Leopard gecko infected hemipene?

K

Kaoshani

New member
Hi, so my gecko just shed and I took a look at his hemipenes, and saw this:
https://ibb.co/XJbfZXw
I think it’s an infection?? His hemipene is also very swollen now. We are planning to take him to the vet asap.
I have seen no odd behaviors from him. I didn’t know he was shedding yesterday, I thought he was shedding today, so I wasn’t able to mist his moist hide, so he had shed in the dry air. His toes and tail are also bright red, some bleeding. His skin is extremely sensitive, so it’s not too surprising.
But if anyone has any idea what this is, can you help?
 
A

acpart

Well-known member
Here are the possibilities:
--there is an infection in the hemipenis and the gecko will need antibiotics
--the hemipenis has prolapsed and needs treatment for it to be able to retract it
--there is a huge sperm plug in there that needs to be squeezed out.

THe prolapse is the worst situation and the sperm plug is the best. Good you're going to the vet. Let us know what happens.

Aliza
 
K

Kaoshani

New member
acpart said:
Here are the possibilities:
--there is an infection in the hemipenis and the gecko will need antibiotics
--the hemipenis has prolapsed and needs treatment for it to be able to retract it
--there is a huge sperm plug in there that needs to be squeezed out.

THe prolapse is the worst situation and the sperm plug is the best. Good you're going to the vet. Let us know what happens.

Aliza
Click to expand...
Thanks for your help! My mom is calling the vet tomorrow, she couldn’t today. The infected part has now turned fully black, which is worrying. I can try to get a picture tomorrow. But it’s the fleshy red and the yellow color, have now turned black and hard. The spot does not hurt if I touch it, and it is still swollen but slightly gone down. I’m really not sure what this is, I don’t feel like it’s a sperm plug, I’ve dealt with a lot of sperm plugs and have one current lizard in recovery from impacted sperm plug surgery, plus one other who just gets them constantly, and this just doesn’t look like them, and I highly doubt a prolapse unless maybe he pulled off a massive chunk of skin to reveal his hemipene? But I feel like it would take a lot of work to peal off every layer of skin over his hemipene by accident. Infection made the most sense at first, but now it’s completely black? I’m not too familiar with infections down there when it comes to reptiles, so not sure if that’s a sign of infection. :sad:
 
K

Kaoshani

New member
Elizabeth Freer said:
From your description it seems like the infected tissue has now :)turned necrotic -- has died.

Have you been seeing an exotic vet all along?

Here's a good link: https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661
Click to expand...
Oh wow, my mom said that it just looks like it was healing but idk… here’s a pic so you can get a better idea: https://ibb.co/4gMY1vg there is no pain there and the swelling has gone down a lot.

We haven’t seen a vet, we called our main vet but the only open appointment is Monday, and the other exotic vet usually takes months to get an appointment, those are the only ones around us.

Would Neosporin help? I’m just not sure what to do right now... Thanks.
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Kaoshani said:
Oh wow, my mom said that it just looks like it was healing but idk… here’s a pic so you can get a better idea: https://ibb.co/4gMY1vg there is no pain there and the swelling has gone down a lot.

We haven’t seen a vet, we called our main vet but the only open appointment is Monday, and the other exotic vet usually takes months to get an appointment, those are the only ones around us.

Would Neosporin help? I’m just not sure what to do right now... Thanks.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your image. This wound doesn't look too bad.

Don't apply straight neosporin. You could use Neosporin withOUT pain relief. Using SSD (Sillver SulfaDiazine) 1% creme would even be better.
 
Last edited:
K

Kaoshani

New member
Elizabeth Freer said:
Hi Kaoshani ~

Are you certain this Neosporin ointment does NOT contain ANY painkillers? I can't see that notification on the tube you pictured.
Click to expand...
It has nothing about painkillers, it just seems like plain neosporin. The ingredients seem safe to me. I applied a tiny bit earlier and it went fine, I’ll update you on the wound tomorrow. :)
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Kaoshani said:
update on Elliot: I’m freaking because today it’s sticking out slightly… here’s pics: https://imgur.com/a/cQTrNut
Is this a prolapse?! I just don’t have any idea what this could be… I’m getting so worried…
Click to expand...

A vet appointment may be necessary. Is that vet app for this coming Monday still available? You could always cancel if Elliot's situation improves.

IF Elliot's near prolapse gets worse, Elliot may need sutures to hold the hemipenes in place. Maybe the vet can reduce this "potential" prolapse withOUT sutures??? Add some granulated sugar to a 95*F warm bath & then soak Elliot for 15 minutes. Afterwards apply some honey directly to the hemipenes.
 
Last edited:
A

acpart

Well-known member
i recommend you call the exotics vet and tell them it's an emergency. Tell them you think it has a prolapsed hemipenis, which can't wait months. If you're wrong, it's not your responsibility to diagnose, just to get the best care you can for your pet.

Aliza
 
K

Kaoshani

New member
Update: okay so I soaked his thing in the sugar water for 15 minutes, but when I took him out, a sperm plug popped out along with the infection. So what happened: he bit some skin off, which caused an infection, and he pulled all the skin off, but the sperm plug was attached to the skin, so he know has a GAPING HOLE where his hemipene is. We bandaged it nicely and I panicked and sobbed, we called a ton of ERs and the only one that works with geckos is 2-3 hours away. It’s literally 10 at night, and it would cost $250 to call in a surgeon to the ER and they might not even show up. So my mom decided we will wait until tomorrow morning, call our usual bet and try to get him in, and if that doesn’t work out we’ll take him to the ER that morning (my mom has work and it’s extremely hard for her to call out, otherwise we would just do the latter anyway)

Basically my guess is he either needs incisions to close the hole, or a bandage until new skin grows over it. I think he should be good overnight though, since we already bandaged it and put him on some soft paper towels in case he rips it off or something. I don’t really know what else we can do, so…

Anyway, thanks for y’all’s help. I really hope he will be okay.
 
A

acpart

Well-known member
See if you can get some Silver Sulfadiazine Cream USP 1%. I'm not sure if it's perscription or not. I got some from my vet when I had a hatchling that was, for unknown reasons, suffering a progressive skin tear on a leg. It worked wonderfully. I used it on one of my geckos that had a fairly big wound at the pores infant of his hemipenis and it healed really well.

Aliza
 
K

Kaoshani

New member
acpart said:
See if you can get some Silver Sulfadiazine Cream USP 1%. I'm not sure if it's perscription or not. I got some from my vet when I had a hatchling that was, for unknown reasons, suffering a progressive skin tear on a leg. It worked wonderfully. I used it on one of my geckos that had a fairly big wound at the pores infant of his hemipenis and it healed really well.

Aliza
Click to expand...
my vet actually gave me exactly that for him! It’s really great and he’s healing well, he even has his appetite back… mostly!!
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Blush50 said:
Do you have a thermostat controlling his heat source? The skin on his tail is red, that is why i ask. Hope he is doing well.
Click to expand...

Good observation, Blush50!

I hope Kaoshani used the Silver Sulfadiazine Cream 1% not only on Elliot's hemipenes, but also on the slightly reddened tail and that red rear foot.
 
Last edited:
K

Kaoshani

New member
Blush50 said:
Do you have a thermostat controlling his heat source? The skin on his tail is red, that is why i ask. Hope he is doing well.
Click to expand...
I just now saw this! Yes he does, he just has shesding problems and that made his skin red. He is better now. Actually having much different and worse problems now, that’s why I’m back… making a topic about it now
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top