urgent ! prolapse ? please help

[chickchicks]

I have a 2.5 yr old warren shes been having troubke laying eggs gone all soft no shell i have bought better feed today and got extra grit for them but before i could help shes gone to lay an egg and its come out all broke shes staining to get the yellowy white guck out n ther area that it all comes out of ia bulging .
Is this a prolapose ?
I have put the in a tub of walk water n covered for darknes hoping to atop her straining . What is ot i should be doing ?

Thank u for ur gelp in advance .

 

[chickchicks]

I can give picture if needed for extra help !

 

[my sunwolf]

Sounds like your production hen has laid too many big eggs for too many days in a row

Or it may just be her breeding, production hens sometimes have trouble laying after they are 2 years old.

The broken egg inside her is called internal laying. To prevent infection, you MUST get some water up into her vent (think of squirting it up there) to get the egg yolk and shell bits to come out. Otherwise, she doesn't have much of a chance. Preferably, you will also get some sort of weak disinfectant solution up there too.

If it is also prolapse (you will know because her vent will be swollen and red and there will be bits of skin hanging out), you can take a little bit of petroleum jelly and gently press the skin back into her vent.

Please let us know if we're missing details/information and let us know how she does!

(Edited for spelling.)

 

[chickchicks]

Thank u i will start now !

Thats what she looks like and yes she always laid really large eggs compared to the others . I will get towork now and let u know if anything happens thank u .

 

[my sunwolf]

If she has been goopy for a long time, it might be vent gleet. If this has only happened over the past few days, I think we are right that she laid an egg internally as well as prolapsed. That is not a bad prolapse, I would definitely just gently push it back in, and if she can hold off laying eggs for a few days she will be okay (though this is hard for a production hen to do).


Sounds like she may have egg yolk peritonitis. Treatment may end up being complicated, so whether or not to go in-depth with treatment depends how much you have invested in this hen.

 

[chickchicks]

Ok thank u . All this is a first for mw as thwyare my fiat lot of hens had them for about 3 yra in total with my broody oprs first.
I havent found anything in the house to so water up there yet atill looking. Put a butof huney over it to take swelling down ( somwthing i read while waiting for answers) and gave her somw water with nutri drops in and shes perking up . Prolaps is in ans out no more messy liquid is coming out all dry now. Will try very hard for hwr as shes a lovely chicken ( favorite!) Thank u for ahelping really aprecaite it as its the firat big problem ive ever had with my girls

 

[casportpony]

 

[casportpony]

From: http://www.avianweb.com/Prolapse.htm

Prolapsed Cloaca​

by Terry Martin, BVSc - Australia​

Breeding Challenges ... Bird Health Care ... Glossary of Avian Medical Terms ... Medications Used in Avian & Exotic Medicine and Pharmaceutical Terms ... How to administer oral medications to a bird​

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There are a number of potential causes for this condition and a number of possible solutions depending on the cause.
Egg binding can be a cause, and remember egg binding is not simply the physical presence of an egg, it is the deficiency of calcium in the blood and tissues. Therefore it may occur any time before, during or immediately after egg laying. Even when adequate Calcium is available, it may still occur because the amount of calcium required for egg shell production is greater than the amount of Calcium a bird can eat in a 24hr period. This is why the breeding hen must be in perfect condition for breeding, this ensures she has adequate calcium stored in her bones prior to breeding, readily available at an instance notice.
Because egg binding is really hypocalcaemia (low blood calcium) all muscles of the body become weak and contract poorly. The uterus cannot contract enough to deliver the egg, the cloacal sphincter muscles may be too weak to hold close and the general body muscles may not be burning energy to keep the bird warm - hence they go into shock. Therefore any bird with a cloacal prolapse should be kept warm and given calcium in some form to hopefully increase cloacal muscle tone. I favour crop dosing with liquid calcium as well as in water calcium sources in these cases. Of course cuttlefish never goes astray.

Cloacal prolapse is also contributed to by uterine or cloacal infection that makes the area irritated and causes straining, resulting in expulsion of the cloaca. Therefore, it is standard to give these birds antibiotics in case of infection. If a prolapse is exposed to the air for any length of time, infection is almost certain to develop, and with time the tissue dries out which causes further irritation and more straining -end result bigger prolapse.
Potty training is another contributing factor. Training birds to "hold it in" and poop on command puts pressure on the internal organs as the droppings build up inside. It is a dangerous practice.

Lubricating and gently replacing the prolapsed tissue is important, but be careful what you use. Water soluble lubricants designed for people are good. Sometimes mild antiseptics are indicated, but be careful not to cause further tissue damage.

In many cases, the prolapse will not resolve and treatment becomes Veterinary in nature with surgery the only option. A purse string suture may be placed around the vent under general anesthesia to keep things inside. But this also often fails. If the bird is a pet, the best option is desexing to remove the swollen uterus and if necessary a procedure called cloacapexy to stitch the cloaca back inside the body. These procedures are quite successful but obviously prevent the bird from further breeding. I have never performed these procedures on birds smaller than a Cockatiel, obviously the stress and length of surgery have to be considered when dealing with a finch.

