Your dog’s testicles and the surrounding are are very sensitive. To notice that your dog’s balls are peeling isn’t something normal and would definitely require some sort of medical treatment.
But what could cause your dog’s balls to peel? The peeling skin on your dog’s balls can be triggered by a few reasons. It could be that your dog’s testicles might be having a skin irritation or allergic reaction. If your dog has just been neutered, the healing process can also cause the skin to peel or there might be an infection at the incision site.
If you want to know “why my dog’s balls are peeling”, you have come to the right place. Let us take a look at what are some of the possible causes of such an issue.
How Should Normal Dog’s Balls Look Like?
Suffice to say, this is one area that I think not many pet owners really pay attention to. Well, it is kinda weird to be observing your dog’s private area.
It is important to know how your dog’s testicles and private area look when healthy so that it will be easier for you to know when something isn’t right.
Healthy dog balls should more or less be the same color as the color of your dog’s skin. Dark skin dogs will have dark-colored balls and vice versa.
It is normal for that area to be slightly darker or lighter in tone. But there should not be any major discoloration like purple or black.
There should not be any signs of redness, scabbing or peeling there. Any signs of bleeding or pus should warrant immediate medical attention.
Why Are My Dog’s Balls Red And Scaly?
If you do notice that your dog’s balls have become red and scaly, that is a strong indicator that something isn’t right.
Something is causing your dog’s ball sac to be inflamed and scaly. Once the skin starts to get scaly, it will also start to peel.
Scaly skin tends to get dry and can also cause your dog’s balls to start peeling. It might not always be due to a problem at the groin area but a skin problem in general.
1. Mange
Mange is a horrible skin condition that usually affects strays, neglected dogs and dogs in poor health.
These dogs look like they have huge patches of dry and crusty skin all over their bodies. It is a very sorry sight to see them in such a condition.
Dogs with mange will also have very dry and scaly skin all over their bodies including the balls which can start to peel off.
There are two types of manges that can afflict dogs.
Sarcoptic Mange
This skin condition is also known as canine scabies and it is highly contagious. It can not only be passed on between dogs but also to other pets in the family.
Canine mange is caused by a mite that looks circular with eight legs which burrows into the skin of your dog and starts laying eggs.
Once these eggs hatch, they will start feasting on your dog’s skin.
This reproduction process causes your dog’s skin to have an allergic reaction which makes it scratch like crazy.
Symptoms of sarcoptic mange include:
- Inflamed looking skin
- Excessive scratching
- Hair loss
- Thickening of the skin
- Yellow crust
Demodectic Mange
Demodectic mange is also caused by a mite that looks like a fat cigar with eight less. But this mite isn’t passed on from another dog but is already living on your dog’s skin.
These mites will live in your dog’s hair follicles without causing any skin irritation until the dog’s immune system starts to weaken.
The symptoms are almost similar to dogs having scabies which include, excessive scratching, hair loss, inflamed and scaly skin.
Treatment For Mange
The vet will have to take a look under the microscope to determine which mange your dog has. Treatment for mange includes medicated shampoo and anti-mite medication.
2. Skin Allergy
Are there times when your dog’s skin starts scratching its body that has become red and scaly? There is a chance that your dog is having an allergic reaction.
To what? That is always the difficult one to ascertain.
An allergic reaction is caused by an internal or external allergen that triggers your dog’s immune system to go into overdrive mode.
Your dog’s body thinks that it is fighting off something bad when in fact it is nothing serious.
Here are some very common skin allergies that can happen to dogs.
Food Allergies
Food allergies can be easy to detect or a real pain in the butt to decipher. My dog had a bad food allergy many years ago that gave him itchy dry skin all over his body including my dog’s testicles.
It took me a while to figure it out because whatever he was eating at that time didn’t cause an immediate reaction.
After much trial and error, it was caused by this commercial bone broth that I was using for pets. His body just didn’t agree with something in it.
Another common item that many dogs are allergic to is milk. Many dog owners think that feeding milk to their dogs is fine.
But many dogs are lactose intolerant once they mature into adults.
Feeding them milk can cause a lot of itching, vomiting and explosive diarrhea.
Environmental Allergies
Environmental allergies refer to anything external that can cause an allergic reaction in your dog. This can range from dust, pollen, grass, soil, different types of fabric, etc.
Such allergies can be seasonal with your dog having peeling and itchy skin during certain times of the year.
Or it can also happen when your dogs testicles come into contact with something that sparks off an allergic reaction.
