Hemipenis Prolapse and Amputation
- Thread starter snitz427
- Start date
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
Came home to find Donnie resting on his belly, letting his arms droop. Very unlike him. He immediately stood up when he noticed me - but he is obviously not feeling well. (The bird ladder / dowels are only on his free range while he is recovering. Gives him more support in moments like these - but plenty of other branching available).
We are home now. The vet agreed infection was setting in. He said the dead tissue was unusual… In the moment I didn’t think to ask if he meant that it was unusual to occur at all, or unusual that Donnie could not expel it. I had to assist the vet in holding Donnie while he grabbed forceps and pulled the piece tight enough for him to snip it off. He said it was residual tissue from his hemi penis that was amputated.
He immediately cleaned inside his vent with a surgical cotton swab dipped in peroxide. He cleaned inside pretty well, scrapping outward to find any residual tissue or pus. Not much post to be seen but there were remnants of urates.
Externally you could see some mild yellow around his vent which WAS puss under the scabz. The vet agreed he was likely scraping the skin. He used peroxide to debride the area well. Donnie immediately pooped a perfect urate and a tiny silkworm / mulberry flavored jelly bean turd. I guess a peroxide enema will do it to a guy. What better time to get a fecal sample?
He was prescribed 10 days of Baytril (I know - but this is after a 1st course of tmz, and more serious infection). Also 5 days of silver sulf. ointment 2x daily all over his vent, then another 10 days 1x daily. This is for infection and inflammation. He also suggested I clean his vent with peroxide. Peroxide is thought to do more harm to tissue, but I will use it for the first few days to help combat the infection. The conversation was fast paced and hectic while we are also wrangling a Chameleon… But I mentioned that I didn't have silver sulf on hand but did have manuka honey, and he mentioned something about being careful as it can quickly dehydrate them. Im not sure if he was referring to the honey or silver sulf. I got an rx of silver sulf and had no intention of using honey on this - just came up in the convo and in hindisght i wish I thought to ask for clarification on the dehydration part.
Donnie ate a silkworm tonight and took his meds / water. He is very good about hydrating during his showers so I am confident that I can keep him very well hydrated during his Baytril course to help his kidney function. Im going to skip any supplements during that 10 day window, especially since he is getting silkworms (high cal low phos) and getting natural uvb.
Not out of the woods - he is a strong, youthuful guy, despite his age. Hopefully he has some fight in him to get through the antibiotics.
We are home now. The vet agreed infection was setting in. He said the dead tissue was unusual… In the moment I didn’t think to ask if he meant that it was unusual to occur at all, or unusual that Donnie could not expel it. I had to assist the vet in holding Donnie while he grabbed forceps and pulled the piece tight enough for him to snip it off. He said it was residual tissue from his hemi penis that was amputated.
He immediately cleaned inside his vent with a surgical cotton swab dipped in peroxide. He cleaned inside pretty well, scrapping outward to find any residual tissue or pus. Not much post to be seen but there were remnants of urates.
Externally you could see some mild yellow around his vent which WAS puss under the scabz. The vet agreed he was likely scraping the skin. He used peroxide to debride the area well. Donnie immediately pooped a perfect urate and a tiny silkworm / mulberry flavored jelly bean turd. I guess a peroxide enema will do it to a guy. What better time to get a fecal sample?
He was prescribed 10 days of Baytril (I know - but this is after a 1st course of tmz, and more serious infection). Also 5 days of silver sulf. ointment 2x daily all over his vent, then another 10 days 1x daily. This is for infection and inflammation. He also suggested I clean his vent with peroxide. Peroxide is thought to do more harm to tissue, but I will use it for the first few days to help combat the infection. The conversation was fast paced and hectic while we are also wrangling a Chameleon… But I mentioned that I didn't have silver sulf on hand but did have manuka honey, and he mentioned something about being careful as it can quickly dehydrate them. Im not sure if he was referring to the honey or silver sulf. I got an rx of silver sulf and had no intention of using honey on this - just came up in the convo and in hindisght i wish I thought to ask for clarification on the dehydration part.
Donnie ate a silkworm tonight and took his meds / water. He is very good about hydrating during his showers so I am confident that I can keep him very well hydrated during his Baytril course to help his kidney function. Im going to skip any supplements during that 10 day window, especially since he is getting silkworms (high cal low phos) and getting natural uvb.
