# Swollen penis - terrified, please help



## mauvecat (Jan 6, 2013)

Hi,
I have a beautiful 19 month old. Just today, I noticed that his penis was very swollen and red. It looks like it is leaking some kind of discharge, possibly blood. He is eating and exercising fine, and his urine appears normal. 

I'll be able to take him to the vet on wednesday, as the exotic vet works then. However, I'm terrified because I've heard horror stories about vets overdosing or prescribing lethal antibiotics that kill on the second dose. He had a general antibiotic (i forget the name) a year ago when he had bloody stool which cleared it up. 

So are there any antibiotics I need to know anything about/tell the vet to avoid? Will antibiotics shorten his lifespan? 

Could it be a UTI even if his urine was normal? Could it be something worse? If so, what are some diseases the symptoms fit? He's active and lean, 525g. 

Sorry to ask so much. I can't stop crying, looking at the poor guy. I adore small animals but the veterinary hit-and-miss approach is so worrying. I feel like he's just going to be prescribed an antibiotic regardless.

Do you guys have any experience with this? I keep his house very clean but I'm aware that he runs all night and gets covered in poop, and often decides to get under his fleece liner, pee all over the place and sleep in it for 8 hours before I can clean him! 
I've attached a photo that does him no credit, but he was wriggling terribly. 

Thank you so much.


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## Melanie G. (May 29, 2014)

Poor little guy.
I've always had really good experiences with vets. You can ask about the risks of any medications they want to try. I myself, haven't heard any horror stories about vets, but I'm sure there are some.
I don't really have a lot of suggestions as I've never come across this before. I would just try to keep him as clean as possible.
What kind of bedding are you using in his cage? Maybe that is bothering him?


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Look at it again a a few times at different times of the day and evening. Have a tissue ready to pat it and see if there really is blood. 

If no blood, this looks to me like he'es been having some boy time. That is what my Samson's looks like quite often when he first gets up in the evening and I know exactly what he'es been doing. :lol:


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## mauvecat (Jan 6, 2013)

Nancy said:


> Look at it again a a few times at different times of the day and evening. Have a tissue ready to pat it and see if there really is blood.
> 
> If no blood, this looks to me like he'es been having some boy time. That is what my Samson's looks like quite often when he first gets up in the evening and I know exactly what he'es been doing. :lol:


I checked him this morning and it looks sore but not damp at all. Thanks for putting my mind at rest! Haha, he does often partake in boy time. You never know what gets stuck on them as Albert is covered in poop pretty much every morning (I give him gentle stomach baths daily but there's no way around it).


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

mauvecat said:


> I checked him this morning and it looks sore but not damp at all. Thanks for putting my mind at rest! Haha, he does often partake in boy time. You never know what gets stuck on them as Albert is covered in poop pretty much every morning (I give him gentle stomach baths daily but there's no way around it).


Keep an eye on it, but it very likely is from boy time. If you have him out for a few hours in the evening, it should start to look not as irritated. These silly boys. :lol:


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## Melanie G. (May 29, 2014)

I had no idea male hedgehogs did this! I've had one male in the past and never noticed.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Melanie G. said:


> I had no idea male hedgehogs did this! I've had one male in the past and never noticed.


I've had a lot of boys whose favourite pastime was pleasuring themselves, but very few are that rough on themselves.


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