Perineal hypospadia in a French Bulldog: case report

Hypospadias is a rare congenital malformation of the canine urogenital tract, characterized by an ectopic urethral opening, and reports of severe perineal forms with follow-up remain scarce. To describe the clinical findings, surgical treatment and early postoperative course of a case of perineal hypospadias in a French Bulldog and to compare it with a published case of hypospadias associated with anal atresia in a Rottweiler. A clinically healthy four-month-old, 6.0 kg male French Bulldog presented with preputial malformation, absence of urethral continuity to the penile tip and a perineal urethral ostium. Abdominal ultrasonography showed no other genitourinary malformations. The dog underwent penectomy, perineal urethrostomy and orchiectomy. Healing was satisfactory, skin sutures were removed on postoperative day 21, and the dog urinated spontaneously with good voiding control, without complications during follow-up. Unlike the Rottweiler puppy, which had a mid-ventral penile ostium compatible with normal urination and was treated with reconstructive preputioplasty, the severity of the perineal form required an ablative approach. Penectomy with perineal urethrostomy and orchiectomy was effective in the short term for this severe form, and the comparison supports tailoring surgery to ostium location and associated anomalies. Prolonged follow-up is needed to assess urethral stenosis and urinary tract infection.