Prolapsed Hemipene

[LSeelt]

OMG I'm so upset! Last night the male in one of my breeding groups, Goliath, tried to get it on with the female he is in with. He was unsuccessful the night before, and this time they didn't stay together very long.

Afterwards he had his hemipene still out, but I didn't think anything of it, and he was licking it back in. About 2 hours later when it was still out I put him in a sugar water solution and put him in a humid isolation plastic tub with air holes drilled into it that I keep for exactly this kind of situation. I also dabbed a little honey on it.

This morning I woke up and hoped that he would have licked it away, but it's still out.

I put more honey on it and kept him in the isolation container. I *just* put some K-Y on it in hopes that will help lubricate it to go back in.

There isn't a good reptile vet around here. One claims to be, but they have mistaken very obvious males for females before so I don't trust them. I don't want to have to drive 1-2 hours and pay money I really don't have to have a vet not be able to really help at all. (I'm leery about reptile vets, can you tell?)

Any advice that I haven't already done? Anyone know what happens if it just doesn't go back in? Will he die, lose that hemipene, or could he eventually be fine? I've heard lots of stories, but people don't usually update with the result.

It's so sad, because he's probably my most gentle and sweetest gecko. The female he was in with is acting all weird too. She usually hides most of the time and is very timid with me, but she's out and about. I don't believe that geckos "love" each other... but she seems concerned, maybe just from all the disruption. He's definitely stressed a little bit.

Anyone have any advice that I haven't already done?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

One GU member had success with a leopard gecko's prolapse by using Preparation H and massaging.

 

[LSeelt]

I tried using preparation H and massaging, but to no avail.

I'll try the sugar solution soak again tonight and hopefully get it back in.

Does anyone know how long they can stay out if it's kept clean and moist? Like, could I keep him healthy for 5-6 days? I've heard of some staying out for 3 days and then going back in naturally, so I'm hoping!

 

[mikew1234]

I had a male keep his out for about 35-45 hours once. I honestly just stuck him in a tub with paper towels, and a food and water bowl. I have noticed if a male gets spooked real bad while mating, it can stay out for quite some time. If it isn't better by day three, I would consider bringing him to that vet, or seeing if anyone else in the area has more experience with this. I don't know where you are in Canada, but I know of quite a few breeders up there that may be able to assist you. Also, youtube tends to be a friend with things like this. Learned how to probe and pop pythons, as well as how to administer meds to lizards using it.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I had a male keep his out for about 35-45 hours once. I honestly just stuck him in a tub with paper towels, and a food and water bowl. I have noticed if a male gets spooked real bad while mating, it can stay out for quite some time. If it isn't better by day three, I would consider bringing him to that vet, or seeing if anyone else in the area has more experience with this. I don't know where you are in Canada, but I know of quite a few breeders up there that may be able to assist you. Also, youtube tends to be a friend with things like this. Learned how to probe and pop pythons, as well as how to administer meds to lizards using it.

I would explore the worst case scenario now, even if you decide to wait a few days.

This is so you have plans what to do just in case.

 

[LSeelt]

I'll youtube how to surgically insert it myself and see how he is tomorrow. The 3 vets I called didn't even know what their hemipenes were. If it comes down to it, I'll go buy a vet textbook tomorrow and look up the procedure.

Of course this comes during an exam week when my two youngest kids (4 months, and almost 2 years) are both sick and have eye infections. And on top of that we just got an emergency call to go pick up an injured baby bearded dragon who was mauled by an adult beardie when he accidentally escaped into the adult enclosure.

Looks like no one is doing well this week.

 

[LSeelt]

So, just to update...

I'm absolutely heartbroken, because I can now almost guarantee my little gecko is going to die. Despite cleaning it and keeping it moist, repeating sugar water baths and using preparation H, his hemipene has developed what looks to be necrotic tissue.

I found some good resources on how to surgically reinsert his hemipene or how to amputate it, but since I'm not a vet I don't have appropriate anesthesia for him, and I feel it's cruel to do anything that intense (whether considered surgical or not) without anesthesia. I also read about how few times a gecko that undergoes those kinds of procedures, even done by a vet and monitored afterwards, survive... and it doesn't instill a lot of faith in me.

