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Swollen Scrotum and Strange Red Spot

Stanley

My dog was neutered five days ago. Yesterday his scrotum became very swollen and there is a large (larger than a quarter) red blotch on one side of his penis and onto his belly area. His lymph gland is swollen on that side as well. I took him to the vet immediately and they said it was normal--that he licked himself or was getting too much exercise. He has been monitored 24/7 but might have licked himself at night briefly without me knowing or infected it when he decided to sit on a pile of dirt in my yard two days after surgery rather than pee. He didn't have a fever and his heart rate was normal. The vet put him on antibiotics and pain killers and sent us on our way. Since, the redness on his penis had deepened in color substantially and the gland swelling has not gone down at all--in fact, it almost seems worse. In addition, there is now a red spot forming where the scrotum and penis join. Could this be something more serious than a five day course of antibiotics will take care of? What is that weird red spot from? Local injection during surgery? Under the skin bleeding?

I have attached a picture of the red spot (you can see how swollen the gland is right next to the spot) and the swollen scrotum.

Symptoms: Pain, Wounds, Lumps And Swellings

Attached image (click to zoom):

• Veteran Advisor Helen Fines says:

  January 08th, 2008 at 11:55 PM

  Hi, thanks for the excellent description of Stanley's post-op problems and the photograph. It doesn't sound abnormal, though it's relatively uncommon for this to occur. It's very unlikely to be anything more serious than inflammatory response and/or infection. The red spot could be bruising (ie skin bleeding) or an inflammation reaction to suture material. Sometimes it can even be a reaction to clipping in sensitive-skinned dogs. It would be unusual for an injection to be given locally here. It sounds like he's having the correct treatment so don't worry too much, and don't let it put you off having another dog neutered- these problems are quite uncommon, and you sound like you've managed his post-op care very well, just been unlucky.

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• Karen says:

  January 09th, 2008 at 12:26 AM

  Hi, Thanks for your immediate help. One last thing--his paws feel really cool (basically cold) to the touch and his gums are a lot less pink than usual and I am not understanding why the gland in the groin area is so swollen. Do glands "normally" swell as part of an inflammatory response or infection and do paws grow cool to the touch under such circumstances?

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• Veteran Advisor Helen Fines says:

  January 09th, 2008 at 01:19 AM

  Hi. It would be normal for the lymph node to enlarge in response to inflammation or infection. Did the vet specify it was an enlarged lymph node- it's sometimes possible to mistake them for other or generalised swelling. I don't think you can read too much into the temperature of the paws- it's very subjective, but i can't think why it would be connected to this.

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• Karen says:

  January 09th, 2008 at 03:14 AM

  She said she thought it was an enlarged gland, but it didn't sound definitive... I am likely just being to overprotective, but I feel really awful for my pup. Thanks again for your help!

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• User suggests:

  February 16th, 2009 at 06:13 PM

  I had my Basset hound neutered last Wed. and I am having the same situation. We have been to the ER vet the night of the surgery and back to my vet two times. It is really strange but he looks just like the picture that Karen has on her post. My sweet boy has had a hard time. The swelling is going down but very slowly. I had to take him back to the vet today because he was scraping the swollen scrodum with the plastic lamp shade he has been wearing. This was doing lots of damage. I have to watch him every minute or he whips around and tries to lick the place and when he does the plastic scratches his skin. It made it bleed. So now I have some ointment and my husband came up with the puting a diaper on him. He is actually sleeping now because the diaper holds the swelling lump close to his body so it doesn't swing back and forth between his legs. It really looks horrible, his is miserable and so am I. I have had so many pets either spayed or neutered over my life and never have I had this happen. He is such a sweet little boy, just one year old. The picture that Karen gave looks alot like what I have here except ours is much larger and dry, which makes it itch. Baileys is also very purple and red. But it has not gotten larger and it appears to be getting smaller. What a nightmare!!!

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• Laurie suggests:

  April 26th, 2009 at 11:55 AM

  my coonhound mix had this problem when he was neutured. and the vet we took him to said it was normal. but not for the red spot. and to this day he still has his lil red spot so dont know what it is

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