"Egg yolk peritonitis" and 'Hysterectomy' - Decision Points

[Debbie292d]

I searched and found @SkyAJK has a chicken who is on the fourth implant: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/did-i-get-dealt-a-crap-hand-or….1674986/post-28791090

 

[MaryJanet]

thanks for confirming regarding the implant. I am concerned that at over $400 AUD a pop and has to be done 3 times a year basically, it's not overly sustainable. But if it gets us out of trouble for now that would be ok. Keen to hear more about people's experiences with surgery.

The only thing I know about surgery is that it's not always an option. It depends on the hen's anatomy and that can only be determined on the table.

If you have a vet willing to give ot a go, do it.

 

[Debbie292d]

I haven't seen him for a while, but @ThePoultryDoc might have some advice too.

 

[Mrs. K]

Wow, this is beyond me as a consideration. I am not judging you, but what are you hoping for as an outcome? - I googled the life span for a pigeon, which they stated was 3-5 years. This bird is over six years? Could this just be the end of life scenario?

Years ago, my husbands grandmother, had surgery at 94. She lived so in the Doctors eyes, it was a success. However, she had to be in a nursing home, lost most of her ability to stand and walk. It did prolong her life, but she wished she had not done it.

Quality of life would be my concern. Everything does die eventually.

However, veterinarians do get experience, and science of birds gets advanced with people like you, willing to risk a great deal of money to test an outcome.

Mrs K

 

[SkyAJK]

thanks for confirming regarding the implant. I am concerned that at over $400 AUD a pop and has to be done 3 times a year basically, it's not overly sustainable. But if it gets us out of trouble for now that would be ok. Keen to hear more about people's experiences with surgery.

The implant is mostly expensive between $400-$650. If you call around vet in a rural area the price is much better.

I drove 2 hours interstate to have the implant and it cost $150.

You might want to reach out to your local chicken rescue group people ask about implant and Vet they go to, the price will be much cheaper. Especially people that rescue X-batteries hens.

Once the implant stop being effective, I let her cool off for a few months that is to check how many eggs she lays a week. At first she laid 1 a week, then 3, then 5 and she was back on the implant.

Effectively she got 2 implant a year, at the beginning and end of year.
I noticed that it is effective for a shorter period of time during the spring/summer season.

She is no longer on implant because she only lay between 2 - 3 eggs a week, she is healthy and being almost 5 she does not lay much egg now.

All the best with your Avia

Edit to add petrol cost for 4 hours drive interstate return trip was $30.

 

[hollykatew]

Wow, this is beyond me as a consideration. I am not judging you, but what are you hoping for as an outcome? - I googled the life span for a pigeon, which they stated was 3-5 years. This bird is over six years? Could this just be the end of life scenario?

Years ago, my husbands grandmother, had surgery at 94. She lived so in the Doctors eyes, it was a success. However, she had to be in a nursing home, lost most of her ability to stand and walk. It did prolong her life, but she wished she had not done it.

Quality of life would be my concern. Everything does die eventually.

However, veterinarians do get experience, and science of birds gets advanced with people like you, willing to risk a great deal of money to test an outcome.

Mrs K

pigeons in captivity can live beyond 20 years. Unfortunately you've looked up the lifespan of a wild pigeon who is subject to predators and starvation.

 

[hollykatew]

The implant is mostly expensive between $400-$650. If you call around vet in a rural area the price is much better.

I drove 2 hours interstate to have the implant and it cost $150.

You might want to reach out to your local chicken rescue group people ask about implant and Vet they go to, the price will be much cheaper. Especially people that rescue X-batteries hens.

Once the implant stop being effective, I let her cool off for a few months that is to check how many eggs she lays a week. At first she laid 1 a week, then 3, then 5 and she was back on the implant.

Effectively she got 2 implant a year, at the beginning and end of year.
I noticed that it is effective for a shorter period of time during the spring/summer season.

She is no longer on implant because she only lay between 2 - 3 eggs a week, she is healthy and being almost 5 she does not lay much egg now.

All the best with your Avia

Edit to add petrol cost for 4 hours drive interstate return trip was $30.

thanks that's good insight as to how long the implants last and how to stretch it out and cost effectiveness, cheers!

 

[hollykatew]

I haven't seen him for a while, but @ThePoultryDoc might have some advice too.

thanks

 

[SkyAJK]

thanks that's good insight as to how long the implants last and how to stretch it out and cost effectiveness, cheers!

From what I read on google it says that it is best to implant one after the other so the effectiveness period can be longer. I did not do that because I did not intend to have my hen on implant forever, just to give her a break from reproductive issues for laying egg every day.

My 2nd hen got an implant because of reproductive issue also, and once the implant wore off, she was back on reproductive issue again! She got 2nd implant, but she has been laying a few lash eggs so back on antibiotic.

The implant effectiveness is depending on the hen's body, no 2 hens are the same. The season also a factor to consider as well. I am in Australia so we are in spring season at the moment.

 

[Susan Skylark]

Egg yolk peritonitis: ruptured egg in the abdomen, assuming perforation of the uterus plus significant bacterial contamination

Egg bound: egg stuck in uterus, no perforation or bacterial infection or contamination of abdomen

Hysterectomy: removal of uterus

Implant: a slow release hormone that suppresses ovulation

Surgery on a pigeon sized bird is very possible. They can do very well on gas anesthesia, recovery and induction are smooth and low risk. I neutered a male quail six months ago and he’s doing great, have also anesthetized a peacock and turkey without complication.

My main concern is the definition of peritonitis in this case, if the uterus is ruptured and the abdomen is contaminated with egg/bacteria medical treatment (just an implant) plus antiobiotics and drainage (abdominocentesis) is not a great prognosis, you’ll get so many adhesions (scar tissue) and walled off abscesses plus possible chronic leakage that your bird will be sick and miserable and eventually just die, plus stress of treatment. If this is the case, surgical intervention is the best option.

If it is an egg bound bird with no uterine rupture and no ongoing belly infection, medical treatment with an implant is a decent alternative.

Please do not treat your bird with just herbs, it will die a slow miserable death (yes I have seen this in simple medical cases over and over again, but this is not a simple case either!), just euthanize it if you can’t morally treat it with antibiotics (assuming peritonitis, if there is no infection then this isn’t an issue unless you are draining the abdomen frequently in which case you need antibiotics as the risk of causing an infection is high).

Whether to do it or not is your call, at least financially, my financial investment in my quail neuter was minimal so it was only a question of stress on the bird and quality of life, which he was going to be retired from breeding and couldn’t stay around intact, so it was this or goodbye. But whatever you choose, make sure it isn’t a slow miserable death, that is not fair to your bird.