Sheep Medicine Q&A 09

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In early summer you are presented at the surgery with an 8-week-old pet Texel-cross ram lamb with a rectal prolapse. The lamb has been reared with three other lambs in a garden and fed ad libitum concentrates. The rectal prolapse extends for approximately 8 cm and is markedly oedematous but not traumatized. The mucous membranes appear normal and the lamb is not dehydrated. The respiratory rate is 22 breaths per minute and the heart rate is 90 beats per minute. The abdomen appears slightly distended. No rumen sounds are heard over 2 minutes.

Question	Answer		Article
How will you deal with this problem?	Replacement of the rectal prolapse and retention with a Buhner suture is not possible, therefore the prolapse is amputated under caudal analgesia. Four stay sutures are placed in quadrants through the skin and both layers of the rectal wall. The prolapsed tissues are then amputated one quarter at a time, placing a continuous suture through the skin and rectal wall just proximal to the stay sutures. This continuous suture effects haemostasis. The end result is not pretty but is effective. Tenesmus was noted occasionally over the next few days immediately before defecation but no further problems were noted.		Link to Article
What conditions may have predisposed to rectal prolapse in this lamb? (Most likely first.)	Various factors may have predisposed to rectal prolapse in this lamb: ad libitum concentrates/bloat/excessive body condition tenesmus resulting from obstructive urolithiasis mounting behaviour in entire male lambs coccidiosis		Link to Article