Guinea Lynx A Medical and Care Guide for Guinea Pigs

CASE STUDY: CLARK'S PENIS

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NON-RETRACTING PENIS RESTRAINED BY LOOSE STITCHES

Clark's unusual condition (necrosis of an exposed part of the penis) required removal of dead tissue and stitches to keep the penis retracted.
Thanks to Amy and her veterinary team for the photographs.

1 - Clark's penis, elongated for a clear idea of what the vet would be working with.

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2 - Without any manipulation, this was how his penis looked the majority of the time, once the necrotic piece was removed. The yellow gunk was debris and such, accumulated from having the penis exposed (per the vet).

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3 - A clear shot of the penis without the necrotic tip which added about 1/4 inch.

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4 - The first stitch in an attempt to close the opening and prevent the sheath and penis from expanding outward. You can see that the neutering was completed first.

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5 - Continuation of the stitching process

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6 - Finding the right tension for the stitch proved to be a challenge; in fact the Vet had to redo it 3 times. The objective was to keep the penis in but allow Clark to pee normally.

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7 - The completed stitch is an X shape; while it looks reasonably tight in this picture, it was actually loose. The penis stayed inside for the first 3 days post-surgery, then required reinsertion several times during the next 12 days. This was accomplished by first applying antibiotic cream, then gently reinserting with a q tip.

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Amy writes 11/20/2006: "Nine months later, Clark's penis continues to stay healthy and inside. It does seem to affect his peeing a little in that he ends up dribbling on himself often. This has resulted in mild urine scald which is being treated with cream. Clark is a happy, calm piggy these days." Original Thread

Related problem: Thread by Rachelm (penis injury)

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