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If your dog’s balls are peeling don’t immediately assume he has a serious problem. Maybe it’s a simple skin irritation that will go away after a relaxing bath and an ointment. In any case if the dog’s scrotum is swollen and unusually colored such as red or black you should have him examined. He may have hurt himself or developed an infection. |
In this research you will know the answer to the query “Why Are My Dog’s Balls Peeling?“.
Is it because my dogs balls are peeling? Theres an unusual question here one you do not expect to hear in polite company yet a valid concern for many pet owners.
Its likely that you have seen your dog lick his privates a thousand times and you know what they look like.
You do not recall any peeling so its quite normal to be concerned. Peeling or changing the color of a dogs testicles can be caused by many things. Generally it isnot serious but it is a good idea to see a veterinarian.
We will discuss the most common causes of your dogs scrotum skin peeling in this article. Additionally we will explain why the dogs testicles may turn black or red.
What’s the normal color for a dog’s scrotum?
Gray is the usual color of a dogs scrotum. You get the idea. Maybe its light gray maybe a darker shade. This depends on the pigmentation of the skin. The balls of your dog will also be dark if your dog has a dark coat and dark skin on the abdomen. You may notice pink spots on your puppys scrotum but these are only temporary.
Lets look at what might cause a change in skin color and peeling of the scrotum.
Your dog has a skin problem
Sometimes the simplest explanation is the best. Your dog must have developed a skin allergy if his balls are black and peeling.
This very delicate area will also become itchy if the skin becomes dry. Such an issue can only be resolved by licking the dogs balls.
Unfortunately this isnot the best solution. Eventually the skin on his balls will become more irritated and itchy.
He might develop an infection if you do not stop him from licking himself in which case he will also be in pain. Here are some of the most common skin conditions in dogs that could also affect the scrotum.
Dry skin
Dry skin can affect anyone whether they own a dog or not. Environmental factors or dietary issues can contribute to dry skin. It may be that his skin is flaking all over his body but you only noticed that his balls were peeling.
Dogs like to lick their balls so hes focusing on those even if the rest of his skin is itchy. The best thing you can do for your dog is to make sure he eats foods high in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. You can also apply coconut oil or Vaseline to his scrotum.
Both of these substances are non-toxic and can be used to resolve dry skin by locking in moisture. No matter how good you think it is do not use any moisturizer you might have around the house. Creatures without a habit of licking themselves should use these. Certain compounds in these products may be toxic to dogs if they are applied to them.
Allergies
Several things are allergic to dogs starting with food and ending with insect bites. Look for any punctures in the area if the dog allows it and see if you can find any. Having fleas or ticks could be causing your dogs allergic reaction.
Check for rashes on the belly as well as the most common allergy symptoms in dogs including swelling of the face sneezing or itchiness. See a vet if you suspect your dog might have an allergy and ask them to prescribe some antihistamines. Also they might recommend something to soothe the itching peeling balls but you need to address the underlying problem as well.
Contact dermatitis
This is similar to an allergic reaction and is caused by an irritant that is in contact with the skin such as poison ivy fertilizers or chemicals used to treat lawns. If you have used something similar in your garden that would explain why your dogs balls are now itchy and irritated. Dermatitis does not require medical treatment. Take him for a soothing bath using a hypoallergenic shampoo and keep him away from whatever caused the problem.
Why are my dog’s balls black and peeling?
It is not uncommon for a dogs scrotum to turn almost black as he ages. Natural changes in skin pigmentation are responsible for this. Transitions are usually gradual in most cases so you might not even notice them.
Injury
Occasionally the dogs balls will turn black and this is a very concerning symptom. Overnight the dogs balls will turn dark blue or black which is a sign of trauma. Your dog might have injured his most sensitive parts while jumping around but you should also check the area for scrapes puncture marks or insect bites. There will be some bruising if the dog injured himself which is why the fur is dark. What is the cause of the peeling?
It is possible for the skin to peel if it is irritated. An insect bite could cause this. It could also be that your pet licked himself to relieve pain after irritating his scrotum.
If you see any signs of injury you should apply an antiseptic ointment to prevent infection. You can apply Vaseline if there is no visible injury. Within a couple of days the bruising will disappear and the dogs balls will return to their normal color.
Testicular torsion
Abnormal twisting of the testicles on the connective tissue of the scrotum is called testicular torsion. As a result of a trauma such as a puncture wound bacteria can penetrate the skin. You might notice some swelling in the affected area if there is an inflammation. As the blood supply to the testicles is cut off by the testicular torsion the testicles might turn dark giving you the impression that the dogs balls are black. The scrotum may peel due to excessive licking in this painful condition.
Medical attention is needed immediately for this condition. You will need to give your dog antibiotics and perhaps an ointment to treat the inflammation. The size and color of your dogs balls will return to normal after the inflammation is treated. After the infection has gone away you can deal with the dogs peeling balls.
Why are my dog’s balls peeling after neutering?
After neutering this is a common occurrence. There are many pet parents who complain that their dogs scrotum is black and quite swollen. Do you think I should be concerned? I do not think so. Post-neutering is a common occurrence. Even though the scrotum skin is very delicate the incision made by the vet is still a trauma. There will probably be some swelling. It will probably be uncomfortable. Typically doctors recommend fitting the dog with a cone to prevent him from liking the area. In order to prevent irritation or infection the cone will prevent the dog from licking the area.
After neutering your dogs balls may peel because the skin was irritated during surgery. It may be caused by the doctors intervention or by a reaction to the disinfectants used to clean the area before surgery.
There may be some soothing ointment prescribed if the peeling is serious but otherwise your doctor will probably tell you to continue using the antiseptic ointment. Preventing infection is the key. Dealing with the peeling later is fine.
Within a few days the swelling should disappear and the empty scrotum will lie flat against the body unless of course you decide to use prosthetic balls. It is common for pet parents to remove their dogs’ testicles so their dogs do not know they are missing.
Why are my dog’s balls red and peeling?
There are serious problems here. No it is not important that the dogs balls are peeling but the redness is. Its a sure sign of infection when the dogs scrotum turns bright red.
This might have been caused by trauma or a puncture that allowed a virus bacteria or fungus to enter the scrotum.
Take your dog to the vet as soon as possible for an examination. Tests will need to be run by your veterinarian to establish the exact nature of the infection in order to prescribe the appropriate treatment.
There are times when the dog will have to wear a cone to prevent him from licking his balls and making the situation worse.
Alternatively if the dogs balls become red he may have a UTI. Perhaps hes had it for quite a while but you did not notice. The scrotum indicates that its widespread so your dog needs antibiotics immediately.
Conclusion
If your dog’s balls are peeling don’t immediately assume he has a serious problem. Maybe its a simple skin irritation that will go away after a relaxing bath and an ointment. In any case if the dogs scrotum is swollen and unusually colored such as red or black you should have him examined. He may have hurt himself or developed an infection. If you notice some swelling or peeling after his neutering surgery thats to be expected. Take him to the veterinarian so he can be monitored. See a veterinarian if you notice any signs of infection or if the symptoms do not go away.
If you want to read more about dog health tips read here: Dog Health Tips and Tricks.
