# Penile prolapse-- Help!



## madonnaswimmer (Jul 31, 2007)

My rat Ichi with respiratory and circulatory problems, weight loss, and urinary and bowel incontinence has now developed what I think is a penile prolapse.

While feeding him his veggies he kept stopping to lick his penis and I originally thought he might finally have noticed that he leaks urine a little when he eats. But while hand-feeding him I noticed his penis hanging out. I tried to let him walk it off but that didn't help. I had seen this happen in a dog once at our clinic and we put a little lube on his penis to ease it in so I also tried this but to no avail.

I set him back in his cage hoping that once he relaxed it would go back in but now he's just sitting in the hammock chewing at the site and obviously very uncomfortable. I will be making an appointment with an exotics vet in the morning but does anyone have any ideas?


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## zoe9 (Oct 3, 2007)

Oh the poor fellow. You need to keep it lubricated to reduce pain and swelling so it can (hopefully) retract on it's own or with some assistance from you.

Have a read of this - it will help.

Good luck.

http://ratguide.com/health/reproductive/paraphimosis.php


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## madonnaswimmer (Jul 31, 2007)

zoe9,
thank you for your help and that great resource. I cleaned it with diluted baby shampoo and tried again with the KY jelly and it went in this time... he has been walking around and grooming the area and it is still in. Thank you so much!


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## zoe9 (Oct 3, 2007)

Oh that's brilliant news. Well done (and YAY Ichi!)


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Glad to hear he's better...any clue why it happened? My Goliath had it because of neuter surgery and the swelling popped out his penis. Is your boy older? Do you check for penis plugs as well if he is?


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## madonnaswimmer (Jul 31, 2007)

lilspaz68 said:


> Glad to hear he's better...any clue why it happened? My Goliath had it because of neuter surgery and the swelling popped out his penis. Is your boy older? Do you check for penis plugs as well if he is?


No, I have no clue why it happened and he is not neutered, but I am wondering if there is some sort of a chronic component to it...

Last night when this happened he began arching his back and keeping his pelvis tilted, I think in an attempt to keep his penis from dragging when he walked. But I have noticed him walking like that (except a little less pronounced) lately, and I kept picking him up to palpate for tumors in his groin, etc, and seeing nothing. No prolapse then but I wonder if he could feel something going on that would eventually be the cause of the prolapse last night?

The world may never know! But it stayed in overnight and he is a lot more comfortable now, so thanks for your help!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I would check for a penis plug, they can cause serious health issues if he is unable to remove it.


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