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My puppy has rectal prolapse. Will it heal, or will surgery be needed?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier | Female | 1 month and 29 days old | 7 lbs

The puppy we chose from the breeder had a rectal prolapse at 7 weeks. The breeder took her to the vet and she still has the stiches in 10 days later. Will the condition heal? What is the likelihood? What if it doesn't get better? Will a surgery cure it?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jenny, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 5th, 2017

A rectal prolapse can be cause by intestinal parasites, diet or straining to defecate in puppies. If it is a small prolapse, they can do a purse string procedure to hold things in place temporally until the underlying condition is fixed. If this fails or the prolapse is too large, then a major surgery through the abdomen will be needed to permanently tact down the colon to the abdominal wall so it cannot be pushed outward. Once this procedure is done, there is usually no lasting problems or evidence.

6Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Amy S. Eutsey, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on August 5th, 2017
Well, hopefully everything will be fine, but it is not uncommon for a prolapse to recur. It is important to know why the prolapse occurred. Usually, a pet is straining to defecate over a period of time. The rectal tissue is swollen and the puppy pushes to hard to have a movement and the swollen tissue pops out. If you have identified the reason ( chronic diarrhea, intestinal parasites, dietary issues) and enough time passes for the tissue inflammation to resolve, your pup should be okay. In a worst case scenario, repeated prolapses that will not resolve with ordinary treatment can require a small bit if the rectal tissue to need surgical amputation.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Megan, DVM, CVA
Veterinarian
Published on January 22nd, 2019
I would talk to your vet about ensuring he is on the proper diet, but also about whether or not he needs to be on a stool softener for a little while. The fear will have to improve with time once the dog realizes it doesn't hurt to have a BM. If you are afraid he is still in pain, I would talk to your vet about starting him on some meds to help this as well. I hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on November 3rd, 2018
Hi, and thanks for your question.
That could be a normal finding in case of diarrhea and will resolve once the underlying cause is cured. To speed up recovery I would recommend to use antibiotics and bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice.

Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

My dog has a severe rectal prolapse. Will surgery be needed? Cost?

I agree that does look pretty severe, and I'm concerned with how red the tissue is in the picture. The problem with a rectal prolapse is that if it is left uncorrected for too long, the circulation of blood to that area becomes compromised and the tissue can die. Quinn needs to see a vet now to have this treated. I can't say how much it would cost to fix, as it may be able to be replaced manually, but it may require stitches to keep it in place. In addition, she may need sedation to have it replaced, and she may need testing to diagnose the initial cause of the rectal prolapse so that can be treated to prevent this from happening again. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's rectal prolapse won't stay in. What are my options?

This is a partial rectal prolapse or intussuseption (less likely). These two conditions can be usually told apart by doing rectal examination. I understand that your vet did rectal examination and diagnosed partial rectal prolapse. The alternative treatment for rectal prolapse is a minor surgery, when we put the butt back in place and we place a suture around the butt to make sure the rectum doesn't prolapse again. In Mia's case that sounds like the best treatment option to make sure the rectum does not prolapse again.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My puppy fell. Something's sticking out of its bottom. What do I do?

Your puppy has a prolapsed rectum. The first thing you need to do is put some water on it to moisten it, then put a thick coat of vaseline on the pink area to keep it moist. I am afraid you will need to take this puppy to a vet as the vet will have to reposition the rectum back inside and then make a purse string suture around the anus to keep it from prolapsing again, yet leave enough space for feces to pass. This is a tricky job and easily botched by a lay person. So you should take this puppy to a vet.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My puppy has rectal prolapse after car. Can it survive without vet?

If the dog is unable to stand, it's in discomfort, and it's not eating, I would not believe a puppy this small could survive in that condition. It really needs to see a vet asap. If you can, please take it into the closest vet. Best of luck.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog has a rectal prolapse. Are there any safe home remedies?

A rectal prolapse is an emergency. You can try soaking her bum in some cool water or apply granulated sugar to the area. Unfortunately, most animals have to have the cause of the prolapse addressed and if it does not resolve she may need surgery.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

How to help a dog with a rectal prolapse and straining to poop?

I can’t really tell from the photo but it looks like a possible rectal prolapse. I suggest you deworm this dog and use granulated sugar on the prolapsed tissue. That should shrink it so it goes back in. This happens from straining to defecate so feed soft foods that are easy to digest. You can use amoxicillin if you have it. Be advised sometimes surgery is needed to fix this. ( https://mobile.petcoach.co/amp/article/rectal-prolapse-protruding-rectum-in-the-dog ) If you need more assistance you can post again or opt for a private one on one consultation so we can chat back and forth. Best wishes.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Puppy constipated, crying, and has a painful swollen rear. What to do?

It looks like he might have a little rectal prolapse. If your vet isn’t available, you can try to treat this at home as follows: This will sound weird, but bear with me. ;) Get some table sugar, dissolve it in a little water (say maybe 3 tablespoons of sugar and just enough water to dissolve it. Soak the corner of a washcloth, paper towel, or a piece of gauze with the sugar water and then apply it directly to his bottom. Let it be in contact for 10-15 minutes. (Be PATIENT here.). The osmotic pull of the sugar will reduce the swelling in the prolapsed tissue and it may got back in on its own. If it does not, using a gloved hand, use some KY jelly and VERY GENTLY try to push it back in. Be aware that it may pop back out. If it’s a recurrent problem, he may need to see a vet to have a temporary “purse string” suture placed. Make sure he’s been dewormed. Add a little fiber to his diet, about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of canned pumpkin daily may help “regulate” him, and a dog probiotic would also be a good idea. I hope that’s helpful! Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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