Hospital acquired scrotal dermatitis in entire male dogs: implications, prevention and treatment

Scrotal dermatitis in dogs presents as inflamed scrotal skin with erythema, sometimes oedema, and in severe cases, broken, sloughing skin. This audit investigated the incidence and cause of scrotal dermatitis in all male canine patients in a hospital that had identified hospital-acquired scrotal dermatitis as an issue. When the authors spoke to staff at other veterinary hospitals within the UK, it was found to be a more common problem than the literature indicates. Canine scrotal dermatitis is a largely underdocumented condition; this may be because it is viewed as a minor complication of hospitalisation, and the patient's other conditions take precedence over the focus of the treatment plan, leading to the condition being overlooked and underappreciated. It is very important that any hospital-acquired condition is researched and documented to establish cause and methods of prevention to inhibit iatrogenic harm. Severe scrotal dermatitis can lead to complex infection, necrotising, sloughing skin, pain and stress. This article identifies the potential causes of scrotal dermatitis and provides suggestions for its prevention and management.