Olive - Impaction? Prolapse?

[OliveAlaska]

Hello! We have had Olive for over a year now and it has been an adventure! She went into brumation for a couple months and is back to eating like a tiny tank.

But recently she has been pooping 2-3 times per day, peeing 1-2 times, and we have seen her straining to push something out anyway. She rears up on her front legs, almost like she's stretching on the tips of her claws, and a reddish-pink thing comes out about 1/2 inch from her butt. It always goes back in. We're certain she's a girl - her shell is almost 7 inches from front to back. So if it's not a pens, could she have ingested her substrate and be trying to push it out? We use Forest Floor (limited options locally in Alaska). Her behavior is otherwise completely normal.

I will try to get a photo or video. I had one but then my phone broke, switched to a loaner (where i took the video), and promptly forgot I had the video before wiping the loaner phone clean.

For reference, she has a long tail NOT curved to the side.

 

[Yvonne G]

You're going to have to start referring to Olive as he, him. Looks like he's putting out his penis. But to be sure, let me see his tail.

 

[Yvonne G]

. . . female Russians have a very short, stubby tail.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

It does sound like you might have a boy.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I agree with above but I’d definitely be curious to see some photos to confirm, hopefully you can get some soon

 

[OliveAlaska]

Okay, so her tail isn't long ( I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that). But here are some follow up photos. I had a decent video but then had to get a new phone, so we were waiting to get new photos. Luckily our 14yo managed to catch these today.





And here are some photos of Olive's anatomy. I didn't think we had an Oliver...





Thank you, everyone!

 

[zovick]

Okay, so her tail isn't long ( I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that). But here are some follow up photos. I had a decent video but then had to get a new phone, so we were waiting to get new photos. Luckily our 14yo managed to catch these today.

View attachment 398377
View attachment 398378


And here are some photos of Olive's anatomy. I didn't think we had an Oliver...

View attachment 398379

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Thank you, everyone!

Your tortoise is a female. The red/pink tissue is a prolapse and should get veterinary attention. If that tissue dries out, it could become necrotic and create a life-threatening siruation for the animal.

Such a prolapse could be caused by continued straining due to egg-binding, bladder stones, or constipation/intestinal impaction. An X-ray picture should be taken to determine what needs to be done to address the situation.

Meanwhile, you can apply a sugar compress to the tissue to try to shrink it so it will retract into the body. However, even if that works, the cause of the situation needs to be addressed/treated to prevent future problems.

Good luck!

 

[OliveAlaska]

Your tortoise is a female. The red/pink tissue is a prolapse and should get veterinary attention. If that tissue dries out, it could become necrotic and create a life-threatening siruation for the animal.

Such a prolapse could be caused by continued straining due to egg-binding, bladder stones, or constipation/intestinal impaction. An X-ray picture should be taken to determine what needs to be done to address the situation.

Meanwhile, you can apply a sugar compress to the tissue to try to shrink it so it will retract into the body. However, even if that works, the cause of the situation needs to be addressed/treated to prevent future problems.

Good luck!

I have read about prolapses. Hers happens once every few days, and always goes back in. So it's not hanging out on the outside where I could treat it.

 

[zovick]

I have read about prolapses. Hers happens once every few days, and always goes back in. So it's not hanging out on the outside where I could treat it.

There is a simple surgical procedure which could be performed to prevent this from happening. You would most likely need to consult a good exotics vet, though.

I still maintain that an X-ray picture would be helpful in diagnosing the reason that this is happening. Any vet could do that imaging for you and most likely give you a ballpark diagnosis.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Aw poor little girl, hopefully they’ll be something the vet can do to stop this happening