Objectives: To review the types of cloacal prolapses seen in reptiles and to investigate potential risk factors which may be associated with the presence of a cloacal prolapse.
Method: Retrospective review of medical records of all reptile cases evaluated at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies between 1999 and 2013; only cases which had a history of cloacal prolapse were included in the study.
Results: Prolapses were identified in 56 of 3019 (1·9%) reptiles examined over the study period. Prolapses were 3·47 times as likely in chelonians and lizards compared to snakes. There were no statistically significant differences between the prevalence of prolapses in males and females. Females were 7·5 times more likely to present with a true cloacal prolapse involving no other organs compared to males, and were 4·83 times more likely to present with a prolapse of the colon.
Clinical significance: These results suggest that cloacal prolapses are not a common occurrence but that species and sex may both influence the prevalence and type of cases seen.
© 2014 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.