Intro to Avian and Reptile Repro Issues

Question 1

describe obtaining a repro clinical history for reptiles

Answer 1

1. often repro in spring and summer
   -presenting with eggs in december is an abnormality
2. previous copulation- don’t need males to make eggs!
3. digging/restless
4. eggs in vivarium
5. prolapse
6. enlarged girth/coelomic distension if large number of eggs
7. anorexia and lethargy

Question 2

describe physical exam for reptiles repro

Answer 2

confirm sex and age first!!! if can’t refer

males:
-prolapse is most common, secondary to tenesmus, often traumatized
–differentiate from cloaca, colon, bladder
-hemipenal enlargement (abscess)
-coelomic enlargement in males is uncommon: if so, testicular mass, abscess, or neoplasm

females:
-coelomic enlargement IS common: enlarged ovaries or retained eggs
-prolapse is also common: secondary to coelomic mass effect (tenesmus), of oviduct, cloaca, colon, bladder

Question 3

how to begin to determine normal versus abnormal?

Answer 3

if spring-summer and no abnormalities, then husbandry improvements may be sufficient
-provide basking areas, nesting areas, quiet seclusion, and appropriate nutrition first if not doing already!

Question 4

why does conservative treatment often fail?

Answer 4

1. animals presenting late in disease
2. large number of infertile eggs
3. metabolic derangements
4. infection, disease

Question 5

describe diagnostic eval

Answer 5

1. assessment of husbandry and nutrition: corrective measures often too late to be effective tho
2. hemotology and biochem: metabolic disturbances in females? infection?
3. diagnostic imaging: rads, US
   -post-ov egg stasis (dystocia)
   -pre-ov follicular stasis
   -neoplasia
   -hemipenal swelling/mass

Question 6

describe venipuncture

Answer 6

1. jugular, caudal/coccygeal, cardiac
2. hematology:
   -heparin for chelonians, EDTA for squamates
   -leukocytosis, heterophilia, monocytosis (azurophilia)
3. biochem:
   -ionized and total calcium, phosphorous, cholesterol, triglycerides

Question 7

describe what you can see on rads

Answer 7

lizards:
-post ov egg stasis: eggs within oviducts or shell glands
-pre-ov follicular stasis: unshelled ova, spherical, within large ovaries

snakes:
-post ov egg/fetal stasis: shelled eggs, obvious fetuses within oviducts or shell glands
-pre ov follicular stasis: unshelled ova within enlarged ovaries

chelonians:
post-ov egg stasis: obviously calcified eggs in oviduct (most common), bladder (rare), or free in coelom (rare)
-pre-ov follicular stasis more difficult to determine using plain rads (CT or US requried)

Question 8

describe use of ultrasonography

Answer 8

1. useful to determine between soft tissues
2. ID and stage egg/fetal development
   -healthy vs degenerating ova
   -eggs
   -live vs dead fetuses

Question 9

describe medical therapy

Answer 9

1. appropriate environment, nutrition, and fluid support
   -temp and nest sites
   -check Ca and P; DO NOT GIVE INJECTABLE Ca routinely!!! only if hypocalcemic, tetany, etc.
2. induction of egg laying:
   -contraindicated if obstruction
   -ineffective if hypocalcemic or non-receptive (if due to lay eggs in April, will not be receptive to oxytocin in december)

-chelonia: oxytocin, dilute with saline and give SQ for SLOW absorption!

-lizards/snakes:
-oxytocin alone not as effective
-pretreat with prostaglandin E and F2a then give oxytocin slow with saline and SQ

Question 10

describe prolapse treatment

Answer 10

1. cloaca: replace or resect
2. phallus: replace or amputate
3. hemipenes: replace or amputate
4. oviduct: resection + coeliotomy
5. bladder: replace or resection + coeliotomy
6. colon: replace + coeliotomy

keep moist! antibiotic cream wrapped in clear cling food wrap

reduce swelling: hyperosmotics

Question 11

describe cloacal prolapse replacement

Answer 11

1. do NOT use purse string sutures
2. transcutaneous cloacopexy:
   -large Qtip insert into cloaca and tented against ventrolateral body wall
   -place 2-3 full thickness suture through cotton tip (ensures entered lumen); use PDS to last months and suture through Qtip
   -leave long, exteriorize Qtip, free sutures, pull ends to internalize loops, and tie
3. coeliotomy may also be required

Question 12

describe egg manipulation in snakes

Answer 12

1. general anesthesia
2. try to manipulate egg(s) out through cloaca
3. may need to collapse/aspirate egg contents through vent

