Penile Foreign Bodies in Dogs: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Hematuria, or preputial hemorrhagic discharge, is an extremely common clinical sign; it can be associated with a wide range of diseases, including, even if only rarely, penile foreign bodies. The aim of this retrospective study was to describe the diagnosis and therapy involving migration from the preputial ostium or penile urethra of a foreign body (awn grass) embedded in the connective tissue surrounding the penis, or in deeper inguinal tissues, in dogs with hematuria or preputial hemorrhagic discharge. In the selected cases, signaling, history, clinical signs, results of laboratory exams, endoscopic and ultrasonographic evaluation, and the technique used for foreign body removal were evaluated. Dogs with hemorrhagic discharge consequent to a penile foreign body represented 2% of the entire population considered. At physical examination, the most common features were the presence of swelling of the glans and hyperemia associated with a penile fistula (4/6 dogs), and pain during penile exteriorization (3/6 dogs). Laboratory results showed mild neutrophilic leukocytosis in 2/3 dogs and reticulocytosis in 1/3 dogs. Endoscopy, performed in 2/6 dogs, did not reveal any alterations associated with passage of the foreign body. Ultrasonography was useful in reaching a definitive diagnosis, identifying the position of the grass awn in 6/6 cases and permitting its removal in all dogs using an ultrasound-guided technique. This case report suggested that penile foreign bodies are a rare, but possible, cause of hematuria or hemorrhagic discharge in male dogs, and that ultrasonography is a useful technique in the making of a differential diagnosis and removal of foreign bodies.

Application of Ultrasound in Detecting and Removing Migrating Grass Awns in Dogs and Cats: A Systematic Review

“…In five dogs, the vegetal foreign bodies were visualized in the balano-preputial sulcus, embedded in the subcutaneous tissue; in another dog, a grass awn was detected in the inguinal region. The authors confirmed the usefulness of US for localization and removal of migrating grass awns in all the patients [47]. In 2020, Marchesi et al described ultrasonographic findings of a migrating grass awn in canine prostatic parenchyma and subsequent echo-guided removal of the foreign body [49].…”

“…Del Signore et al reported the case of a dog with a vegetal foreign body in the preputium, which was removed with Hartmann US-guided technique [ 48 ]. Bergamini et al published a retrospective study including six dogs with hematuria and preputial discharge secondary to grass awn migration [ 47 ]. In five dogs, the vegetal foreign bodies were visualized in the balano-preputial sulcus, embedded in the subcutaneous tissue; in another dog, a grass awn was detected in the inguinal region.…”

“…Subsequent histological examination confirmed the presence of a suppurative inflammation of the muscular wall layer caused by a vegetal foreign body. Grass awn migration in the masculine genital apparatus was described in several studies (Figure 5) [19,[47][48][49]. Del Signore et al reported the case of a dog with a vegetal foreign body in the preputium, which was removed with Hartmann US-guided technique [48].…”

Ultrasonographic diagnosis of a hair foreign body in the urinary bladder of a dog

“…Urinary bladder or urethral foreign bodies have been rarely reported in the veterinary literature. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] Urinary bladder foreign bodies have been related to a penetrating gunshot, 1 migration from the gastrointestinal tract, urogenital tract, or percutaneous migration from the skin. [2][3][4][5][6] Iatrogenic causes due to a retained urinary catheter fragment, 7 string from a feed sack used to ligate spermatic cord, 14 and laser fiber fractured during lithotripsy 8 have also been reported.…”