Rectal Prolapse Associated with Recurrent Diarrhea in a Laboratory Cynomolgus Monkey (Macaca fascicularis)

Rectal prolapse is a protrusion of one or more layers of the rectum through the anus.A 5-year-old laboratory cynomolgus monkey who had suffered from recurrent diarrhea died after surgical resection of a prolapsed rectum.On examination, the prolapsed rectum was a cylinder-shaped tissue whose surface was moist and dark red with a small amount of hemorrhage.Histologically, the rectum was characterized by a segmental to diffuse cellular infiltration in the submucosa and muscle layers.Inflammation in the rectum resulted in irritation of the myenteric plexus, which could cause hypermotility of the intestines, leading to chronic diarrhea.Rectal prolapse would result in economical loss or death of laboratory animals.However, rectal prolapse in the laboratory monkey could be easily overlooked because diarrhea or other symptoms resulting from rectal prolapse could be sometimes misunderstood as a primary problem.Therefore, researchers should suspect rectal prolapse if intestinal symptoms in the laboratory monkey are untreatable.