Spayed female looking... gravid

[stalincat]

I had my male out today for a wee bit, and when I put him back, I've noticed Ripley looking like that, which is really weird cause she was spayed in October. Any ideas? Could she regrow her ovaries and oviducts?

 

[carol5208]

oh wow I guess that is one for the vets to answer!! She sure looks pretty whatever she is!!!

 

[stalincat]

Thanks Carol! She is a gorgeous lady

 

[pssh]

I have heard of females becoming gravid after being spayed before, but you would have to wait for a more experienced member/vet to reply about why/how it happens. Are you sure she isn't just colored up like that because she isn't receptive?

 

[stalincat]

I don't know.. that's why I'm asking=)

she was very much receptive a couple of weeks ago, turning all blue/orange at the sight Bishop. Today she coloured like that when she had a glimpse of him. Went back to green within a couple of minutes though

she doesn't look gravid apart from that one moment. Idk.. im confused

 

[pssh]

Can they even still be receptive if they dont have their ovaries? I was thinking it was like a cat or dog being spayed where they don't go into heat anymore.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Unfortunately one of the risks of being spayed is that it may not be as permanent as intended. In a little reptile the ovary/uterus can be nearly indistinguishable from other tissue because it's so small. It can literally only take a couple of ovarian cells that remain, or fall back, to regrow an entire ovary. Even in dogs and cats if you remove an ovary and a tiny chunk falls back into the abdomen a whole new ovary can grow itself! They've been found attached to intestines or the muscle wall of the abdomen so not even in the right place but making hormones like normal! Animals are amazing at their ability to adapt. Luckily dogs and cats have much larger ovaries so that type of complication is very rare, but still possible. So it could have been that only a tiny amount of cells were left and regrew the entire part needed to make more eggs. If there were just a few cells then your vet most likely did everything correctly and just could not see a few cells that were left. Many of these are very successful but unfortunately sometimes things don't go as planned, even to the best of vets. I recently read about an iguana spayed 12 years earlier that suddenly started making eggs again. An x-ray revealing eggs, or if she laid any, would be proof that the tissue regrew enough to be functional again.

If this was just a blip of a color change in response to seeing a male it may be nothing. Wait and see what the future holds.

 

[stalincat]

she certainly looked like she was. She became restless, clawing out of her cage. she had blue and orange patterns. I bought her a bigger cage and since then she was fine, didn't want out anymore.. just basking all the time.
That's her about a month ago. Looks receptive

 

[stalincat]

Unfortunately one of the risks of being spayed is that it may not be as permanent as intended. In a little reptile the ovary/uterus can be nearly indistinguishable from other tissue because it's so small. It can literally only take a couple of ovarian cells that remain, or fall back, to regrow an entire ovary. Even in dogs and cats if you remove an ovary and a tiny chunk falls back into the abdomen a whole new ovary can grow itself! They've been found attached to intestines or the muscle wall of the abdomen so not even in the right place but making hormones like normal! Animals are amazing at their ability to adapt. Luckily dogs and cats have much larger ovaries so that type of complication is very rare, but still possible. So it could have been that only a tiny amount of cells were left and regrew the entire part needed to make more eggs. If there were just a few cells then your vet most likely did everything correctly and just could not see a few cells that were left. Many of these are very successful but unfortunately sometimes things don't go as planned, even to the best of vets. I recently read about an iguana spayed 12 years earlier that suddenly started making eggs again. An x-ray revealing eggs, or if she laid any, would be proof that the tissue regrew enough to be functional again.

If this was just a blip of a color change in response to seeing a male it may be nothing. Wait and see what the future holds.

Thanks! I'll wait for a bit and see. She doesn't look chunky or anything... but who knows.. what a weird creature!

 

[stalincat]

update:

now I'm pretty sure she is gravid. She weights 188g and was 168 10 days ago. I don't know how this is possible, I feed her only twice a week 2-3 big roaches/locusts and occasional blueberries. She does not do anything apart from basking.

I am a bit worried.. what are the chances she will have the same problems with eggs again? I wouldn't want her to have another surgery.. it was very stressful and painful for her. I should probably take her for an xray to be sure

 

[laurie]

I am so sorry. I have known of them being gravid after surgery but it is rare as far as I know. With your luck you would get the exception. I agree ask the vet, but she might not have the same egg problems as before. Let me know how it goes. She is beautiful either way.

 

[stalincat]

I am so sorry. I have known of them being gravid after surgery but it is rare as far as I know. With your luck you would get the exception. I agree ask the vet, but she might not have the same egg problems as before. Let me know how it goes. She is beautiful either way.

Thanks Laurie!
I'll take her to the vet soon ish..
I really hope she can lay herself this time if she's gravid. She looks quite big so I'm like 90% sure she is...

 

[sarahlynne]

goodluck xx