Successful recovery in cloacal prolapse in tortoise (Geochelone elegans)

A four-year-old female tortoise weighing 350 g was presented with a red-coloured oedematous mass protruding out of the cloaca, along with a history of anorexia and difficulty in passing faeces.It was affirmed to be cloacal prolapse.A therapeutic approach was planned accordingly.The patient was stabilized using analgesics, anti-inflammatories, and broad-spectrum antibiotics (Inj.enrofloxacin @10 mg/kg SC).The mass was well-lubricated with lignocaine jelly, gently pushed inside by digital manipulation, and guided via the use of a syringe cap.A purse string suture was applied around the peri cloacal vent rim.The suture was tight enough to prevent relapse without obstructing the normal passage of urine and stools.Rectal prolapse can be classified as either incomplete, i.e.where only the mucosal layer of the rectum is everted out, or complete, wherein all the layers are protruded outside the anus.