Urethropexy for canine urethral prolapse treatment: a retrospective study of 20 cases

Authors: Mas P, Gatineau M, Clerfond P, Terreros A, Plante J
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume Ahead of Print, Issue Ahead of Print, Dec 2025
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Dog
Article class: Clinical Article

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Abstract:

Case history and clinical findings: Medical record databases of a veterinary referral hospital in Montréal, Canada, were scrutinised to identify dogs that underwent urethropexy for urethral prolapse between June 2016 and March 2025.

A total of 20 dogs were included in the study; brachycephalic breeds (15/20; 75%) and intact males (16/20; 80%) predominated. The median age at presentation was 10 (min 6, max 72) months, and the median body weight was 22.2 (min 2.5, max 29.6) kg. Two dogs had a urinary catheter, placed following spinal surgery, when urethral prolapse occurred.

In addition to urethral prolapse, dogs presented with bleeding from the penis (10/20; 50%), haematuria (6/20; 30%), stranguria or periuria (2/20; 10%), and balanoposthitis (1/20; 5%).

Treatment and outcome: Urethropexy was performed in all 20 dogs. All but four dogs had concurrent surgical procedures: castration (n = 14), rhinoplasty, palatoplasty, and/or laryngeal sacculectomy (n = 6), or caudectomy (n = 1). Surgical duration for dogs that received urethropexy alone was 5–18 minutes and time to discharge was 1–2 days.

Minor complications (transient haemorrhage, stranguria/dysuria, and/or swelling of the penile tip) were identified in 11/20 dogs (55%), all of which resolved within 2 weeks. Long-term follow-up data were obtained by a telephone interview with each owner, a median of 694.5 (min 19, max 2,827) days after surgery. Two dogs (10%) had recurrence of the urethral prolapse (considered a major complication) 2 days and 8 months after surgery. Only one of the two recurrences required surgical intervention.

Clinical relevance: Urethropexy alone may be a viable surgical option for treating urethral prolapse at initial presentation.

KEYWORDS: Recurrence, dogs, surgery, penis, urethropexy

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