When your dog sits, the dog’s balls might come into contact that is allergic to like grass or rubber, then you will see your dog’s balls peeling once the allergic reaction starts to happen.
How To Treat Allergies In Dogs?
To treat your dog’s allergies, you first need to know what is causing that reaction. It can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack at times.
There is an allergen test that your vet can do on your dog to try and narrow down the possible allergens.
Unfortunately, allergies can’t be cured, only managed when it happens. Medication is normally used to help with the symptoms.
Avoidance is the best way but it can be hard when it’s due to an environmental allergy.
3. Frost Bites And Sun Burns
This is something that is often overlooked by dog owners. When you take your dog out for a walk when it’s sunny or very cold, you need to be more aware of where your dog sits or lies down.
Your dog can unknowingly rest his balls on the ground which can be burning hot causing a bad burn. If it does it on a really cold surface, that can lead to potential frostbites.
These problems can cause itching and peeling balls that require medical treatment.
If you do take your dog out for a walk during such weather conditions, it might be a good idea to bring a floor mat for your dog to rest or sit on to protect its delicate areas.
3. Urine Scald
Urine scald is a problem that happens when your dog’s urine is allowed to stay on its skin for too long causing it to become inflamed and blistered. It makes your dog’s skin look like it was burnt by something hot.
You might be thinking how can urine burn when it isn’t hot?
It has nothing to do with the temperature but more with the contents of the dog’s urine.
Urine contains substances that are used for removing waste and impurities from the body.
When urine gets onto your dog’s balls or genital area, it can start to cause burns if left for too long.
These burns can dry up the skin and start to peel off.
Dogs that are paralyzed from the waist down, have urine incontinence or even young puppies are more prone to urine scald.
If you notice that your dog’s urine has been leaking or splashing back up onto its balls, you need to clean that area with warm water and then dry the area.
Another way to help with this condition is to make sure your dog is drinking a lot of water to dilute its urine, especially when the weather is dry and hot. Concentrated urine is harsher on your dog’s balls.
There is some tendency to leak some pee if your dog has a weak bladder or urine incontinence.
It might appear that your dog has been leaking some clear fluid but it is actually diluted urine which can still irritate your dog’s skin.
Contact Dermatitis
Your dog’s scrotal area can also suffer from a condition called contact dermatitis.
This happens when your dog’s balls come into contact with abrasive substances like cleaning solutions, detergents, paint, dye, wood varnish, etc.
Your dog’s feet and hairless areas are more at risk of getting contact dermatitis.
This can cause your dog’s skin to be cracked, peeling and itchy.
Is It Normal For My Dog’s Scrotum To Peel After Neutering?
The process of neutering a dog is a simple yet invasive procedure. What the vet will do is make an incision on your dog’s scrotum and the balls are then removed via the opening of that incision.
Once the procedure is done, the vet will then stitch up the incision area.
Your dog’s balls will tend to look swollen for the first few days before the ball sac starts to flatten and disappear.
When the scrotum starts to dry up, it can cause the skin around the area to be dry and flakey.
You can expect to see peeling skin on your dog’s balls. It might even be itchy for your dog so make sure that your dog has an E-collar on or an alternative to prevent it from biting and licking the area.
The peeling skin can also be due to the sterile solution that the vet will wipe on your dog’s balls before the operation to clean the area.
If your dog has sensitive skin, such solutions can be a bit harsh which can also cause peeling skin on your dog’s balls.
Why Does My Dog Have A Scab On His Scrotum?
A scab can form on your dog’s balls due to excessive licking. This can cause the skin to become infected and scab over.
Your dog might be experiencing discomfort or itching in that delicate area which might be caused by a bacterial infection or underlying health problem.
Why Are My Dog’s Testicles Black And Peeling?
If your dog’s balls have spots of black then that would be due to just its own natural pigmentation. But it should not cause any peeling.
But if your dog’s balls have suddenly started to turn black and flakey, it could most likely be due to an injury or serious skin infection.
Did your dog get into an accident or fight recently? These situations can cause trauma and bruising to your dog’s sensitive areas.
I would highly recommend that you take your dog to the vet for an examination to determine the cause.
What To Put On My Dog’s Chafed Balls?
If you notice that your dog’s dogs are chafed and peeling, I wouldn’t suggest putting any on it that isn’t given by the vet.
Your dog’s balls are such a sensitive and delicate area and if you put a lotion or ointment that contains alcohol or an abrasive chemical, it will cause more pain and discomfort to your dog.
The best thing that you can do is to let a vet treat your dog’s testicles right away.