He's lost a lot of weight. I haven't weighed him, but I would say probably around 10-15 grams at least.

I'm keeping him in the isolation tank with moist paper towel for the substrate. I've added some leaves and put some Repashy, mashed banana, and I'll add some apricot baby food tomorrow. I know it's gecko "junk food" but I feel at this point that I should give him whatever I can so he can live out his last days. I'm still hoping that *maybe*just*maybe* he'll get it back in and be fine.

I didn't think I'd cry over the loss of any of my geckos.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Laura ~

Sorry to hear this 3 days after you initially posted. Even 10 grams is a huge amount of weight loss! Things do not look good, I would think, without removal of the necrotic tissue. Have you phoned the nearest vet? You mention that he is 1-2 hours from you.

Where do you live?

Is Goliath drinking at all? Perhaps he is in extreme discomfort? Have you a powdered crested gecko diet for him?

Generally, under normal circumstances, bananas, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, mangos, and kiwis can be fed to cresties mashed or in small chunks.

 

[LSeelt]

He's fed Repashy CGD, and gets a selection of it thickly prepared and thinly prepared like nectar.

I phoned 3 vets that accept exotics in my area. One of them didn't know what a hemipene was, one admitted they didn't have enough experience, and the other wouldn't give any advice over the phone other than to bring him in.

I got some advice from an exotics vet online, and she said even with the tissue (that she isn't sure is necrotic, so there may be hope) that she's seen cases where the hemipene has dried up and fallen off on its own. Her advice other than going to a vet is to put a sugar paste on it, then clean it off with water, then put polysporin/neosporin on it. There is no blood or bleeding.

So after discussing it with her I feel there may still be hope. If it falls off then he won't be able to breed again... but he'll live! And that's enough for me.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

He's fed Repashy CGD, and gets a selection of it thickly prepared and thinly prepared like nectar.

I phoned 3 vets that accept exotics in my area. One of them didn't know what a hemipene was, one admitted they didn't have enough experience, and the other wouldn't give any advice over the phone other than to bring him in.

I got some advice from an exotics vet online, and she said even with the tissue (that she isn't sure is necrotic, so there may be hope) that she's seen cases where the hemipene has dried up and fallen off on its own. Her advice other than going to a vet is to put a sugar paste on it, then clean it off with water, then put polysporin/neosporin on it. There is no blood or bleeding.

So after discussing it with her I feel there may still be hope. If it falls off then he won't be able to breed again... but he'll live! And that's enough for me.

Don't know about the polysporin/neosporin rec. Not good because geckos lick wherever. Best not to have Goliath ingesting a topical ointment.

 

[LSeelt]

I hadn't done it already because of that. I was pretty worried. But she said it shouldn't be a problem so I think I may take the chance. She seemed really knowledgeable.

 

[WildWildMidwest]

I have no experience with what you're going through, but I won't let that stop me offering an idea for discussion: There are two types of gangrene -- dry and wet. Of the two, dry gangrene is generally preferable in a small extremity (for instance, human toes.) I wonder if lowering the humidity might improve his survival odds at this point?

 

[LSeelt]

So I checked my gecko tonight, after leaving him for a day. I was cleaning his enclosure every day, but thought he seemed stressed, so I chose to chance bacteria for one more night.

I found him tonight and his hemipene has fallen off! It looks now the same way a newborn's belly button does when it falls off.

I put more polysporin on it, since it seems to be working and helping, and he licks a little off, but it doesn't seem to be adversely affecting him.

It looks clean, there's no blood or necrotic tissue (at this point). Let's hope that it heals nicely and he can live a healthy happy life. Unfortunately he won't ever breed (again, since I think he's already made some offspring with the female he was in with). But he's alive and that's what matters!

I really thought I was going to lose him.

[as a plus... I saved money ($750-1000) on a vet, he didn't have to go through surgery, he isn't so stressed that he isn't eating, he has no stitches to pop, and less recovery time. I really recommend justanswer.com btw if you ever need a certified expert and forums and self help can't do the trick. They aren't a replacement for going to a professional, but they were awesome for what I paid.]

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I am glad your crestie is well on the road to recovery! Thanks for updating.

(Do wonder about the polysporin though as side effects from licking might not be immediately apparent.)