Some of this will apply to other animals but this post has been written about degus
What is a prolapsed penis: This is when the penis gets gets stuck outside of the cone, how much of the penis gets stuck can vary. If you don’t know what is meant by cone check out this post on how to sex degus.
Why is it a problem: A degu’s penis is designed to be stored internally, if stuck outside it increases the risk of it getting injured or infected. The end of the cone will also cut off the blood supply to the part of the penis stuck outside. An infection can lead to trouble urinating which could cause a kidney infection.
What could cause this:
– straining to urinate, possibly due to a UTI or kidney stones
– a foreign object getting stuck within the cone
– an ulcer in the cone/on the penis
– a fur ring – this is when fur gets wrapped around the penis and prevents it from being retracted (this is more likely in chinchillas than degus due to the difference in fur)
What needs to be done: The degu should be taken to a vet to investigate and treat the cause of the prolapsed penis. Hopefully it will be a case of removing the foreign object or fur from the penis, some antibiotics to help the swelling go down and the degu should recover well, however if the cause is more serious, for example kidney stones, then surgery will be required.
Photo of a healthy cone and a prolapsed penis under the cut for those who don’t want to see it on their dash.
Silly Degu 