Prolapsed rectum?

[TayS]

Hello everyone,

This morning I went about the typical duties of misting and feeding my chameleon. About an hour later I noticed that he was climbing up the branch from his usual pooing spot and I did see his feces and urates. Unfortunately, I also noticed a decent amount of blood on some leaves and that is when I saw this reddish translucent sack protruding from his vent. I did some research and it could be a prolapsed rectum or hemipenis but any feedback would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[KaijuVeiled]

SEE A VET IMMEDIATELY! It may be a pro lapsed rectum or a prolapse internal organ, this can be fatal! SEE A VET IMMEDIATELY!

 

[laurie]

That covers it. Vet ASAP

 

[kinyonga]

It's important to keep any of the tissues that are protruding moist until the vet sees it as well. K-Y jelly is the recommended "moisturizer" for that.

 

[zlew]

Could you also use petroleum jelly? Petroleum seems deterrent to me, and haven't had a need for it yet, but I have it in my house. What about aquaphor?

 

[kinyonga]

My vet told me NOT to use petroleum jelly.

 

[KaijuVeiled]

So then use KY.

 

[jajeanpierre]

This is a lot more than just a prolapse. You should be able to put a prolapse back in using warm water and maybe KY. Something else is going on. Any prolapses I've ever dealt with have never bled. Has he eaten anything sharp?

 

[kinyonga]

He may have rubbed it on a branch.

 

[TayS]

I don't believe he has eaten anything sharp but he is quite distressed. He keeps rubbing it all over the branches trying to get it off which seems to be the cause of the bleeding. He also keeps contracting his stomach trying to push out what I assume to be more feces/urates. I tried the cold water and sugar bath but nothing changed...

 

[kinyonga]

He needs to go to a vet ASAP if you want him to survive. In the meantime to stop him from ripping it more open I would put him in a container with a towel at the bottom and nothing sharp he can rub it on....and keep the K-Y jelly on it. You need a vet to put it back in, treat him with an antibiotic and watch for fungal infection too since it's been rubbed on branches IMHO.

 

[pamnsam94]

Here's a link you might find helpful: https://www.chameleonforums.com/prolapse-any-help-would-great-134915/

The general consensus, and it's a good one, is that you should take him to a vet asap. However, the main thing I'll say is that whatever you decide, action should be taken quickly.

If you choose to go to a vet, just realize that some have much more experience with chameleons, and reptiles in general, than do others. Also realize that there are no guarantees. What a vet does, as well as what you may try on your own, may or may not work.

Part way down in the thread I provided a link to, you'll read about an experience that I had. What I did, likely, will only work sometimes. However, if you don't feel comfortable trying, for whatever reason, something like I did, or even know how to firmly secure a chameleon in your hands then definitely go to a vet.

If one of my kids gets sick, my wife and I will always have a judgement call to make as to weather or not to bring them to the doctor. In the same way, I'm not going to say you should definitely go to the vet.

In the end, of course, you'll have to decide for yourself whether you think you can get the intestinal prolapse back inside, something any vet should be able to do, with or without surgery. Also, for anyone that might possibly try putting a prolapsed intestine back inside, it should go without saying that you should first be able to identify exact what it is that is protruding out of the cloaca.

It's very important to note that I had the benefit of watching my vet put a prolapse back inside. I wouldn't have attempted it had I not seen it done. It was much easier than I thought it would be though. Bottom line, if you've never seen it done before, then I would definitely agree with the others here that you should get your chameleon to a vet as soon as possible. Even though there have been reports of prolapses resolving on their own in mild cases, going back inside, if you don't want to take any chances, personally, I wouldn't risk not taking any action. In the prolapses I've experienced with a few of my chameleons, none of them went back in on their own, but they were protruding quite a bit more that what I'm seeing in your pics.

Finally, I'll only add that I would try to find a vet that has experience with chameleons. What my one positive outcome with an intestinal prolapse in one of my chameleons has taught me was simply that stitches are not always necessary. That is as long as you are prepared to get the intestine back inside, without delay, should the prolapse reoccur, which they often do. I may need correction on my view and I'm prepared to take criticism. I'm not a vet after-all, although I do have a friend who is one.

Perry