Adhesions of Penis and Prepuce in Male Animals

Adhesions of the penis and prepuce in male animals are abnormal fibrous connections that form between the penile tissues and adjacent structures. These adhesions typically arise due to trauma, infection, or incomplete separation of the prepuce from the glans during developmental stages.

Penile and Preputial Adhesions

1. Adhesions on the Region of the Sigmoid Flexure

In bulls and rams, adhesions may occur due to trauma from horn injuries.

In bulls, local anesthesia used to block the dorsal nerve of the penis rarely causes adhesions.

These adhesions prevent the obliteration or extension of the sigmoid flexure at the time of erection.

Treatment to relieve these adhesions often results in severe adhesions.

2. Adhesions of the Deeper or Caudal Portion of the Prepuce

An adhesion in the region of fornix of the prepuce to the abdominal wall or to the skin produces more severe phimosis.

These adhesions may be secondary to the laceration of the prepuce especially in young bulls where the prepuce has not completely separated from the glans.

In older bulls vigorous thrusts may tear the prepuce away from its attachment to the glans lead to adhesion.

Infection that follows this injury may produce abscess and/or adhesions to the surrounding structures results in prevention of free movement of the penis and prepuce at erection.

3. A Ruptured, Fractured or broken Penis

A ruptured, fractured, or broken penis is observed in bulls with secondary haematoma.

Broken penis occurs in bulls with a strong sex drive and breeding the cow naturally. The condition is rare in bulls are hand bred.

The injury occurs at coitus when the cow goes down under the weight of the bull when bull mounts or due to a sudden ventral bending of the erect penis against the escutcheon (between thighs) at the movement the bull thrusts.

Symptoms

• Include shortening of the stride, stiffness, penis and a slight arching of back.
• A swelling rapidly develops just cranial to the scrotum that varies in size depending upon the amount of hemorrhage from the ruptured penis.
• Hemorrhage is profuse.
• There is usually no difficulty in urination.
• At first swelling is soft and fluctuating, later it becomes firm and hard.
• The bull show definite reluctance and inability to copulate.
• The blood clot may become infected and produce abscess.
• Adhesions may occur between penis, prepuce, abdominal wall and skin rendering the bull useless for future service.
• Differential diagnosis from other conditions such as tumors, chronic fibrous adhesions and rupture of urethra should be made.
• Prognosis is guarded even following  surgical operation is performed
• Secondary haematoma that become infected rarely respond to treatment and surgery.
• The surgical operation is usually performed between 4 and 10 days after the rupture has occurred. Until then the bull should be given parenteral antibiotics.
• Rupture of penis occur in stallion due to the mare’s kicking the erect penis when the stallion mounts.
• In dogs, traumatic injury may cause fracture of the penile bone.

Treatment

In cases of adhesions of the penis and prepuce in male animals, antibiotic therapy—both local and parenteral—is recommended for 7–14 days.

Sexual rest should be maintained for 6–12 weeks.