:ygbudgie: And her budgie is too old for surgery.

:budgiedance: Nobody ever has had budgies with a hernia??? I agree, somewhat unusual.

Edited March 1, 200817 yr by Phoebe

i did not know budgies could get hernias, hopefully someone will have some answers for you.

A hernia is when an organ or tissue protrudes through the structures that normally contain it. Many common ones in mammals are inguinal hernias, when the gut protrudes through the inguinal canal between the hind legs and the abdomen.

It would happen in budgies, I would think that it just wouldn't be picked up as easily, as budgies are so small and ones that cause death may only be picked up if a necropsy is done.

What kind of hernia is it?

:ygbudgie: I have no idea, only that it is a "hernia". Guess I should ask her for more details but I would doubt she could expand.

I have never had one or heard of it. BUT In a baby budgie newly hatched once...it had a cord just like a human baby and the cord stayed dried out on it for a couple of days. Only ever saw it once :budgiedance:

Edited March 1, 200817 yr by KAZ

:budgiedance: And maybe the avian vet has not a clue about what he is talking about, thanks all!

'Hernia' is rather broad. As Sailor said, it can be any tissue anywhere. Consequences range from fine if it's just connective tissue, to completely disastrous if it's the gut. It can be congenital, or due to trauma, or due to something in the body putting pressore on it (cancer, fat, hepatomegaly). Herniation can also occur when a bird is egg bound and it's straining so hard to push it out that the body wall tears and abdominal organs (even the egg) can go through it. According to my avian medicine textbook, it is also part of a syndrome called hyperoestrogenism (it has a really cool radiograph and photo with it, can post if someone wants to see it).

 

Here is a section straight out of the textbook, Avian Medicine: Principles and Application, by Ritchie, Harrison and Harrison (1994 Wingers Publishing, Florida) p158.

Ventral abdominal hernias are common in budgerigars and racing pigeons (particularly hens). A causal relationship with hyperestrogenism, which causes weakening of the abdominal muscles, has been suggested. The hernia may contain fat, loops of bowel or other abdominal organs. Incarceration of the intestinal tract is a rare but possible complication. A diagnosis can be made by physical examination and radiology. Treatment involves surgical closure of the abdominal hernia. Removal of excess fat that is primarily located between the sheets of the posthepatic septum facilitates the procedure. A perineal hernia containing a persistent right oviduct was observed by the author in a budgerigar.

p1132;

Abdominal hernias frequently develop in female budgerigars and cockatiels, which may be related to a hormone imbalance causing a weakening of the abdominal muscles. It has been suggested that altered calcium metabolism in chronic egg-laying hens may contribute to muscular atony and over-distention in the caudal abdomen near the cloaca. In most cases, the hernia is of little clinical consequence. The defect in the body wall is large with little risk of organ entrapment. As a result, herniorrhaphy may carry more risk than the potential benefit. Because of the extensive system of air sacs (on which birds rely heavily for respiration), efforts to close the body wall defects frequently result in respiratory compromise. In birds with chronic or large hernias, the resulting respiratory compromise can be life-threatening.

 

Hope that helped.

Thanks for that Chrysocome!