Prolapse vent and eggbound

[BladeDuck]

I just give it orally.

-Kathy

Okay, thanks! I really appreciate the help.

 

[casportpony]

And you can give it every 12 hours until she passes the egg.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

The last duck I treated was placed in the warm, steamy room, but in the tub with warm water. Left her in there and she laid the egg in the water. Other fowl I place on the counter, not in the tub.

-Kathy

 

[BladeDuck]

At what point should I try something more invasive if this doesn't work?

 

[casportpony]

At what point should I try something more invasive if this doesn't work?

24-48 hours?

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Does she still have a prolapse? If so, I have read that some people put prep-h on them.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

http://beautyofbirds.com/eggbinding.html
Treatment:
If in doubt as to if the hen is egg bound or not, a few vet sites recommend separation, warmth, warm bath and calcium to all hens in lay that seem distressed.
This is a life-threatening condition and should be addressed by a qualified avian vet. Your vet may discuss:

• Calcium shots - immediate solution to help the egg shell harden allowing the hen to hopefully pass it
• Lupron shots to stop hens from going into breeding condition
• Spaying your hen as a permanent solution

The following are samples of actions that have resolved this problem for some birds (please note: not all hens can be saved, especially if it's critical by the time the problem was discovered and no vet is available or can be reached in time). Egg-bound hens go into profound cardiovascular collapse and may not be able to put in the effort to push the egg out without intervention.

• Suspected egg binding: Keep her in a warm area. Provide supportive care.

• Place the bird into a steamy room, such as bathroom with shower on until the bathroom mirrors and windows steam up. Desired temperature: 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit / Humidity: 60%. Place bird on wet towel. The warmth relaxes the hen so that the vent can dilate more allowing the egg to pass.
  
• A warm water bath can also be of great help (shallow water, of course, you don't want to drown the hen). This relaxes her muscles and often the hen will pass the egg into the water. Make the water as warm as you would like to take a long soak in.
  
• Massage the muscles in that area with olive oil. In many cases, this lead to a successful passing of the egg. Note: there is a risk associated with messaging this area. It could cause the egg inside to break - which is life-threatening. Be very careful! If in doubt, it's always best to have the vet take care of it ...
  
• Even if the cause is not hypocalcaemia in this hen’s case it will not hurt her to have more calcium.
  
• Applying a personal lubricant, such as KY jelly to her vent may also be helpful.
  
• To reduce swelling on her vent, some breeders reported success in applying Preparation H to her vent.
  
• Successful Passing of the Egg: Following passing of the egg keep the hen in a warm and quiet area separate from the others, until she is out of shock and back to eating and drinking well.
  
• Prevention: Provide bird with high-calorie, high-calcium food to help strengthen future eggs and prevent egg binding. Recommendations for pet bird diet / nutrition.

• Also refer to Chronic Egg Laying

 

[casportpony]

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=15+1829&aid=3060

How is egg binding treated?
The treatment will depend on the condition of the bird, severity of the signs, where the egg is located, and the length of time the bird has been eggbound. This condition is more serious in smaller birds (canaries and finches) who may die within a few hours if not treated.
For a bird that shows a minimum of depression, treatment may include:

• Elevation of the humidity and increasing the environmental temperature to 85-95°F
• Lubrication of the vent
• Injection of calcium, and possibly vitamins A, D, and E, and selenium
• Administration of fluids and dextrose
• Injection of oxytocin or arginine vasotocin, or application of a prostaglandin gel. These medications cause contraction of the reproductive tract and may result in the passing of the egg. They should not be used if an obstruction is present.
• Continued access to food and water

A more severely affected bird must be treated for shock first, and then stabilized. After stabilization, additional treatment may include:

• Administration of antibiotics and possibly short-acting corticosteroids
• Manual removal of the egg by the veterinarian through applying gentle pressure with the fingers. This may require anesthesia.
• Cleaning and repair of any prolapsed tissues
• Ovocentesis, in which the contents of the retained egg can be removed by passing a needle into the egg visible at the cloaca or through the skin of the abdomen and into the egg (percutaneous ovocentesis) if the egg is not visible. This will make the egg smaller, and easier to pass.
• Abdominal surgery if the egg reproductive tract is ruptured, the egg has developed outside of the reproductive tract (ectopic egg), or there is an obstruction
• Follow-up care with antibiotics, fluids, appropriate environmental temperature and humidity, and nutritional supplementation

 

[casportpony]

And this:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/07/chicken-egg-binding-causes-symptoms.html

-Kathy

 

[BladeDuck]

She finally let go of the egg during the night. And it only had a little blood on it. The eggs she laid last week had a lot more blood. It took 3 administrations of the calcium.

Yes, she definitely is still prolapsed. Its pretty bad and has been for a long time.

Should I keep treating her with calcium a couple times a week? It seems like this is helpful for her.