rectal prolapse in dogs, fortunately, is not a very common problem, but there are situations in which it can occur and, therefore, it is convenient to know what it consists of, what are the signs that identify it and, above all, how we should act in the event of an anorectal prolapse.
We will explain all this in this article on our site. A rapid intervention is key to avoiding complications that can end up causing considerable damage to our dog.
My dog's anus has come out
Observing that something other than feces protrudes from our dog's anus is a situation that causes great alarm in any caregiver, especially if he thinks that it is an internal organ, generally the intestines. In fact, it is very likely that we are dealing with what is known as rectal prolapse in dogs or anorectal prolapse, which is nothing more than a protrusion of tissue anorectal, that is, its exit to the outside of the body through the anus.
Generally this exit is produced as a result of some considerable effort, such as the one that the dog can make when defecating if he has a problem. This is what happens, for example, in cases of severe constipation or, on the contrary, diarrhea, fecal impaction, anorectal obstruction or obstruction in the bladder. This type of prolapse can also occur in female dogs during pregnancy or childbirth
Depending on the tissue that is exteriorized, there will be several types of prolapse. Thus, the mucosal prolapse will be the mildest, because it is limited only to the lining of the anal canal. On the other hand, the complete prolapse is more serious, when a segment of the rectum of more or less centimeters in length protrudes to the outside.
Rectal prolapse symptoms in dogs
In mucosal prolapse what we can see coming out of the anus will be a kind of donut formed by a ring of tissue that will be inflamed and flushed. At this point it should be clarified that, although some caregivers confuse this prolapse with hemorrhoids in dogs, the truth is that dogs do not have hemorrhoids as we know them in humans.
In cases of complete prolapse a reddened or pinkish cylindrical mass appears. These are emergency situations in which we must go to the vet immediately, since the exposed tissue can suffer irreversible damage. The ideal would be to transport the dog to the clinic as soon as we notice the prolapse. We can wrap the outgoing tissue in gauze moistened with serum to make the trip. We should never try to introduce the prolapse ourselves.
Rectal prolapse in dogs, is there a cure?
Yes, it is possible to solve an anorectal prolapse The treatment will depend, in the first place, on the type of prolapse. Thus, in the mucosa, what we will have to do is solve the cause that has produced it, that is, reduce efforts when evacuating.
For that the first thing will be to identify this cause, hence the importance of going to the vet. In addition to the treatment for it, this professional can provide us with medication to soften stools and prescribe a highly digestible diet, at least until the problem is resolved.
Within home remedies we must be clear that they will not solve the prolapse by themselves, but they can help us recover. For example, we can give a teaspoon of olive oil to facilitate the evacuation of feces, make sure that the dog drinks enough water to be well hydrated, feed him homemade or wet food, etc. These are general guidelines that, of course, we will have to check with the vet
The treatment of complete prolapse, on the other hand, is somewhat more complex and it will be necessary to resort to surgery, which may be more or less complicated, as we will see in the next section.
How is the rectal prolapse operation in dogs?
To resolve a complete rectal prolapse, the veterinarian may resort to different surgical techniques depending on the situation. In the simplest cases, a quick solution to prevent the prolapse from recurring as soon as it is reduced is to make a temporary suture forming a kind of bag around the anus.
But, if we delay going to the vet, we run the risk that the prolapsed tissue, in contact with the outside, ends up necrosing, that is, the tissue dies when the irrigation is cut off. In these cases, the surgical intervention will be more complex because it will be necessary to eliminate the entire dead zone and suture the end of the intestine where it had to be cut.
