Pascal's Vet Recheck NEED ADVICE

[squeekz1992]

Pascal has to go to Indy for a surgery

Took him to Banefield Pet Hospital today, and they finally told me what I have been telling them for weeks. Pascal has a hemipenile prolapse, and now it is abscessed. I'm really worried, because he looks really skinny (although he weights 107grams now) and at the vet he was listless. He literally curled up in my hand and just stared at me. His eyes looked shriveled and sunken, and they didnt have his golden glow that I love so much. I was really freaking out because I thought he was going to die right then and there, but he didn't. Now we are home and his eyes are normal, although he looks like he doesn't feel well, and he is still just staring at me. With both eyes. It's creepy how much i have grown to love the one-eyed stare, and now both eyes makes me freak out. But I digress. His color is green and gold and yellow and brown with dark green speckles and he's not wanting to just lay on me now. I think he just didnt liike the vet.

But the vet is referring me to a Dr. Lenoux, in INDY to remove his hemipenes. The vet here is assuring me that this will fix the problem and that I have nothing to worry about as far as his recovery. But here's the thing. How will he recover? Will he even survive? and if he does survive, what about his quality of life. Because, I can't lie, seeing the way he looked at the vet, even if it was just a defense, almost made me lost my nerve. I do not want him to suffer at all and I don't want to be selfish in any way that makes healing harder for him... he's only 1 and 1/2. I dont understand why even doing everything everyone has told me to keep him alive and healthy this has happened... Need advice....

Thanks,
Confusedchammommy

 

[camimom]

Im sorruy about your guy. i know that feeling.

I also have a cham that prolapsed. my panther has prolapsed multiple times since i got him.

if the surgery is successful and no infection has set in, he can live a normal life without his hemepenes.. though he wont be able to breed.

is he still prolapsed right now?

 

[squeekz1992]

is he still prolapsed right now?

Hopefully no infection has set in, it is abcessed tho, which makes me think maybe the antibiotics aren't helping.

Yes, he can't retract it, and I've done everything I can think of to relax it to go back in it started out about a month ago, just a little bubble, but I thought, at first, that he was just getting ready to go the the bathroom, and left it alone, but when it didn't go away I took him to the vet and she said it wasn't a prolapse. and now, two weeks later it's the size of a marble and she says "it looks like a prolapse, go to indy"

He's eating normal but he hasn't pooped in a week. He's my first cham so i'm freaked out

 

[camimom]

well yes and no.

my guy has what i suspect is an internel deformity that makes it so his hemepne doesnt fit where its supposed to (hes a panther, and his tail is half the length it should be)

anyway, ive had to help him on countless occassions ot get his hemepene back inside.

right now- a small bit of his hemepene is sticking out, becuase his insides are so swollen, that it cant get back in al th eway right now.

he probably cant poop as it either hurts to mcuh, or his hemepene is blocking the vent.

i would try a warm water butt soak, then get some ky jelly and rub it on his area, then gently, but firmly push and wiggle it to try to get it back inside.

unfortunatly at this point, if its been out this entire time.. removal of it is the best option, as it has more than likely died. (the flesh).

 

[squeekz1992]

Pascal's is swollen too, I can tell it hurts him because he is being kind of violent which is definitely not his nature. It looks so gross and painful. I'm pretty sure it's blocking it because when he has tried to go, it doesn't look right (shapewise)

I've done the butt soak, and I don't have KY, but I've been using petroleum jelly since Sunday, I'll try to push it back in tomorrow, he's asleep right now.

I'm struggling with removing it, because of the $$ they want for it. If they would just remove it and give him a dose of antibiotics, it would be less than 150, which is tight but I can do it. But they want to run all kind of tests which cost anywhere from 65 to 100$ per test! and a 65 dollar charge on top of the 150 just for seeing him at all!

I love him so much and my BF said he'd help get him there and pay for a little bit of it if he can, but I don't understand why they want me to pay like 400$ just to say why his junk fell out if they're removing it...

And I'm freaked out even more because my mom said that when they do the anesthetic he will die because he is small and his system can't handle it :/ This is the first Life-altering decision I have had to make and I really am stuck. and I hate that i can't call and speak directly to the vet.

Would just getting it removed be okay?...i don't know what to do....

 

[camimom]

At this point, theres no reason to do tests to determien why it came out.
its necrotic, you said its abcessed.. so just have them remove it.

(btw, they do have two hemepenes, so may want to ask about getting other removed at the same tiime).

 

[Kate]

I have no experience in this problem but I have had a sick veiled who had to be anaesthetised to remove two abscesses and he pulled through fine. It is so worrying. You have to have faith in your vet. They won't do surgery if they don't think it will work. I suggest you talk through the tests and procedure with vet and between you and vet decide what is absolutely necessary and what is not. Good luck.

 

[squeekz1992]

Alright, thanks for the advice! it looks like we will be doing the procedure, but the question is when. the vet is out of state until next week thursday, which puts the surgery at a very precarious time because school and work. Hopefully everyone will work with me a little on this. I just hope he makes it to the surgery, that will make another week with it sticking out. Need all the prayers we can get at this point, Thank you for all the advice, it has been very helpful.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

I am sorry you are having this trouble with Pascal. You mentioned the vet who could do the surgery won't be in for another week. Pascal absolutely cannot wait that long. If it has already been a month since this started unfortunately this surgery should have been done weeks ago. Now that the tissue is abscessed or necrotic and he is not feeling well it is a surgical emergency. The infection can spread to the rest of his body, if it hasn't already. If that happens he could die from a body wide infection.

There are always risks to going under anesthesia even if you're completely healthy, and if he's already ill then those risks increase. I know plenty of chameleons have had successful hemipene amputations, but I also know some that have died during the surgery. The best you can do to decrease the risks is get the surgery very soon before he loses more strength and make sure he is well watered and fed to give him strength. As long as the surgery is successful he will have a totally normal life afterward and won't even know it's gone.

I don't mean to scare you by telling you this; I just don't want you to lose Pascal. If the vet they referred you to can't do the surgery for another week then you need to find someone else who can do it sooner before you lose him. $150 is a good price for surgery so hopefully you can find someone else who can do it soon for a similar price.

 

[squeekz1992]

I know he can't, I'm trying to get ahold of another vet closer. He's still very strong, he's being good eating and drinking, I keep giving him warm baths and putting lubricant on it. The infection should not have spread, he has been on antibiotics for two weeks. Hopefully the vet in Martinsville will operate, if not, there is one closer that said no without seeing him, but should when they realize the urgency (yes, they are a reptile vet). I am not taking this lightly, I have been doing everything possible for him and hopefully today I find a vet who will help.

He is a fighter, and I believe he is strong enough to go through the surgery. Can they eat/drink before surgery?? I was always told no food or drink for twelve hours at least. Calling the vet in 4 minutes.

I know you aren't trying to scare me, and I'm really grateful that someone has told me the risks as well, I dont like sugar coating and I appreciate your honesty. I thought 150 was a good price until they told me how much extra I had to pay just for the vet to consider operating. 150 i can afford, but too much more than that and I wouldn't be able. I don't want him to die or suffer more than he already has, so after surgery, he will be spoiled (even more so than he is now.) Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it.

 

[camimom]

Where are you located exactly?

 

[squeekz1992]

Bloomington, Indiana.