Prepuce

PREPUCE

The secondary andrological organ, which is comprised of cutaneous fold for enveloping the penis, is known as prepuce (cutaneous sheath)
  • It is the double invagination of skin which contains and covers the free portion of penis, when it is non-erect.
  • It covers the body of the penis behind the glans, when the penis is erect.
  • Preputial orifice is the external opening of the prepuce.
  • Preputial lining is a freely movable membrane or modified skin which is attached firmly only at glans penis and preputial orifice.

Blood supply: External pudendal artery

Nerve supply: Innervation from pudic, ilio-hypogastric, ilio-inguinal nerves

Functions

The salient functions of prepuce are:

    • To enclose non erected penis within preputial cavity.
    • To protect non erected penis from adverse conditions (viz extreme cold or heat, injury).
    • To hold penis external to animal body.
    • To maintain penile movement through providing sufficient passage by opening of preputial sphincter.

Bull

  • Prepuce is long and narrow (35-40 cm length).
  • Preputial orifice is surrounded by a tuft of long preputial hairs.
  • There are usually 2 pairs of cranial and caudal preputial muscles, protractors and retractors that draw the preputial opening forward or backward.
  • The fornix of the prepuce is the point at which the prepuce reflects upon the penis just caudal to the glans.

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Stallion

  • Has preputial cavity of 15-20 cm deep and then a second reflection of prepuce to form the prepuce proper of the penis. The opening between these two cavities is called as the “preputial ring”.
  • The engaging and disengaging of the glans penis in the preputial ring causes the sucking noise frequently heard when the gelding or stallion trots.  

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Ram

  • Similar to bull .

Boar

  • Prepuce has a small orifice.
  • Caudal part of the prepuce is narrow and the cranial part wide.

Dog

  • No out-standing feature

Intra preputial urination

Swine and ruminants urinate inside the prepuce

Extra preputial urination

Horses, dogs and cats extend the penis beyond the sheath and urinate.
Last modified: Monday, 4 June 2012, 9:10 AM