Prolapses, what are the causes?

[hunterk997]

I've been surfing on the forum for a while now and have come across a thing called a "prolapse." And it just got me worried. What causes these usually? It just worries me of the results of them and how threatening they apparently can be... Is this something to worry about or does it rarely happen?

 

[sibi]

Prolapses happen when a tort is impacted with stones, eggs, or cannot pass fecal matter due to dehydration. As the tort struggles to pass the matter and strains itself, the inner intestines can come out, or the reproductive organ can come out resulting in a prolapse. It's important to identify what organ is exposed and to keep it wet until the organ can be reinserted. Often, the tissue dies if not preserved properly and would have to be surgically removed. If dead tissue is reinserted, infection will set in resulting in death. This problem happens more often than I'd like to think, but prevention is worth it's weight in gold. Keeping your tort well hydrated is vital in preventing prolepses. Keeping torts away from small stones that they can eat and cause impaction. Sometimes, there's nothing we can do to prevent a prolapse from happening. All we can do is learn what can be done to minimize the impact of the injury and get a good vet who can perform surgery to save its life.

 

[Yvonne G]

Also caused by a heavy parasite load.