PLEASE HELP!! I AM NEW WITH A HUGE PROBLEM!!

Hello. I was frantically looking online for help with a terrible problem and came across your site. I don't have salamanders or newts I have Green Iguanas. One of my girls has prolapsed her cloaca and I have been reinserting it now for the past 2 or 3 days, I've lost count I am So upset here. The Vet told me it would cost $3000. for her to have surgery to repair it. I can't afford that. So I am doing the best I can here. I do get it back in and UP but then in a few hours she pushes it out again. Last few times I put a large band-aid over her vent then wrapped some gauze around her back legs and under her tail partially covering the vent so if she had to pee or poop it could come out but she is still pushing.

I read in here in one of the threads about this. someone said it can be straightened or affixed with a cotton 'Bud'. I have no idea what a cotton bud is. Can someone translate? I am in America and I think it May be a Q-Tip but I am not sure. Any help would be appreciated. I Love my girl and I want to save her if possible.

I don't think there is a single person here that can truly help you besides telling you to find a vet. Prolapse is a serious issue and needs true medical intervention. The prolapse may be a symptom of a deeper medical problem (egg binding, constipation, impaction, etc.) and treating the prolapse itself will not solve the problem. It is only a matter of time before the cloaca becomes infected or the internal issues progress to an irreversible state. Try to find a veterinarian you can work with, but make sure he knows what he is doing!

I have made a dozen calls in the past 2 days to vets. The last vet I talked to said she MAY survive this if I keep it moist and clean and just keep inserting it back in when it comes out. Telling me to find a vet is a moot point, there IS no vet within a hundred miles that can help me short of the money for the surgery which I can't afford so telling me that doesn't help me. My hands are tied. I just asked the question what is a cotton bud but I found out it IS a Q-Tip. AND the reason this happened was because she layed 40 eggs within a 3 hour period and the last 4 got stuck in the oviduct and the whole thing came out. I had to cut the remaining 4 stuck eggs OUT of the oviduct. I reinserted that and it did stay after 2 attempts. There was very little blood. A few little specks from the incisions. Her cloaca is what keeps presenting itself. But each time I reinsert it it takes longer to come out and less does come out each time. DARN!! I wish I went to veteranary School!!

(Message edited by jeanway on January 27, 2007)

Lida, this is indeed, the wrong forum for help on iguanas and to discuss non-amphibian issues.

A quick search on google, found several fourms and sites for green iguanas, here is a few:

experts you can mail
http://www.greenigsociety.org/aboutGIS.htm

and there is a message board there if you want to post.

http://members2.boardhost.com/greenigsociety/?969835798.htm

I do hope that you find the information in the green iguana site to make an informed decision as to what to do. Prolapse is never fun, and sounds like the vet bills will be very high.

If other people have suggestion, please contact Lida by private messaging.

I really have to lock this thread and I will be moving it to the help section in the next few days.