# nestling had rectum prolapse/



## Rocky17 (Mar 23, 2005)

We had a nestling with what looked like a prolapsed rectum. It would push and push and only be able to pass a small amount of feces. It's rectum protruded so much that it looked inflamed and when we examined it, it was raw and a little bloody. When this poor baby would push it would shiver and make peeping sounds. It died yesterday. Has anyone seen this before? We took a couple of pictures if that might help. Does anyone know what causes this? After the baby died we cut into it and found a large mass of solid whiteish stuff.Thanks, Marie


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I am so sorry! 

In pigeons the fecal matter and the eggs are all emptied into the cloaca (the word comes from the Latin word for sewer) which then expels its contents through the vent. 

Anything that causes straining can stretch or tear the support structures of the cloaca and it can collapse, but it would look very bloody if that happened. I am not certain but I expect that a partial prolapse can also happen under strain.

I wonder whether the cause was a congenital deformity and/or a combination of muscular weakness/paralysis in that area and impacted poops? 

Pigifan found a paralysed pigeon with a lump in the cloacal area, his or her poops were a white dribble towards the end. We suspected egg binding but she died and on being cut open he found a solid fecal mass.

It is impossible to tell whether any treatment would have worked, but calcium strengthens the muscles and liquid parafin (I think you call it mineral oil) passes through the body without being absorbed so a small dose might provide the lubrication necessary to clear any impaction. I would try that approach if you come across that problem again, it might not work but it would not harm a pigeon.

Cynthia


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Did the "solid whiteish stuff" have a color that kinda' resembled scrambled eggs? There is a form of canker called "navel canker" where the young chicks get the Trichomonads in their unhealed navels very early on. Within a few days up to a couple of weeks, the typical cheesy growth occurs in the abdominal cavity and will kill the bird. You have to catch it somewhat early but you can feel a hard knot in the abdominal region from that. I have a bird that had that and I found it early on and treated it. He's fine today as near as I can tell.

Pidgey


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Good thinking Pidgey! 

They also get canker of the cloaca (the trich follows the digestive tract). I have never seen it myself but I have a picture I can scan and send you Rockie, if you like, so that you can compare.

Cynthia


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## Rocky17 (Mar 23, 2005)

*prolapsed rectum???*

Thanks to you all for responding. The white stuff we found was white and it came apart in chunks, sort of like an eraser but not as hard . It wasn't feces. There was a mass about the size of my thumb. The baby was doing a whole lot of pushing, and when it did this it shivered and peeped so we know it was in pain. Please send pictures and I will see if my friend can get a digital picture on here so yall can see. Thanks again. Marie


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

That sounds more like dried or reduced urates. Perhaps there was a defect that allowed some or all of the urine to pass into the abdominal cavity or somewhere else. Normally, a bird's system is designed to conserve water by way of the urine flowing retrograde into what passes for the large intestine in us. The water is sucked out, leaving the white urate crystals which is the white that you see in normal poops. When liquids get into the abdominal cavity in birds, they tend to get ossified and also dried down. Just a theory--it'd take a necropsy and/or lab on the stuff that you're talking about to be sure.

Pidgey


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