Prolapsed Cloaca

Eight weeks ago i got three Kweichowensis, all seem in good condition and two ate from my hand from day one, the other is a little shy but will eat, just not as much as the others. Four weeks later i got another pair to add to the group, these two arrived with typical sores we've seen too often with tylototriton. Happily though, these sores seem to have almost gone after treating with Colistin sulphate! Today however i came to clean out the animals (as i do daily) and found the shy/picky eater from the original three has a prolapsed cloaca!.....does anyone have experience with this in newts?

This animal seems almost fully healed now and it's appetite has returned big time!

That's one good looking newt you've got there Andy! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the other newts think so too

i have experience with it in mice, lizards and frogs, it can result from parasites (i have seen pics of this in children that would scare people)or from over straining. normal procedure is just to lube it up and poke it back in (petrolium jelly is used) it is not seen as a serious condition, if its corrected soon it wont effect their long term health-the only way it threatens health is if it isnt taken care of soon. the cause of the prolapse should be found though -did you see anything on it that may have aggravated it? (like visible parasites?) google the topic and you will see and learn a lot!

What Paris speaks of can occur with many species including humans. I have seen prolapsed rectums, uterus, etc. But I would caution you on reducing it down (manually pushing it back in) unless you know what your doing. I would also caution you using a petroleum base product to do this. I would think a lubricating jelly (KY) that is made from water or even using plain water itself would be safer. Ice and water may also work, because it vasoconstricts the engorged blood vessels. This would be an emergency situation, if the tissue is becoming strangulated and loosing blood supply. Then you would see tissue necrosis and death. I would also try to find the cause. Is there a blockage or obstruction. I have not personally experience this with my newts. I am curious what others say that have had experience with this.

i guess i should correct myself a bit there-usually after cleaning off the prolapse cloaca/rectum then lubricating it -it will usually invert back by itself. just make sure the animal is comfortable on a plain surface-so the inversion will not drag debris from the substrate back in with it, or stick to the lubricant. in all 3 cases i have dealt with (also including prolapse penises in mice) were all animal ones and petrolium jelly was what i had handy for the occasion -KY would be better though.
from my experience the longer it is exposed outside the body the more aggrivated and swollen it will get, and this will swell and pull more out to get irritated, the sooner the better to clean it off and relieve external irritation factors.

(Message edited by paris on December 17, 2005)

Interesting Paris. Do you think the tissues were "stuck" together? a local infection or irritation could cause this (parasites). I have never delt with animal prolaspes, just humans. In humans it is from weak muscle structures. I guess if you take care of it quickly, then the chances of swelling and engorgment of the tissue would be less likely. I'm speculating.
You never cease to amaze me on what you've experienced! I also look forward to your neat ideas and ways to stretch the dollar!
Big Al

well first experience was about 7 years ago, and the was with a frog-when i went to the vet she cleaned it off, then with a cotton swab with some lubricant on it swirled around the prolapse and helped nudge it in. there was a big jump to my next experiences with it-these were in mice, and with them i just did what she did. you can usually tell in mice and lizards-ie things that walk-when its happened by a change in the animals behaviour, they get real jerky lunging movements, and in the case of mice, lots of grooming. i had it happen with my tegu-he kept lunging around the cage and hissing-woke me up-so i checked him out and his cloaca was more than an inch extended out and dry and his substrate was cyprus mulch-so he was definitely sore! with him i just rubbed in some jelly all around the prolapse and it went in by itself. in none of these cases i saw parasites (the mice were lab mice so no chance there) but the frog had been treated before for parasite issues.

Thanks for the concern guys. The animal is fine now though(i posted the original post a month ago) in fact it's healthier and eating more than ever before. It's in sterile conditions anyway and i gave it a course of anti biotic baths in very cold water. It's happened from straining, this animal has never produced good stools in the few months i've had it, though this is not unusual in recent imports. The others are all producing healthier looking stools and this one that had prolapse isn't blocked as it has bowl movement.