Sperm Plug Pain?

[Mowgli1394]

So… earlier this week I was at the vet for a check up and let the vet know I think Mowgli had a sperm plug. He took him to another room and removed it. When he came back he said it was a pretty big one, and that it was attached to his skin/scales, so when he pulled it out, some skin was removed with it.. when I saw it at the vet his skin around his vent looked pinkish and I don’t think he was ready to shed the skin there.

When I got home with him and put him back in his tank, he had a hard time resting his butt down and kept trying to hold it in the air.. looking visibly in pain. now I would like to trust my vet… he is an exotic vet (he is also a new vet, my old one no longer works there) but it’s now 5 days later and although he’s able to rest his butt down, sometimes when he is turning around and readjusting, his butt goes way in the air and a back leg will come up and he loses balance. He has never ever done this before the removed sperm plug……. He’s otherwise in good health, no signs of MBD, strong bones, diet - collards, mustards, turnips, dandelions, butternut squash as staples. Dubia roaches and superworms as staples.
One thing I’d mention is usually he goes to the bathroom once a week, and I have to soak him to get him to go. He hasn’t gone yet and I’ve tried soaking him twice and it’s day 9. I’m thinking he could be holding it in because of his vent, a sperm plug injury, or the skin around his vent is in pain? I can’t find anything about this online. Is it normal for there to be some discomfort after sperm plug removal, or because of his skin being removed? I thought about impaction, but the butt raising started happening as soon as we got home from the sperm plug removal. I’m so confused, and concerned. Any help is greatly appreciated. I will try to get ahold of my vet but curious if others have any idea what’s going on here.
Thank you!

 

[Mowgli1394]

Here’s a pic of him raising his booty. Not resting it. I can get a pic of his vent tomorrow morning too. I also tried gently applying pressure at the base of his tail where his hemipenis would be and he didn’t seem like it hurt. It was a little alarming the way he would raise his leg and lose balance when repositioning.

 

[xp29]

Here’s a pic of him raising his booty. Not resting it. I can get a pic of his vent tomorrow morning too. I also tried gently applying pressure at the base of his tail where his hemipenis would be and he didn’t seem like it hurt. It was a little alarming the way he would raise his leg and lose balance when repositioning.
View attachment 95966

The vet most likely injured him. Sperm plugs should not just be pulled out. It's best the soak them in a luke warm bath until they soften up.
I don't think I would let that vet anywhere near my beardie again. Honestly I'd probably be there right in his face giving him an education.
As far as your boy you can dab some raw unpasteurized honey or some Manuka honey on his vent with a q-tip it will promote healing.

 

[Mowgli1394]

The vet most likely injured him. Sperm plugs should not just be pulled out. It's best the soak them in a luke warm bath until they soften up.
I don't think I would let that vet anywhere near my beardie again. Honestly I'd probably be there right in his face giving him an education.
As far as your boy you can dab some raw unpasteurized honey or some Manuka honey on his vent with a q-tip it will promote healing.

That’s what I thought….. it would’ve been better if I did it myself. I knew it should be soaked first. I’m curious how bad of an injury this is or if it will heal in time on its own, or be an issue down the road?
Thank you for replying.

 

[xp29]

That’s what I thought….. it would’ve been better if I did it myself. I knew it should be soaked first. I’m curious how bad of an injury this is or if it will heal in time on its own, or be an issue down the road?
Thank you for replying.

Your welcome
I couldn't begin to say how bad it is, I'd probably look for another vet to have a look at him. The honey should help sooth him though. It has to be unpasteurized to be effective though.

 

[AHBD]

I agree with xp29, the vet definitely hurt him. He should heal up O.K, the raw honey is an excellent anti microbial and anti inflammatory. Is his vent red and irritated looking ?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Oh poor thing, I am sure it doesn't feel good. If you said some skin came out then he definitely
injured him. It was not ready to come out & was attached to skin internally. It should heal up
but it is probably sore.
Do try the honey, that may help out some. You could try soaking him in some epsom salts a few
times per week. I hope he gets better soon.
He is a great looking handsome boy!

Tracie

 

[Mowgli1394]

I agree with xp29, the vet definitely hurt him. He should heal up O.K, the raw honey is an excellent anti microbial and anti inflammatory. Is his vent red and irritated looking ?

