Normal and abnormal discharges - male

Question 1

What are the accessory sex glands? Do all species have all types?

Answer 1

• Ampulla - fully developed in horses and ruminants but absent in dogs, cats and swine
  o Tubular or tubuloalveolar glands without a specialised excretory duct
• Prostate - all species, but the ram does not have a well-developed prostate
  o Seminal fluid
  o Minerals
• Bulbourethral (cowper’s) gland - absent in dogs, but all other domestic species have this
  o Lubrication - mucous production
• Vesicular (seminal) gland - absent in carnivores but present in horses, swine and ruminants
  o Seminal fluid
  o Energy
  o Buffer

Question 2

What discharge is considered normal for a male?

Answer 2

• Smegma
• comprised of glandular secretions from preputial lining, sloughed epithelial cells, glycoproteins
• It lubricates the penile surface

Question 3

What changes make discharge abnormal?

Answer 3

• Increased volume
• Altered colour
• odour
• presence of blood

Question 4

What is balanitis?

Answer 4

Inflammation of the penis

Question 5

What is posthitis?

Answer 5

Inflammation of the prepuce

Question 6

What is balanoposthitis?

Answer 6

Inflammation of BOTH the penis and the prepuce

Question 7

In dogs, what may exxcessive, mucopurulent preputial discharge +/- preputial swelling be associated with?

Answer 7

Can be associated with bacterial overgrowth, trauma, neoplasia or foreign bodies.

Question 8

In wethers (castrated sheep), why do they get whats known as pizzle rot?

Answer 8

High protein diet -> high urea in the urine -> bacteria break down to ammonia -> causes inflammation and ulceration

They are predisposed as they tend to have a short penis and urin collects in the prepuse which results in continual wetting of the preputial opening

Question 9

What are some clinical signs associated with prostatic disease in dogs?

Answer 9

• Bloody urethral discharge and urine

Question 10

List the three main prostatic diseases in dogs. Explain what you may see for each and whether or not its common.

Answer 10

• Benign prostatic hyerplasia (common in older entire dogs) -> enlarged prostate but generally not painful
• Prostatitis (inflammation) -> common in older dogs, systematically unwell if acute and prostate will be painful on palpation
• Neoplasia (uncommon) -> systematic signs if advanced, enlarged and irregular prostate.