Reproduction and surgery Flashcards
Rabbit kit feeding
Normally fed once daily, often at night
Doe will go out to graze
Stress or disturbance can lead to abandonment or infanticide
Hand rearing rabbits and hares
Cat milk replacer ‘cimicat’
tend to have a guarded to poor prognosis
Unneutered behavioural problems in rabbits
Grumpy - split personality
territorial, hard to bond
biting and aggression
urine spraying
large dulap in females
Advantages of neutering rabbits
reduces aggression (both sexes)
reduces risk of adenocarcinoma
allows true pair to be kept together
eliminates sexual frustration
Disadvantages of neutering rabbits
Increases risk of obesity (if fed excessive concentrates)
reduces territory marking, so increasing filling of bladder and potential risk of cystitis/sludge
Uterine adenocarcinoma in rabbits
Very common in unspayed females (>3yrs)
primary may be small
Reproductive considerations in guinea pigs
Females may be pregnant when rehomed as hit puberty early
pelvis will fuse at 12mo at the latest
same sex groups can be kept together as long as there are none of the opposite sex around
Pregnancy toxaemia in guinea pigs
Obese sows late pregnancy or post part.
prognosis very poor, drop in glucose and increase in ketone production
Signs of pregnancy toxaemia in guinea pigs
Collapse
ketonuria
proteinuria
urinary pH acidic (normal for herbivore 8-8.5)
Treatment for pregnancy toxaemia in guinea pigs
Warm fluids, oral glucose, corticosteroids
Abortion/caesareans in guinea pigs
common if litter are large
single young may be very large
breeding post the pelvis fusing will require caesarean
Neutering guinea pigs
Herbivore abdomens can form adhesions
males have an open inguinal ring - scrotal or abdominal techniques
females may be spayed midline or flank, consider using haemoclips
Caesarean sections in chinchillas
always give birth in early hours of the day
single pups can be difficult
can get pregnancy toxaemia
Gestation periods of small furries
Chinchillas>degus>guinea pigs> rabbits/other rodents
Chinchilla is 111 days
Neutering chinchillas
Often requested to prevent more litters
All rodents have an open inguinal ring
do not allow sand bath for several days post surgery
Mammary tumours in small rodents
Usually benign in the rat
usually malignant in the mouse
hormonally driven
Pyometra in small rodents
common in syrian hamsters
care to distinguish from normal ‘in season’ discharge - smell is different and the discharge is purulent
Ovaries and uterus in small rodents
cystic ovaries fairly common in female hamsters
fresh blood in the urine in rats and mice often indicates a uterine tumour
Neutering small rodents
May be requested to prevent tumours
May be indicated to treat disease (ovarian/uterine)
may be indicated to reduce aggression
Control of oestrus in the ferret
Best option now: Suprelorin implant, lasts 2-3 years, avoids hyperadrenocorticism
Other options: jill jab- proligestone, vasectomised hob
Vasectomy in ferrets
Easier in mature ferrets
take as long a section as possible and crush and tie off both ends
send of removed sections for histo to check
will bruise post surgery so need good pain relief
Sugar gliders reproductive anatomy
The female sugar glider has two uteri and two vaginas that enter into a common pouch divided by a septum or membrane. Female gliders possess a pouch with four teats where their babies develop. The gestation period, or length of pregnancy, is about 15-17 days.