Question 13

describe percutaneous aspiration in snakes

Answer 13

if egg is further up in cloaca and can’t reach to collapse

1. aspiration:
   -sterile prep
   -isolate against lateral body wall
   -18-20G needle between lateral scales
2. often pass collapsed eggs within 12-24 hrs
3. long term retained eggs may not aspirate (inspissated)
4. post-op coelomitis is a risk

Question 14

describe history in birds with repro issues

Answer 14

1. chronic egg laying
2. often cockatiels
3. high caloric diets (seed)
4. long photoperiods (esp if live in a house)
5. mate interaction:
   -male bird
   -overly affectionate owner

Question 15

describe physical exam of birds with repro issues

Answer 15

may see

1. poor body condition
2. debilitated
3. soft doughy feel to caudal coelom, may feel egg

Question 16

describe diagnostic imaging of birds

Answer 16

radiography:
1. shelled eggs are obvious

2. hyperostosis common (increased calcium deposition in bones due to constant repro drive)
3. osteoporosis (rare)
4. increase in soft tissue present in region of repro tract (caudodorsal coelom)

ultrasound: often limited unless air sacs compressed
-ovary: enlarged, hypertrophied, or cystic tract

Question 17

describe clinicopathology of birds

Answer 17

1. hematology:
   -leukocytosis and monocytosis if infected/inflamed
   -maybe anemia or chronic disease
2. biochemistry:
   -hyper or hypo calcemia (increased TCa, normal iCa)
   -hyperglobulinemia
   -hypo or hyperalbuminemia
   -increased AST, increased CPK

Question 18

describe treatment of birds with repro issues

Answer 18

1. improvements in husbandry and nutrition
   -decrease photoperiod to 8 hours
   -convert from seed to formulated diet (foraging)
   -remove/decrease mate/owner interactions: NO touching below the neck!
   -remove favorite toys, nest sites
   -rotate cage furniture and cage location
   -do not remove laid eggs (use false egg?)
2. medical control
   -suprelorin (deslorelin) implants: GnRH analogue
   -persistently high GnRH leads to receptor down regulation leading to a decrease in FSH/LH and drop in egg production
   -inject SQ between shoulder and repeat early every spring
3. surgery
   -permanent; often better to try GnRH first
   -oophorectomy: very high hemorrhage risk!! last resort!!
   -salpingohysterectomy: prevents egg production but not ovarian activity/ovulation; unlikely to resolve behavioral issues, still need to instigate management changes post-op to reduce repro drive in the future

Question 19

describe dystocia in birds (history and physical exam)

Answer 19

history:
-difficulty in egg laying: lack of nest site, unsuitable environment, malnutrition, metabolic derangement, repro disease
-may have a history of repeated egg laying
-many have no repro history (owners thought was a boy)

physical exam:
-most present as emergencies!
-dyspnea, tachypnea
-fluffed appearance, depressed
-unable to perch, lameness (neuropraxis)
-preoxygenate first if visibly unwell!
-will see normal to poor BCS, coelomic distension, egg may be palpable, dehydrated and depressed

Question 20

describe imaging for dystocia in birds

Answer 20

1. radiography:
   -single or multiple shelled eggs: may appear normal, grossly abnormal, or broken!
   -osteoporosis or hyperostosis
2. ultrasound:
   -generally possible due to severe compression of airsacs
   -enlargement of soft tissues
   -free abdominal fluid
   -useful to detect non-calcified eggs
   -eval ovarian activity

Question 21

describe clinicopathology of bird dystocia

Answer 21

1, blood collection from jugular: beware of volume

2. hematology: leukocytosis and heterophilia +/- monocytosis
3. biochem:
   -hypercolesteremia, lipemia, hyperglobuinemia
   -increased AST and CPK
   -increased TCa, normal iCa

Question 22

describe treatment of bird dystocia

Answer 22

1. initial stabilization prior to diagnostics
2. incubator:
   -oxygen support if dyspneic
   -temp 85-88 to reduce caloric demands
   -humidity 80-100%
   -quiet with low perches, or soft towel nest site
3. therapy:
   -analgesics: meloxicam, butorphenol
4. medical: assist egg laying assuming no obstruction
   -cloacal lubrication
   -injectable calcium rarely indicated!
   -prostaglandins
   -PGE2 gel topically into cloaca, PGF2a by injection, oxytocin slow diluted IV or SQ
5. surgical:
   -episotomy: to assist deliver or large egg at vagina-vent border
   -puncture egg with large needle, aspirate and then collapse
   -exploratory coeliotomy: salpingotomy, salpingohysterectomy, oophrectomy (RARELY)