Can I Get Some Opinions and Advice Guys? Infected Hemipenes?

[amyzon]

I found this during a routine check this afternoon My supersnow has one very inflammed and swollen hemipenal bulge.





It's clearly bothering him; he has his head turned toward it and is flicking his tongue at it. I did a little research and was initially concerned it could be a prolapse, however there is no part of the rectum or hemipenes pushing outward (I'm pulling his tail back in the picture for a better view). The vent is uninflammed.

I pressed (extremely gently) against the base of the bulge and after a few moments coaxed a drop of clear fluid out of the vent. IMO, he probably has a bacterial infection, from what I've gathered (but please feel free to let me know what you guys think!).

So main problem is, there are no reptile vets in the area. I don't feel comfortable taking the little guy to a non-qualified vet, especially after some of the ludicrous information some of them have given to people I know. Is there any way to treat this at home? My boyfriend has years of experience with snakes, however access to reptile antibiotics are obviously not possible. It goes without saying that I know I'm going to get more than a few responses that clearly state, 'we don't recommend treating your animals at home', which I totally understand since I've said the same thing before!, but I'd appreciate any advice you guys can offer.

Thank yous in advance.

[malt_geckos]

Ouch! Looks painful. Could be a bacterial infection or maybe he got something in it. Has he been bred? Try soaking it in warm water to help ease the pain. I would take him to a vet and tell them what you think it is. They can atleast give you an antibiotic to help it.

[LeapinLizards]

Oh wow...how painful looking! My husband went "eeeesh" when he saw that.

I definitely agree with Mallorie...any sort of vet care is better than nothing at all. I completely doubt there is anything you can do at home, besides soaking him in warm water a little that will help that.

[amyzon]

Ok, I will try soaking him. I highly doubt there is anything he could have gotten "inside" really... He's housed on on unprinted newspaper material. He's been housed with an adult female since near the end of the last breeding season and she has not as of yet become gravid.

It looks VERY uncomfortable. Poor lil guy I'll try to take him to a vet Monday morning. If anyone else has advice please let me know. If I had the balls (no pun intended :P), I'd attempt lancing it. I'm just concerned because I don't have an antibiotic.

Thanks y'all.

[malt_geckos]

Yeah, he could have tried to breed her and he may have prolapsed For awhile and he could have bitten it or it got dry and irritated and that could have started an infection. I would'nt attempt to do anything to it accept a warm soaking. Make sure the water's not too deep. Good luck with him!

[rawson5084]

Ouch! I sent you a PM I hope it helps

It looks like it very well could be a large seminal plug or even an abscess in the hemipenile sack. I wouldn't recommend trying to exxpress it yurself... take him to a vet before it becomes infected.

[Alusdra]

I agree it looks like it might be a plug... but that bulge is pretty large. It's likely there is something else going on, too. It really would be best to take him to a reptile vet, even if you have to travel a ways to find one. Perhaps when you call you can ask to speak to the vet and try to get a feel for whether they know what you are talking about or not when you say things like 'hemipenes'. Pigs and horses can get this sort of thing as well, though it's a bit different.

A good link is http://www.anapsid.org/seminalplugs.html

[lisa s]

I have seen what looks like the same in a danish forum, she took the animal to the wet, and it had a bad infection - in the end the leo was humanly put down by the wet.

here's a link to pictures: http://www.gekkoforum.dk/phpBB3/view...php?f=2&t=2739

[amyzon]

Guys I have fantastic news! Well I soaked the gecko this afternoon. After reading here and on several other sites about the possibility of the lump being a sperm plug, I discussed with it with my boyfriend.

We decided to try pressing gently on the base of the hemipenal bulge, the same as you would to sex a snake, either way we would know pretty quickly whether or not we had found an answer. A second later this lovely ball of happiness popped out.



Um yeah... Gross. It's so hard. It must have been so uncomfortable. The gecko relaxed immediately. It must have been such a relief. The sack is still the same size, but the skin is soft, and I think it's just swollen and stretched out still from the plug. I didn't soak him again because I had just a few hours prior, but I put some antibiotic ointment on the vent area just in case. I'm going to soak him again in the morning.