Many of you read my recent post about my boy glider who had the condition where the penis will not retract. It turned purple over the weekend and yesterday, it turned black. It didn't seemed to matter how much KY I put on it or how often. He was dragging his abdomen across the cage bedding trying to get it off. So I took him into the vet today and he will have his operation tomorrow. I was wondering if anyone else has dealt with this problem and how their gliders did with it. My boy has been neutered for a while now. So he doesn't really use it. But I wonder if it's absense will cause any psychological damage. He has been in an e-collar for almost two weeks now and he's miserable. I just want him to feel better so he can get out of that thing and go back in his cage with the girls. They are all a little depressed. How do the gliders do in this sort of surgery and what is the recovery period like?

There have been a few glider's that have had their penis amputated. Hopefully, their humans will be along soon to answer your questions. Poor little guy.

Karin

Erin,
We have one that has had a penis amputation. I think you met him, Scooter. He had some problems urinating after the surgery and had a urinary cathater placed temperarally. Please let us know how he does and if you need anything. I will be gone this weekend but you can still reach me on my cell. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your baby.
Angie

My glider had a partial penis amputation (meaning amputated at the fork) performed about three years ago and was neutered at the same time. He did farily well.

Most important for him was to be made as comfortable as possible. The gliders are often already stressed from being in a collar nd the injury...and the surgery and seperation from cagemates can make that worse. I know for me that included a lot of sleepless nights holding him, handfeeding, and giving him and his cagemate supervised time to see eachother.

Also - be sure to discuss the procedure very closely with your vet - and get pain meds. My glider was comfortable and did not try to get to the site so long as pain meds were given at regular intervals.

After the surgery - he did initiaily have some issues with straining while defecating. My vet wasn't sure whether that was due to scar tissue or just discomfort around the cloaca. However, since healing, I have not had any other problems with him and he is just as sweet and cuddly as before the surgery.

One additional thought -- make sure the surgery is absolutely necessary. Discuss all options with your vet and get a second (or third) referall until you are totally comfortable with the decision you and your vet reach and the capabilities of your vet to both perform the surgery AND be there for any after-care that may be needed.

Good luck

Erin,
Any updates? I have been really concerned. I am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. Please give him a kiss from me.
Angie

this is just aweful what in the world causes such things? God I hope I never have to deal with some thing like this. It terifies me just seeing so many people say they too have had a glider that had to have it's thingy removed. OUCH! Poor thing. I'm so sorry to hear of your troubles. I wish I could help you and your sweetie. Where are you located at? Maybe your sweetie would enjoy a new toys to play with and the girls too. let me know ok. And let me know what caused it. I think I remember seeing you post about it before was it a UTI? wow I really hope your sweetie gets better soon.

Cecil is still at the vet. Dr. Effie decided to keep him overnight. She's putting him on pain meds, continuing the Baytril and giving him Prozac so he hopefully won't get depressed and quit eating. Some of his penis had to be removed. She put the remainder back inside and did a loose stitch to keep it there until the swelling goes down but not so tight it prevents him from defacating. She told me that there is about a 75% chance he may have to be euthanized. I am so sad. I had this poor sweet little one dumped on me and I've done everthing I could to make sure the rest of his life was happy. I just didn't anticipate that it could be so short. Prayers welcome.

They thought it might be a UTI or a gastric problem but none of those things were the cause. She can't find a cause. That's what's so frustrating. I really hope he is OK. Poor little guy.

Oh No I pray not! Oh I am praying NOW for you and your glider that he will be ok. Oh my please tell me who did you get this glider from? Some one needs to be smacked for doing this to that poor baby. Sorry it just tee's me off to see animals hurt and mistreated. But you need to remember that you are doing all you can for this little guy and it's out of your hands now. It's up to the Dr. to try to save him, and up to God. All we can do is PRAY. I know some people don't believe in prayers but I do and I feel with enough people praying together that things can and will happen.

"Dear Lord I ask for you to watch over our friend ErinA
& Cecil and I ask that you please help them get through this tough time. Please Lord help this poor sick creature you created to get well and to stand strong by his glider slaves side. I ask Lord that you help ErinA with her financial troubles as well and see that she gets the things she needs to help this poor sweet glider. Lord let her know she is not alone, that her friends near & far stand by her. Lord if this be thy will then I ask let thy will be done.
Amen

Thank You.

Is it really common for male gliders to have problems with the reatrction of their penis???

The Penis has two shafts that look like a forked road. I do know that one shaft of the penis can be taken off and the other left intact. Stacey Jolley has a male that this happened to and he continued to breed. It actually happened before she owned it. I know the same thing happened to Anita with Sweetgliders. The male lived on to a healthy life, but if you can retain the other shaft I would imagine there would be less chance of scar tissue to form.

Erin, how is Cecil doing today? Please update us when you can!

Sad Sad day for me. I was getting ready to go get him from the vets office this morning when Dr. Effie called and said he had died. She said she didn't really understand it. HE was eating well last night and was active and bright eyed. When she came in this morning, she said he was docile and generally unwell looking. So they gave him sub-q fluids and put him on a heating pad. She said when she came back a short while later, he had died.
Cecil came to me when he was abandoned by a former owner. He was my first glider. I noticed how stressed he seemed and how hostile he was when anyone tried to handle him. So I started reading, bonding, and correcting his died. Within weeks, he was a different animal. I got him my two girls to play with and a big cage. I take comfort in knowing that his last few months were his best. The girls and I will really miss him

I'm so sorry

*comfort*


:(( I am so sad right now and he's not even my glider.

