x-rays of a female that will not lay.

[tkilgour]

Here are 2 x-rays of one of my female Sambavas. She is past due to lay her eggs and has been digging holes for 7 days. I got her to a vet as soon as they would see us. Well, I spent 4 hours at the vet and got 6 xrays, an injection of calcium and oxytocin. The vet was puzzled by the xrays. There is one bright, white, mass, that shows up in the group of eggs. The dr. thought maybe the bright, white, mass was a bladder stone, but she was not sure. I figured I would post 2 of the photos for you to see and possibly some of you may know what it is. The mass is the brightest spot near her tail. I was also sent home w/ 2 more oxytocin doses, and liquid calcium to give the poor girl if she does not lay her eggs. I really hope she lays her eggs and pulls through.

 

[Eltortu]

Good luck!

 

[Syn]

No idea what that white stone would be (if I had a completely uneducated guess I would say something highly calcified like, well, a gallstone{if they have that in chameleons}).

Best of luck with her.

 

[Cromag09]

Hi, new to the forums, new to chameleons also. Im a Vet tech working mostly with dogs and cats. from my expierence something of that density would be a bladder stone. my thought is that the "bladder stone" is preventing the eggs from passing! just my 2 cents. I hope that all works out with her and that she is ok.

 

[kinyonga]

You said she has been digging for 7 days...so she hasn't given up then...she's still digging?

Has she been digging the same hole or different holes each time?

How many days ago did she mate? Was it her first mating?

 

[jojackson]

Fascinating xrays. best wishes for your lizard, looks as full as a boot. Hopefully the shots will do the job. Did the vet give you a window of time in which should lay if she can?
If she still dosent lay, hopefully the vet can extract them without much negative effect and investigate the anomalie at the same stroke.
Keeping my fingers X'd for you, will watch for updates.

 

[Courtney]

Cant wait to readmore about her good luck!!!!

 

[GooglezNvincent]

Any chance it could be a "mummified egg"?

 

[tkilgour]

Thanks everyone. I am hoping she lays today. Also, as asked earlier, she still seems to have energy. She digs different holes each time, but gets half way and quits. I have a barrier so she can't see me and when she goes back to the branches, she sits under the dripper and chugs water. Sometimes she trys digging again, other times not. This is her first clutch and she is a little more than 1.5 yrs old. Also, she is at 55 days since copulation! My last female laid at 50 days with out any meds or vets and that was a record for me. However, when she started to dig that was it, no testing she just laid the eggs. I was thinking maybe this girl doesn't like the bin, so I changed it and helped start her holes. She goes to the holes I start and digs them deeper, but always quits never laying. I just hope this oxytocin helps her and does not kill her. The vet was not confident in doing any operations on her at this time. This is So much stress for her and I right now.

 

[tkilgour]

Happy Easter!!! Well in a different kind of way. My female Sambava laid 23 eggs over night. The thing about it is, apparently while she was sleeping, she just pushed the eggs out all over the floor, right underneath her. The eggs are nice and white, but 2 of them are dimpled and soft. I walked in this morning to the surprise. I am so happy the oxytocin and calcium worked. I gave her water and offered her a superworm, but she would not take the food. I hope after she warms up she takes food and there are not still complications. She is still plump looking, but counting eggs on the xray it seems she dropped them all. Not totally sure, I just really hope she eats and lives on for many more years. I am incubating the eggs in vermiculite and just using the closet.

 

[haleybobl]

Are you planning on having a follow up x-ray to see if the calcified spot is gone as well? I think I would just out of curiousity, and to prevent future issues it may cause. I am glad to hear she finally dropped them for you and surgery was not needed.

 

[tkilgour]

yes, I was thinking that may be a good idea to get another xray. Then at least I will know if it was an egg, if she passed whatever it was, or if it is still an issue. If I can get her to start eating I will make sure not to overfeed her, and try to prevent her from having a large second clutch. I dont think I will ever breed her again either.

 

[tkilgour]

2 more eggs dropped out of her onto the floor while I was giving her a drink.

 

[SS4Luck]

glad she passed her eggs and there doesnt seem to be too many complications

 

[tkilgour]

Thanks SS4Luck! Maybe you can send some of your luck her way. She dropped 3 more eggs on the ground just a minute ago. This girl has taken me on a crazy ride of stress and worry. I just hope once she finishes popping all the eggs out, she eats something. This poor girl has not eaten anything in about 15 days!

 

[Pure]

Glad to hear she is ok.

I have to wonder..do breeders who have females with these kind of issues ever breed them again?

 

[tkilgour]

Glad to hear she is ok.

I have to wonder..do breeders who have females with these kind of issues ever breed them again?

Good question for sure. I would guess some breeders most likely do. I know I will not breed her again, because I just dont want to see her go through this again. I am going to try my hardest to prevent her from having any infertile clutches as well. She was too stressfull for me to watch digging over and over, then to have to take her to the vet. It was crazy, because when the dr. and vet tech would try to handle her, she would come running to me and try to hide on the back of my neck. It was like she knew I was her owner or she was my owner. I guess she knew I was safe.

 

[jojackson]

Great news!! How many eggs anyway?
Heres hoping the next vet visit/xray shows the anomalie gone along with all the eggs, but if it dosent, best wishes. So far so good, you must be releived.

 

[GooglezNvincent]

Glad to hear she is ok.

I have to wonder..do breeders who have females with these kind of issues ever breed them again?

I would have to say, wait and see with the retained sperm and the second clutch. If since it was hard on her and crazy because it was the first clutch and she is way better the second time i would consider it. If the second clutch is just as bad i dont think any one should. Too much trama and stress for both the cham and the owner! Just my 2 cents!

 

[mwebb]

Tom what did you have in the laying box? If they dont like what thay are digging in they wont lay. I have always had the bast luck with sand.