Penile Prolapse in A Red Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Abstract

Male tortoises are occasionally presented with a prolapsed phallus (penis). The male chelonian has a single phallus, which protrudes from the floor of the proctodeum. Unlike the mammalian penis, the chelonian phallus is not involved in urination. The penis is retracted except during mating, trauma, or death; it lies in the ventral floor of the cloaca. A 5-year-old, male turtle constituted the study material. Clinically, extensive necrotic areas and, black and dark purple tissues in the phallus were observed. The usual treatment for a necrotic phallus in turtles is to perform surgery to completely remove the necrotic tissue. After the general anesthesia and analgesia, phallus amputation was achieved by placing transfixation sutures around the base of the phallus. Urination and defecation returned to normal within 24 hours after amputation and feeding was started at the second day. As a conclusion, amputation was emphasized as an effective method for treatment of necrotic phallus.