be hereditary, normal breeding is discouraged; therefore, surgical treatment (whether emergency or elective) should be aimed at repairing urinary rather than I Emergency surgery is often reproductive function. required in cases of traumatic abnormalities to treat or prevent urinary dysfunction or ongenital and acquired penile and preputial abnormalities have been 1–3 reproductive failure. described in dogs. Trauma is the main cause of acquired abnormali- Cties. Dogs with congenital or acquired abnormalities may be either asymptomatic or have urinary dysfunction or breeding failure. Dogs that have one defect should be examined thoroughly (especially in the midline) for the presence of others.1–3 Because many penile and preputial defects are hereditary, normal breeding should be discouraged; therefore, surgical intervention of congenital defects should be aimed at correcting or preventing urinary dysfunction rather than restoring reproductive performance.