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If the tissue looks healthy, that is important, if it looks dried and dying, things are probably too late. Mineral oil is not a good idea, either in this situation or in egg binding. It is part of the common misconception that egg binding, or straining equals constipation. There is no physical obstruction in either case, so mineral oil will only cause diarrhea at best. At worse it can cause a GI tract upset that can make the bird even more unwell. I have always been amazed at the number of people who think oral oil will lubricate the reproductive tract. (not a personal criticism of you, but an observation of aviculturists writing bird books).
If an egg is in the lower reproductive tract or cloaca for any length of time, the uterus and cloaca can dry out and require lubrication, but it must be applied in a retrograde fashion up the cloaca. When I was referring to human water soluble lubricants, I was not meaning for hemorrhoids, but for reproduction - that is K-Y jelly or similar, not oil based lubricants
Hemorrhoids is a different problem totally to what the bird is suffering. In the human case there are badly swollen blood vessels that need to be constricted - hence the phenylephrine in it. In the case of the bird, there may be some small vascular swelling that could benefit from constriction, however the risk is the bird may absorb large quantities of the phenylephrine and this could have a systemic effect (whole bird).

So no, I would not normally recommend this type of ointment.
The calcium solution I use is called Calcium Sandoz. I would give a Zebra 0.1ml orally with a crop needle if it was eggbound or prolapsed. I might repeat this if I felt it was necessary, sometimes 3-4 times daily. I often also use it in water at the rate of 10ml/liter. It needs to be made fresh at least daily. It has the added benefit of being high in sugars, making it palatable and being useful for a bird in shock/stress, however it will grow bacteria in the water supply so this must be considered.

I would normally always use antibiotics in these cases, as I explained infection is sometimes the causative factor. However pet shop type antibiotics should never be used in any situation as they have little effect on pathogens (disease causing bacteria). This is the reason why they are available without prescription - they are useless. The choice of antibiotic and dose rate is obviously the decision of the Veterinarian treating the case.
For the aviculturists faced with a prolapsed cloaca, you must stop short of the antibiotics, relying only on the calcium, cloacal replacement and supportive treatment. If this does not work, then it is a Veterinary matter, or else humane euthanasia.

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[casportpony]

Give your hen some human calcium, ASAP!

 

[casportpony]

From:http://www.avianweb.com/eggbinding.html

Egg Binding​

Breeding Challenges​

Egg binding refers to a common and potentially serious condition where a female bird is unable to pass an egg that may be stuck near the cloaca, or further inside the reproductive tract. Even though egg binding can occur in any female bird, it is most common in smaller birds such as lovebirds, cockatiels, budgies and finches.
The potential of an egg breaking inside the tract is high, which then can result in an infection or damage to internal tissue; and - if left untreated - death.
The bound egg may be gently massaged out; failing this it may become necessary for a vet to break the egg inside and remove it in parts. If broken, the oviduct should be cleaned of shell fragments and egg residue to avoid damage or infection.


Suspected causes for egg binding include:

• Low Calcium Levels or Hypocalcaemia Syndrome associated with low calcium levels in the blood. Supplementing the breeding hen with a diet rich in calcium and Vitamin D is an important factor in preventing this problem
  • You could provide a dish filled with crushed egg shell (from boiled eggs to kill any bacteria) and/or attach a calcium / mineral block to the cage.
  • In areas where access to natural sunlight is limited (such as in the northern hemisphere during the winter months), full-spectrum lamps can be used to provide UVA and UVB rays.
  • Please click here for natural food sources rich in Vitamin D
  • Potentially discuss supplementation with your vet. Supplementation needs to be carefully screen ed and supervised by a vet since an excess of vitamin D (in the form of a supplement) causes kidney damage and retards growth.
  • Relevant Article: Natural Calcium for Birds - Sources and Absorbability
• Malnutrition caused by seed-only or low-protein diets. Please click here for information on bird nutrition.
  
• Sedentary lifestyle: Often the case when birds are kept in enclosures / cages that are too small for them. The lack of exercise causes poorly developed muscles and obesity.
  
• At particular risk are sick and old birds.
  
• Pet birds can also develop this problem, as birds don't need a mate to lay eggs. (Obviously, solitary egg-laying females won't produce fertile eggs.)

Also refer to Chronic Egg Laying and Thin-shelled, soft-shelled, no-shell, porous, misshaped / deformed eggs


Clinical Signs:
Loss of appetite, depression, abdominal straining, and sitting fluffed on the bottom of the cage. Some hens may pass large wet droppings while others may not pass any droppings due to the egg's interfering with normal defecation.

If you suspect that your bird is egg-bound, she should be seen by a vet immediately. The veterinarian may be able to feel the egg in the bird's abdomen. An x-ray may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Sometimes medical treatment will enable the hen to pass her egg. Occasionally surgery is necessary.
Complications from being egg bound can be swelling, bleeding or prolapse of the oviduct.


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. Click here for information on bird nutrition.

• Also refer to Chronic Egg Laying

Avianweb Visitor Allen McRae, whose Cordon Blue Finch was egg-bound, followed some of the instructions above and wrote back:

"It worked! We're not sure which suggestion worked. My wife gave her some calcium as well as bath water, and when I went home for lunch she had passed the egg and looked 100% better. My wife gives them water to bathe in daily, so I'm not sure what exactly helped her pass the egg. It was lying in the water, the shell was cracked in half, with one side still containing the yolk."
Great News!​