Thanks for the reply! I will get some unpasteurized honey today to soothe his skin. His vent actually looks much better now compared to the first couple days when it was pink. It looks like his normal skin color now. I haven’t noticed any unusual movements from him today yet, but he’s been pretty chill this morning. I also read that silkworms have an anti inflammatory property so I’m going to pick some up today. I’m hoping he will heal up ok, but I am going to call his vet Monday about what happened.

 

[Mowgli1394]

Hello,

Oh poor thing, I am sure it doesn't feel good. If you said some skin came out then he definitely
injured him. It was not ready to come out & was attached to skin internally. It should heal up
but it is probably sore.
Do try the honey, that may help out some. You could try soaking him in some epsom salts a few
times per week. I hope he gets better soon.
He is a great looking handsome boy!

Tracie

Thanks Tracie, that’s useful info. I didn’t know that about the skin not being ready if it was still attached. I have no idea if the vet knows that either. Thanks for your reassurance I will get some unpasteurized honey today and try the epsom salt bath. Mowgli thanks you too

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

You are welcome. He should heal up hopefully soon. Let us know how he is doing & how the honey
& epsom salt baths are helping for him.

Tracie

 

[Mowgli1394]

Hello,

You are welcome. He should heal up hopefully soon. Let us know how he is doing & how the honey
& epsom salt baths are helping for him.

Tracie

Hi Tracie I have an update for you..

So a couple days after I first posted this he was doing a lot better, didn’t seem to be in any visible pain. His vent area looked fine, just shedding a lot and pinkish.
but then a few days ago I noticed some discoloration around the area where the vet had pulled his skin off. At first it was yellowish looking and I started getting very worried it was yellow fungus. I sent a pic to my vet (a new vet) and she said she wasn’t convinced yet if it was yellow fungus but made note of it, told me to monitor it for changes and make an appointment if it gets worse. Just in case, I treated it with terbinafine and iodine.
Today, 2 days later, it’s more greyish in color, and has this area I can’t tell if it is missing scales, or if it is thickened over like yellow fungus. I’m not sure if you can tell from this photo, but I was curious if you have an opinion if this is just an area that is healing from the scales coming off too soon, or if you suspect yellow fungus. It does also make sense it’s healing since this is the area of his booty he kept lifting in the air.. but I figured I’d get another opinion.
Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[xp29]

Hi Tracie I have an update for you..

So a couple days after I first posted this he was doing a lot better, didn’t seem to be in any visible pain. His vent area looked fine, just shedding a lot and pinkish.
but then a few days ago I noticed some discoloration around the area where the vet had pulled his skin off. At first it was yellowish looking and I started getting very worried it was yellow fungus. I sent a pic to my vet (a new vet) and she said she wasn’t convinced yet if it was yellow fungus but made note of it, told me to monitor it for changes and make an appointment if it gets worse. Just in case, I treated it with terbinafine and iodine.
Today, 2 days later, it’s more greyish in color, and has this area I can’t tell if it is missing scales, or if it is thickened over like yellow fungus. I’m not sure if you can tell from this photo, but I was curious if you have an opinion if this is just an area that is healing from the scales coming off too soon, or if you suspect yellow fungus. It does also make sense it’s healing since this is the area of his booty he kept lifting in the air.. but I figured I’d get another opinion.
Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Poor little guy hopefully it isn't any serious

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

I don't think it is fungal, but scales healing up. Keep an eye on it though to be sure it doesn't get
worse. Try some raw unpasteurized honey on it for awhile, it is very effective in healing up. I hope
it gets better, that could not have been comfortable for him.
How is his appetite doing?

Tracie

 

[Mowgli1394]

Hey Tracie,
Thanks for reaching back out!
His appetite seems good, hasn’t been any changes. He still seems alert, not super energetic but that has stayed consistent with winter. I finally found some unpasteurized honey and just put some on it.
Today it looked pretty much the same, maybe a touch more yellow in some spots but it’s hard to tell a difference. But I’ll give an update how things progress.
Thanks again!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

You are very welcome!
That's great his appetite seems to be holding steady right now. During the winter, if they aren't brumating,
they will often times become more sluggish. I guess you can't blame them with colder weather.
I'm glad you found some raw unpasteurized honey to use, I hope that it helps out. It takes some time to
clear up spots on their scales but keep trying!

Tracie