Castration of sugar gliders
Complete ablation
Care re sutures and self mutilation
Courtship behaviour in birds
Mutual feeding
mutual preening
nest building
calling
Seasonal feather picking in birds
Normal to clear a ‘brood pouch’ on belly
Frustrated birds may carry on up onto chest and carpi
Birds may squat to be mated
What to do if a bird is exhibiting behavioural changes related to reproduction
Provide a nest box
Nesting material if appropriate
give in to temporary behavioural changes
do not remove any eggs produced or replace with dummy eggs
How to get bird ovaries to regress
Reduce photoperiod
reduce interaction with owner
reduce calorie density of diet
OR: suprelorin implant under isoflurane
How long does a suprelorin implant last in a bird
3-12 months
Egg/ovarian stasis in birds
Birds may present, fluffed up and on the cage floor
Secondary affects of straining: hernia, prolapse
Ovistasis can lead to: egg peritonitis, oedema, ovarian disease
Egg lethargy/exhaustion in birds
Mainly noticed in birds of prey
1-2 days of inactivity and ‘depression’
nutritional and supplementary support
Egg peritonitis signs in birds
Dull, anorexic
swollen abdomen
May or may not be a history of egg production
may have yolk like or purulent fluid in coelom on needle tap
Treatment of egg peritonitis in pet birds
Antibiotics
support feeding if necessary
if coelom distended, draw off ascitic fluid
reduce photoperiod
reduce breeding stimuli
consider implant(suprelorin) or salpingohysterectomy
prognosis is very guarded
Soft shelled eggs in birds
Often with first egg of the season
if it persists may be a dietary problem
remember the viruses
Egg binding in birds
associated with hypocalcaemia/hypoglycaemia
mass in pelvis
prolonged season of egg laying (often eggs removed by owner
large or deformed egg
Egg binding treatment
Confirm by radiography
Give calcium +/- calories (food)
in most cases the egg will be laid within 24 hours
oxytocin- can cause violent contractions and profound cardiac effects. egg normally passed very quickly
Surgical treatment of egg binding
Implode egg and extraction per cloacam
- used if medical therapy hasn’t worked
- used if egg is adhered/stuck/too large
Coeliotomy (caesarean section)
- used if the oviduct is twisted or the egg too firmly adhered
Prolapse in birds
Cloacal prolapse may be associated with egg production
Check for other causes
if only the cloaca is involved, the prognosis is better
lubricate, replace, purse string suture, medicate
Neutering birds
Feasible in both sexes
Ovary very difficult to remove - salpingohysterectomy
High mortality rate 75%; high complication rate
Suprelorin: desorelin implant in birds
GnRH agonist: at low levels inhibits production/release of LH/FSH
Used in birds to control continuous egg laying and male sexual behaviour/aggression
GA enables painless and careful placement of implant
Lasts 3-12 months
Artificial incubation and hatching of reptiles
Bury eggs in sterile sand - DO NOT turn eggs
Don’t let humidity drop too far
Temperature according to sex requirements
Increase humidity for hatching
Pre-ovulatory follicular stasis in tortoises
Diagnose using US and bloods
Treatment:
- medical management - oesophageal tube often used
- ovisalpingectomy
Blood results of a tortoise with pre-ovulatory follicular stasis
High total protein
High cholesterol
High calcium
Egg binding in tortoises
Confirm by radiography
- number of eggs
- size in relation to pelvis
- any deformed eggs
Give calcium before oxytocin
Possible causes of cloacal prolapse in tortoises
Egg binding
Heavy worm burden
Protozoal infection: gut or bladder
How to reduce a cloacal prolapse in tortoises
When placing sutures: remember cloaca is a slit, no suitable for purse string suture
Phallus prolapse in tortoises
Replace and retain with suture, or amputate it depending on how long it has been out
Egg binding in snakes
Diagnose by palpation and radiography
Treat with calcium then oxytocin
Some becomes surgical as they have been left too long
Egg binding in lizards
Females often produce eggs, even with no male, if they are well fed and photoperiod appropriate
Ensure appropriate substrate/humidity
Treat with calcium than oxytocin, or surgery
Ensure the clutch is ready for laying, will be ok if left to check
Phallus and cloacal prolapse in lizard and snake
Find the cause
Lubricate, replace, secure
If phallus - amputate
Common reproductive problems in amphibians and fish
Ovistasis
Cloacal/rectal prolapse
Choice of suture patterns
Internally: simple interrupted/transfixing
Muscle: simple continuous
Skin:
- mammals: simple continuous intradermal, simple interrupted, cruciate
- Birds: simple interrupted, cruciate
- reptiles: horizontal (parallel) mattress
Rate of healing in soft tissue/skin in mammals
10-14 days
Rate of healing in soft tissue/skin in birds
7-10 days
Rate of healing in soft tissue/skin in reptiles
Soft tissue: 10-14 days
Skin: 1 month, secondary healing maybe longer
Comparative rates of orthopaedic healing
