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Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #174: Avian Cloacal Prolapse

Bird veterinary case - Easy - August 24, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. After repeated straining, red tissue is visible protruding from a pet bird's vent.
  2. The bird now spends prolonged periods on the cage floor.
  3. The exposed tissue becomes dry and irritated very quickly.
  4. The bird is uncomfortable but still responsive and alert.
  5. The problem is centred on the terminal part of the digestive and urogenital outlet.
  6. Prolapse of the cloacal tissue is an urgent problem in birds because it can rapidly become traumatised.

Diagnosis

Avian Cloacal Prolapse

This case is most consistent with Avian Cloacal Prolapse because the bird has visibly everted vent tissue after straining. The most important clues are the exposed cloacal mucosa and acute local trauma risk, which make simple diarrhoea alone less likely.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this bird case supports the provided diagnosis, Avian Cloacal Prolapse, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: After repeated straining, red tissue is visible protruding from a pet bird's vent.
  2. Clue 2: The bird now spends prolonged periods on the cage floor.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: The exposed tissue becomes dry and irritated very quickly.
  2. Clue 4: The bird is uncomfortable but still responsive and alert.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: The problem is centred on the terminal part of the digestive and urogenital outlet.
  2. Clue 6: Prolapse of the cloacal tissue is an urgent problem in birds because it can rapidly become traumatised.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this bird case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Avian Cloacal Prolapse?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Avian Cloacal Prolapse?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.