Not out of the woods - he is a strong, youthuful guy, despite his age. Hopefully he has some fight in him to get through the antibiotics.
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Nothing wrong with using Baytril when necessary. It just requires attention to their hydration and kidney function. I know I poo poo it a lot but only as a first choice when culture and sensitivity haven’t been done. It is very effective.
GrannyK
Chameleon Enthusiast
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
Def visible infection around his vent. Its the slightly whiter/yellowish perimeter. Hard to tell with everything going on down there - but he’s been taking his meds like a champ. Not drinking as much as usual but still drinking.
I have to gently debride the area / infection with a qtip dipped in hydrogen peroxide, then I give him a few more mins of shower to make it feel better after the peroxide, before applying the silver sulf creme. He lets me lift his tail and wipe his bum like a baby. Such a good boy.
Too soon to expect to see results, but he does seem a little more comfortable and peppy. Inflammation seems more or less the same, but Im sure the debriding and peroxide dont exactly sooth it. I’m gonna stop the peroxide treatments after day five… Which is also when he’s supposed to drop down to just one treatment of silver cream per day. That will also be when he is finished his course of antibiotics, so hopefully by day five (Monday) there will be some noticeable reduction in… well, everything!
I have to gently debride the area / infection with a qtip dipped in hydrogen peroxide, then I give him a few more mins of shower to make it feel better after the peroxide, before applying the silver sulf creme. He lets me lift his tail and wipe his bum like a baby. Such a good boy.
Too soon to expect to see results, but he does seem a little more comfortable and peppy. Inflammation seems more or less the same, but Im sure the debriding and peroxide dont exactly sooth it. I’m gonna stop the peroxide treatments after day five… Which is also when he’s supposed to drop down to just one treatment of silver cream per day. That will also be when he is finished his course of antibiotics, so hopefully by day five (Monday) there will be some noticeable reduction in… well, everything!
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
An extreme close up for the science crowd.
The infection is a lot more visible now. Idk if thats progression, or just that the dead tissue, redness, and swelling have been reduced so much that its just easier to spot. I am sure his “rubbing” has done a lot of the damage. I am conflicted if I made the right or wrong choice by avoiding a hospital bin. His stress would have skyrocketed, on top of his discomfort. At least on the freerange he is mentally distracted and stimulated. I take it outside every 2-3 days to clean it (as he leaves residue and blood from the rubbing). Without the dead tissue he only rubs it with the peroxide (and now I elevate his tail/butt a little so he resists the urge).
I think a hospital bin would have caused more harm then good. He wouldve rubbed it just the same… but always wonder “what if?”
The infection is a lot more visible now. Idk if thats progression, or just that the dead tissue, redness, and swelling have been reduced so much that its just easier to spot. I am sure his “rubbing” has done a lot of the damage. I am conflicted if I made the right or wrong choice by avoiding a hospital bin. His stress would have skyrocketed, on top of his discomfort. At least on the freerange he is mentally distracted and stimulated. I take it outside every 2-3 days to clean it (as he leaves residue and blood from the rubbing). Without the dead tissue he only rubs it with the peroxide (and now I elevate his tail/butt a little so he resists the urge).
I think a hospital bin would have caused more harm then good. He wouldve rubbed it just the same… but always wonder “what if?”
jannb
Chameleon Enthusiast
Have you thought about wrapping it. I wrapped one of my guys after his prolapse. Let me see if I can find a picture.
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snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
This is so helpful!!! Yes, today I was considering wrapping it. I worry about if he needs to poop, how did you approach that @jannb ? Also, do you recall what the tape was called (that is not adhesive)? I’m going to see if I can find it on amazon. Just tape, or did you also use guaze?
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
I think this is the tape?
Self Adherent Wrap Cohesive Bandages,Athletic Elastic Cohesive Bandage for Sports Injury,Ankle, Knee & Wrist,Ankle Sprains & Swelling,12-Pack, 1” x 5 Yards https://a.co/d/h2dMMfa
Self Adherent Wrap Cohesive Bandages,Athletic Elastic Cohesive Bandage for Sports Injury,Ankle, Knee & Wrist,Ankle Sprains & Swelling,12-Pack, 1” x 5 Yards https://a.co/d/h2dMMfa
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
I’ll put a small piece of guaze down with the silv suf cream. Hopefully he poops in the am so I can confidentially wrap him up.
