Egg bound
Encyclopedia
In farming, aviculture
and animal husbandry
, the term egg binding refers to a medical condition in bird
s where the female is unable to pass an egg
that has formed. The egg may be stuck near the cloaca
, or further inside. Egg binding is a reasonably common, and potentially serious, condition that can lead to infection or damage to internal tissue. The bound egg may be gently massaged out; failing this it may become necessary to break the egg in situ and remove it in parts. If broken, the oviduct
should be cleaned of shell fragments and egg residue to avoid damage or infection.
The term can also be seen in herpetoculture
, as this condition can occur in female reptiles. It is inadvisable to attempt to break a reptile egg to remove it from an egg bound female. This procedure may be done by a veterinarian, who will insert a needle into the egg, and withdraw the contents with a syringe, allowing the egg to collapse and be removed. Non-surgical interventions include administering oxytocin
to improve contractions
and allow the eggs to pass normally. In many cases, egg bound reptiles must undergo surgery to have stuck eggs removed.
Egg binding in reptiles is quickly fatal if left untreated, therefore gravid females who become very lethargic and cease feeding, need immediate medical treatment in order to treat the potentially life-threatening condition. A recent episode of the Animal Planet
reality show
E-Vet Interns
featured the treatment of an egg bound turtle named Napoleon. Exotics specialist Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald
of Alameda East Veterinary Hospital
is shown treating her with oxytocin and then eventually having to resort to surgery with footage of the large number of eggs that were removed. Dr. Fitzgerald was shown explaining to the new interns how dangerous this condition can be for a pet turtle and the need for early medical intervention.
Egg binding can occur if an egg is malformed and/or too large, the animal is weakened by illness, improper husbandry, or stress, or if hormonal balances are wrong (producing weak contractions). Factors that can contribute to the risk of egg binding include calcium deficiency, breeding animals that are too young or too small, not providing suitable laying areas (leading to deliberate retention of eggs), and overfeeding of species in which clutch size is dependent on food intake (such as Veiled Chameleon
s).
Aviculture
Aviculture is the practice of keeping and breeding birds and the culture that forms around it. Aviculture is generally focused on not only the raising and breeding of birds, but also on preserving avian habitat, and public awareness campaigns....
and animal husbandry
Animal husbandry
Animal husbandry is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock.- History :Animal husbandry has been practiced for thousands of years, since the first domestication of animals....
, the term egg binding refers to a medical condition in bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s where the female is unable to pass an egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
that has formed. The egg may be stuck near the cloaca
Cloaca
In zoological anatomy, a cloaca is the posterior opening that serves as the only such opening for the intestinal, reproductive, and urinary tracts of certain animal species...
, or further inside. Egg binding is a reasonably common, and potentially serious, condition that can lead to infection or damage to internal tissue. The bound egg may be gently massaged out; failing this it may become necessary to break the egg in situ and remove it in parts. If broken, the oviduct
Oviduct
In non-mammalian vertebrates, the passageway from the ovaries to the outside of the body is known as the oviduct. The eggs travel along the oviduct. These eggs will either be fertilized by sperm to become a zygote, or will degenerate in the body...
should be cleaned of shell fragments and egg residue to avoid damage or infection.
The term can also be seen in herpetoculture
Herpetoculture
Herpetoculture is the keeping of live reptiles and amphibians in captivity, whether as a hobby or as a commercial breeding operation. "Herps" is an informal term that refers to both reptiles and amphibians...
, as this condition can occur in female reptiles. It is inadvisable to attempt to break a reptile egg to remove it from an egg bound female. This procedure may be done by a veterinarian, who will insert a needle into the egg, and withdraw the contents with a syringe, allowing the egg to collapse and be removed. Non-surgical interventions include administering oxytocin
Oxytocin
Oxytocin is a mammalian hormone that acts primarily as a neuromodulator in the brain.Oxytocin is best known for its roles in sexual reproduction, in particular during and after childbirth...
to improve contractions
Contraction (childbirth)
-Throughout menstrual cycle:The uterus frequently contracts throughout the entire menstrual cycle, and these contractions have been termed endometrial waves or contractile waves. These appear to involve only the sub-endometrial layer of the myometrium...
and allow the eggs to pass normally. In many cases, egg bound reptiles must undergo surgery to have stuck eggs removed.
Egg binding in reptiles is quickly fatal if left untreated, therefore gravid females who become very lethargic and cease feeding, need immediate medical treatment in order to treat the potentially life-threatening condition. A recent episode of the Animal Planet
Animal Planet
Animal Planet is an American cable tv specialty channel that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications. A high-definition simulcast of the channel launched on September 1, 2007.-History:...
reality show
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
E-Vet Interns
E-Vet Interns
E-Vet Interns is a reality television series about veterinary interns working at Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in Denver, Colorado. It is a spinoff of Emergency Vets, a series about the lives of veterinarians at Alameda East that aired from 1998 to 2002 on the U.S. cable network Animal Planet...
featured the treatment of an egg bound turtle named Napoleon. Exotics specialist Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald
Kevin Fitzgerald
Kevin Terrel Fitzgerald , a board certified veterinarian who works at Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in his native Denver, Colorado is best known through his visibility on the Animal Planet reality show Emergency Vets and, more recently, E-Vet Interns. Fitzgerald also does stand-up comedy and a...
of Alameda East Veterinary Hospital
Alameda East Veterinary Hospital
Alameda East Veterinary Hospital is one of the world's leading veterinary hospitals. It is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and is considered one of the best intern places a future vet can study in the United States. It is located in Denver, Colorado, in the United States of...
is shown treating her with oxytocin and then eventually having to resort to surgery with footage of the large number of eggs that were removed. Dr. Fitzgerald was shown explaining to the new interns how dangerous this condition can be for a pet turtle and the need for early medical intervention.
Egg binding can occur if an egg is malformed and/or too large, the animal is weakened by illness, improper husbandry, or stress, or if hormonal balances are wrong (producing weak contractions). Factors that can contribute to the risk of egg binding include calcium deficiency, breeding animals that are too young or too small, not providing suitable laying areas (leading to deliberate retention of eggs), and overfeeding of species in which clutch size is dependent on food intake (such as Veiled Chameleon
Veiled Chameleon
The veiled chameleon, Chamaeleo calyptratus, is a large species of chameleon found in the mountain regions of Yemen, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. It is also sometimes referred to as the Yemen Chameleon....
s).