Gosh I am so sorry

:((
I don't know what to say, only that I know that he was meant to be in your life. His soul found yours so that way he could know love and comfort from a truly good person. I can only hope that I am as good of a glider mommy as you.

I'm sorry

Christa

I am SOOOOOO sorry sweetie oh my goodness I couldn't believe it when i checked my email and seen what happened. I cried for you and for him. Although he no longer has to suffer now I can feel your pain. I am so so sorry this had to happen for you I don't think any thing any one can say or do will make the pain go away but I have been praying for him. If there is any thing we can do for you please let us all know. If your girls need any thing let me know I would be happy to do all I can. I was just telling my husband about what you are going through and he even cried thinking about it he said he could never be so strong. God bless you sweetie and I hope soon things will look up for you.

Oh Erin! I am so sorry...I have been praying and praying that Cecil would recover fromt this. My thoughts and prayers are with you, Beth and the girls. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you with.
((((hugs)))))
Angie

So sorry for your loss.

I'm so sorry Erin!! s

You guys are all so sweet. I just want to thank each of you for making one of the hardest day's I've had in a long time a little bit easier. Thank you as well for being here for support, advice, and guidance. There were so many times I had questions about how to help this little guy. Every one of you have helped to make his little life a little sweeter. He helped to make my life a little sweeter. Thank you a thousand times for all you do.
I only hope he didn't depart from this world feeling like the only person he ever trusted had abandoned him while he was in pain in a strange place with strange faces and sounds. It breaks my heart that I didn't even get to say goodbye.
Cecil was a wonderful little animal. He was so tiny but did so much good. He came to me during a very difficult time in my life. He gave me something to smile about and someone to help. Because of him, sugar gliders everywhere are better off because he forced me to educate myself and now to educate others. He taught everyone who knew him a lesson in forgiveness. He was so mistreated by people and even by me at first out of ignorance. He was able to forget all that and trust people again. Even though he was so small and we are all so big. Animals really do make people better.
Thank you Cecil for teaching us all to love more willingly.

Erin, I am so sorry for your loss. Your tribute to little Cecil is glorious. He died with the memory of you wrapped around him like a warm comforter, feeling the love he knows you felt for him. He didn't die alone or feeling abandoned.

I believe animals know what is in our hearts. They know when we do things that seem cruel that we are in fact reaching out with love to help them. Little Cecil knew this, in his e-collar, during his surgery, and while at the vet's office.

You did everything you could. I pray your heart continues to heal with time. Give your little girls extra hugs and kisses.

I'm so sorry to hear about your little one.

One of the things I've learned with the SMs (mutilation that often involves at least partial amputation of penile tissue in males) is if you don't know what's wrong (or can't find it), treat for EVERYTHING. We've used a combo of Clindamycin, Flagyl (metronidazole), and either Baytril or Clavamox to cover as broad a spectrum as possible (3 meds total). Riker lost the tip of 1 end of a fork when he SMed. This is just for future reference, and dosage must be calculated by the vet based on weight of the glider.

We've also had good luck with Butorphanol with valium suspension to help reduce anxiety and treat pain at the same time.

I'm SO sorry for your loss.

I've had internet access problems, plus sick rescues of my own, so haven't been on a lot-but you're welcome to call (siggy)-just leave a message-we've had a lot of telemarketers.

Chronos is my concern right now, as he's jaundiced, and going to the vet first thing in the AM...Clotho and Lyah have been the last couple weeks. I've decided this will be Chronos' if he doesn't make it, and would like to share it with you for your little guy at the Bridge (where I have 7 others....)

Based on "Losing My Religion"...R.E.M (only minor changes)


Oh life is bigger
It's bigger than you, and you are not me
The lengths that I will go to
The distance in your eyes
Oh, no I've said too much...
I've set it up...

That's me in the corner
That's me in the spot light losing my religion...
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh, no I've done too much
I haven't done enough....

I thought that I heard you barking...
I thought that I heard you chirp...
I think I thought I saw you try....

Every Whisper...
Of every waking hour, I'm
Choosing my confessions
Trying to keep an eye on you
Like a hurt, lost, and blinded fool
Oh no, I've done too much

I set it up

Consider this
Consider this the hint...of the century
Consder this
The slip that brought me
To my knees, failed
What if all these things
Come flailing around
Now I've said too much

I though that I heard you barking
I thought that I heard you chirp
I think I thought I saw you try...
But that was just a dream...
Just a dream...

That's me in the corner
That's me in the spot light
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no I've done too much....

I haven't done enough....

I though that I heard you barking
I thought that I heard you chirp
I think I thought I saw you try...
That was just a dream...

Try Cry Fly Cry
But that was just a dream, just a dream
just a dream, dream

ErinA, I am so sorry. How are you and the girls??

Jen..That is beautiful. I love that song and now I will think of both of your babies when I hear it. Let us know how Chronos is doing.

s for both of you.