Egg Absorbed Into Body Cavity

[melbournebudgies 0]

I'm worried my hen with chicks might have this, she's been looking very scruffy since laying her last clutch but I thought maybe she was pulling feathers from her chest for in the nest. I've noticed she still looks like she has egg bum even though I can't feel an egg with gentle palpation. I recall someone talking about a condition where an egg is reabsorbed and can end up as an infection in the body cavity. Can anyone tell me what it was called, I just want to investigate symptoms, treatment options etc so I can rule it out (hopefully) She isn't obviously sickly but if it could be this I'd like to nip it in the bud before it gets bad.

[Elly 0]

I believe Sailorwolf had a hen that did this or I do remember a post about it, do a search on the forum and see if it comes up . I hope all is okay.

[melbournebudgies 0]

I tried searching but I can't think of any other possible search terms other than 'egg' whioch it won't let me search for since it only has three letters.

[LisaVenn 0]

I believe you are talking about yolk peritonitis?

[*libby* 0]

She could also be ruptured. I had a hen who had a rupture who looked constantly pregnant but wasn't

[melbournebudgies 0]

Thanks Lisa peritonitis is what I was thinking of, now I can google it

[**Liv** 0]

I hope your hen is okay

[melbournebudgies 0]

It sounds like there isn't a whole lot that can be done really other than general health and wellbeing. I'm pretty sure this is what it is as I can see the yellow of the yolk under her skin however at this stage I don't believe it is septic. She has ceased laying now as she is feeding her chicks so I don't need to worry about her trying to lay again until her chicks get a little older. I'm going to speak to my vet about some prophylactic antibiotics incase there is any bacteria starting in there. She is being kept warm and seems healthy at the moment so we'll see how she goes. These guys are the first ones to lay so I don't have a foster for the chicks at the moment unfortunately but once the chicks are a littl older I'll take her out and leave dad to it. No more clutches for this girl I think.

 

Taken from : http://www.parrotsociety.org.au/articles/a...#Ectopic%20Eggs

ECTOPIC EGGS (NON-SEPTIC EGG PERITONITIS)

 

Eggs not taken up by the oviduct and instead are deposited into the abdomen. Can also be caused by rupture of the oviduct and is more likely to occur if hens are restrained or stressed during ovulation.

 

Results in yolk material spreading through the air sacs and over the abdominal organs which causes a mild inflammatory reaction. If no bacteria is present, all yolk material will be reabsorbed.

 

Signs are:-

• abdominal swelling
  
• wide based stance
  
• weight loss
  

Treatment is mainly supportive, but antibiotics are used in case of septic peritonitis.

 

If the signs are severe then surgery to remove yolk material.

 

Attempt to switch off laying cycle. Manipulating the amount of light the bird gets can be successful. We recommend the hen be removed from its cage and sight and sound of its mate, then covered except for four hours of light for four days. If this is not successful hormonal injections can be used but there is a risk of significant side effects including depression, increased urine production, weight gain, liver damage, suppression of the immune system and diabetes.

 

<A name="Septic Egg Related Peritonitis">SEPTIC EGG RELATED PERITONITIS

 

Yolk peritonitis that is contaminated with bacteria and causes a severe inflammatory reaction throughout the abdomen. It is more common than non-septic peritonitis.

 

Causes congestion, scarring and adhesions of all abdominal organs.

 

Signs:-

• can simply be sudden death
  
• see abdominal swelling
  
• respiratory distress
  
• depression
  
• anorexia
  
• cessation of egg laying
  

Can be complicated by diabetes, strokes, intestinal obstruction and hepatitis.

 

Treatment initially involves supportive care to stabilise the bird. Heat, fluids and antibiotics should be given as well as the provision of high protein foods.

 

Surgery is helpful in valuable birds to remove pus and infected yolk material. In pet birds we generally perform a hysterectomy at the same time which prevents the disease recurring.

 

Any episode of this puts the birds breeding future in doubt as there is always scarring and adhesions and there can be severe uterine damage.

[Sailorwolf 0]

Yes Saffy had this. She was lucky and did not develop septic egg peritonitis and just reabsorbed it.

From reading that I would suggest you don't breed from her again then. But if she is a valuable girl then just keep an eye on her. I think it is not too uncommon. Just talk to your vet about it. Might be a good idea to foster her eggs out or if you can't (which I'm sure you can) refrigerate (don't freeze) them until she is well enough to incubate them.

 

Oh just reread your post. She is feeding chickies. Then don't worry

 

She may not actually have this and could just have egg bum because everything has been stretched down there. She just gave birth to several eggs!!! They are big things to come out!! My hens always had a bit of an egg butt after laying. I would think that it is that their tissues have not re-elasticised back to their original shape yet.

Yellow could mean yolk, but then you can never be sure. Was she showing any of the other symptoms?

Edited July 23, 2008 by Sailorwolf

[melbournebudgies 0]

Her eggs are currently hatching SW, she has two babies already and three eggs layed over two weeks ago which may or may not hatch (ateast one is overdue for hatching). I suspect this may have been the sixth egg in the clutch which didn't obviously get layed and since she has probably had it for a couple of weeks that bodes well for her simply reabsorbing it. I don't have another paur with eggs or chicks at the moment unfortunately as none of the others have layed

 

 

 

She has a definate soft yellow deposit inside the skin above her vent and she is still doing giant egg poops, she has lost some feathers but that may just be nesting.

Edited July 23, 2008 by melbournebudgies

[Neat 0]

ARE YOU SURE THAT IT ISN'T A FAT PAD ????

[melbournebudgies 0]

It only appeared all of a sudden a few weeks ago so I doubt it.

[Neat 0]

Fair enough, Still could be though.

Take her to the vet, for a scan and a check up

[melbournebudgies 0]

I'm going to see the vet tomorrow. The reality is that there isn't a whole lot you can do abou egg peritonitis anyway other then antibiotics so chances are we will just put her on some and it will either clear up if it's an egg or it won't change if it's a fat deposit.

[Neat 0]

That depends if it is septic pertonitis or non septic

Edited July 23, 2008 by Neat

[melbournebudgies 0]

Even if it is septic pretty much the answer is antibiotics. I spoke to the vet earlier and he basically said he would probably treat it as though it was septic and give her some antibiotics and see how she goes. Surgery is an option on larger birds but is very difficult on a small bird like a budgie as it is very hard to get rid of all the egg material if it has spread into their abdomen. The surgery carries almost as much risk as simply treating with drugs and hoping for the best.

[Neat 0]

I say this only because everyone here said my bird had it when it was only a fat pad :sad:

[LisaVenn 0]

That's not a problem. Any news on weather or not it was egg peritonitis and if it was is it septic?

[melbournebudgies 0]

We believe it was EP. It did not appear septic so the decision was simply to watch carefully as she is feeding chicks. It is now beginning to reduce in size presumably as it is reabsorbed so all looks good .

[LisaVenn 0]

That's some good news than. I hope she makes a quick recovery and it all works out.

[KonasMAMA 0]

I know this is an old thread, but it is the reason I joined you all. My Kona has egg yolk peritonitis and her vet gave us a death sentence. This was after she said there was no infection. She got 2ML of fluid out, but the pieces of yolk protein were too big and kept clogging the needle. I have her on herbs to prevent infection and inflammation. She is doing well and I am hopeful. She still flies around and does tricks. It has been almost a month. It is winter here, so I am waiting for a warmish day to take her in to see if we can get more fluid drained.