Copulatory Gland

[stuffs2936]

I am trying to understand all ramifications, things to watch for, treatment, etc. regarding any mal-function of the copulatory gland in male squirrels. In a nine year old male squirrel I can palpate two small marble size nodules under his tail equally spaced left and right.

My understanding is male squirrels take care of the functioning / disfunctioning of these pretty much on their own.

These nodules seem relatively solid and hard and about 3/8 inch diameter. Is this normal? Can blockages occur with the secretion? Should they be massaged?

I ask this because there have been times when my little guy seems in discomfort or lethargic and after a few days back to normal. One of these times a vet massaged the area, but confessed he knew nothing about the function of the glands. The next day the behavior seemed more back to normal. Not sure if that was coincidental.

Any input on this will be greatly appreciated and thank you so much in advance.

[Trooper]

I had an in-depth research done on these glands, to the point of even having the chemical composition of the secretions delivered from these glands. My Trooper had these always hard as you noted, they felt like the size of a shelled hazelnut.

At some point in late November 2018, Trooper began to have an erratic behavior where he would suddenly "attack" his hind quarters, at the base of the tail and interpreting this as possible impacted copulatory glands, we took him to his vet and they lanced one of the glands in an attempt to express the contents. WRONG IDEA! Not much secretions came out. So then the vet pressed on the other gland, and it seemed to get less hard. So we thought we did something good for him.

Well, when Trooper got home, he excreted through his penis a spaghetti long string of the wax (have pictures and videos of the event). So what happened, the wax from the second gland got pushed into his urethra through the connecting canals that are used during copulation. By the next week, he had his glands as hard as before and the lanced one took forever to close up.

Later on we found out that his attacks to the base of his tail was severe arthritis and calcium spurs on his spine. If you do a search on the forum for "Trooper" or copulatory glands you will find some of my postings with photos and all. The moral of the story for me was: All the research I've done shows that rarely they need attention and they are always hard (on Trooper for 2778 days of his life).

Sad and devastatingly, Trooper passed away last March 10th. form complications of odontoma surgery.

Regards,

Trooper's dad

[stuffs2936]

Trooper's Dad, Thank you so much for that post. It is helpful in many ways.

I am so very sorry for your loss of Trooper. The more we fight to save the closer the bond and the more devastating the loss. I am sure it was a torturous experience and that the pain runs very deep in losing Trooper.

I am also facing Odontoma and live each day with the fear of what might be ahead.

Thank you again for sharing especially at this sad time for you,

Stuffs2936

[Diggie's Friend]

Recommend including Organic Styrian Pumpkin Seed Oil with your squirrel's diet.; This source has been found to support prostrate health in humans;

and though rodents have a different urogenital anatomy, this source has been used in the diet of older male tree squirrels to support their urogenital health. (See Toddy threads)

This source is organic grown in Oregon from Styrian pumpkin seeds; purest source on the Planet.

(1 to 2 drops daily depending on the subspecies/size of tree squirrel.)

https://www.amazon.com/Pumpkin-Seed-Oil-Grown-Oregon/dp/B07CRPJBYF/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_3?keywords=organic%2Bpumpkin%2Bs eed%2Boil%2Bcompany%2Boregon&qid=1553796065&s=gateway&sr=8-3-fkmrnull&th=1


Also recommend Liquid Pycnogenol extract by Organika; it supports health and energy levels in tree squirrels.

Daily Dose: (2 drops from a non needle milliliter 1 cc. syringe) (give one drop with AM meal & one drop with the PM meal.

Do not use the dropper to measure that comes with the bottle. https://villagevitaminstore.ca/products/org-liquid-pycnogenol

The price of the items is reasonable, yet shipping is 25.oo from Canada the only source presently available in the US.

Best to get more than one bottle: check with vender to confirm shipping cost.

[Trooper]

Hi Stuffs2936; thank you for the soothing thoughts. Yes, Trooper was like my Siamese TWIN, everything he did I noticed and all I was, he knew how to recognize. It is amazing to realize the fact that we do not need to solely interface with humans to understand another species completely, even when not a single word is ever uttered.

If your boy has odontoma, please have him seen sooner than later. Trooper died of complications from a very large odontoma on his left upper incisor, the size of a hazelnut shelled. It took Dr. Emerson in Florida several cuttings to extract it in 3 pieces. Perhaps the extensive and invasive surgery he had, may have caused a blood clot that lodged in his brain or lungs and he had a stroke as he laid in my hands. Another TSB member was with me at that time and she administered mouth to mouth while I gave heart massage and epinephrine injections, but it was too late.

I don't mean to scare you, but my message with this short recollection is; I believe in my heart that if I had him in surgery 6 or even 12 months earlier, his surgery would have been simpler and less invasive and perhaps (one can never tell) the clot would have not been an issue. If you love your boy, do whatever you can to take him to Dr. Emerson ASAP. I drove 3,100 miles from San Francisco to Daytona in 3 days to see her.

Good luck or PM me if you need more info.

Trooper's dad

[stuffs2936]

Thanks for the continued insight Trooper's Dad,

My Boyz was evaluated about 4 months ago thinking we were dealing with an abscess. It was then that we discovered the odontomas. In fact we did have an abscess in the lower jaw which was drained and treated. The abscess returned recently and upon evaluation a loose tooth was discovered and extricated and the abscess drained and medicated. The good news is that looking at comparison x-rays there appears to be no increase in growth with the odontoma. His breathing also seems fine.

This recent situation of appetite loss might be from the antibiotic used for the abscess. I will know soon as the abscess has been brought under control and the antibiotic stopped.

One thing of concern is that his eyes seem strange. The vet today was also a bit confused by this. They appear to almost be bulging as if too much air in a beach ball. So we are in a see what happens mode but I am concerned about this. Pupil response seemed a little slow in the vet's opinion. Please let me know if you have any ideas on the eyes.

Regarding the odontoma, it seems to be a very risky procedure under the best of circumstances and I realize if they are ones that continue to grow then a removal attempt is the only option. My plan is to monitor his breathing and re-check the x-rays in 4 to 6 months.

Now if the eye condition is somehow linked to the odontoma then I fear for the outcome.

I have beat myself up countless times over many years with many creatures second guessing the "to dos" or the "not to dos". Sometimes we each must choose a path that seems in the best interest of the helpless we love. I am sure the intensity in which you fought for Trooper's life was off the charts. The love, connection, and bond you shared with Trooper will be indelible, an experience many people never know. Sadly that also translates to a far greater pain when the battle is lost. I, personally, believe a bond like that is carried into eternity. I know it doesn't stop the pain now, and I hope you can find comfort in the great love and please don't second guess any decisions made. I know every trip I have made to a vet was filled with hope and taunted with torture. A 3100 mile trip must have been a emotional roller coaster.

stuffs2936 (stuffs was the named of a beloved African Grey that I fought an intense round the clock three month battle with PDD. She was my nucleus and when she died it created a vacuum in my life and the intensity of the fight resulted in a bought with PTSD six months later. Though nineteen years ago I keep her in my heart with screen names honoring her.)