Leopard Gecko Health: Dystocias

Background Information

Dystocia is more commonly as either egg retention or as egg binding. It is a potentially serious health condition that arises when a gravid female leopard gecko cannot lay one or both eggs.

Please read our Disclaimer before reading any further into these common problems. As with any medical problem, we strongly recommend that you immediately contact your veterinarian for assistance.

Common Symptoms

An egg-bound leopard gecko will exhibit a variety of physical and behavioral signs that could be indicative of egg-binding. One should always pay close attention to gravid females.

The more common signs of being gravid include:

Swollen abdomen with obvious outlines of eggs
Lack of appetite
Alert
Active
Awkward movements

Egg-bound female geckos may also exhibit the following symptoms:

Depression
Lethargy
Unresponsive
May give up nesting behaviors
Vomiting
Muscle tremors and seizures
Sunken eyes
Decreased stool output

Possible Causes

As with many other problems encountered with leopard geckos, there could be a wide range of possible contributing factors to egg binding that you and your vet will work through and start to eliminate. Most of the time, it is related to improper husbandry practices and not actually any disease however this is not always the case.

The common causes include:

Lack of an appropriate nesting spot.
Improper temperature
Nutritional problems and malnutrition.
Dehydration
Calcium problems (ie Metabolic Bone Disease).
Overfeeding.
Lack of exercise.
Improper photoperiod.
Change in the environment.
Trauma
Gout
Kidney problems.
Hepatic Lipidiosis (Fatty Liver Disease).
Hypoproteinemia
Bacterial infection.
Poor overall health.
Thyroid problems.
Egg yolk peritonitis.
Fetal abnormalities (oversized or malformed eggs).
Maternal abnormalities (misshaped pelvis, oviductal structure, abscesses...).
Improper positioning of the egg(s).
Attempting to lay more than one egg simultaneously.
Egg fractures.

Diagnostic Techniques

There are many different diagnostics techniques available to determine the potential cause and nature of the problem. The most appropriate technique will depend on various circumstances and the results of other testing that may have been carried out.

The most common diagnostic techniques include:

Physical examination
Monitoring the gecko's behaviors and movements
Radiography
Blood work
Urinalysis

Treatment Options

Ultimately the most appropriate therapeutic plan will depend on the cause of the problem and how long it has been going on for. If you suspect the gecko may be egg bound, it is critical that you seek prompt medical attention immediately!

Physical manipulation of the egg(s) is not recommended (unless a qualified veterinarian performs this). Please do not attempt this yourself! Increased pressure on the egg itself could cause:

The egg to fracture.
The oviduct to rupture.
Hemorrhage.
Death.

The other possible treatment options available to your veterinarian could include:

Provision of an appropriate nesting spot.
Warm water soaks.
Surgery.
Reproductive hormones such as Oxytocin or Aginine vasotocin.
Experiments currently under way with calcium and reproductive steroids.

With respect to the reproductive hormones, there are a few things to keep in mind:

They must be used extremely carefully.
They will only cause contractions and not the actual egg removal.
Oxytocin is most effective when given within 48 hours of dystocia.
Most vets will not used these if there were signs of contractions but the gecko failed to lay an egg. The increased pressure on the egg from inducing further contractions on eggs that are not proceeding down the oviduct can cause them to fracture, the oviduct to rupture, hemorrhage and even death.
It is important to maintain the gecko at their optimal body temperatures during the treatment period.

When dealing with medical problems, proper personal hygiene, quarantine and disinfection techniques are absolutely necessary.

Still Confused Or Concerned?

If you would like more information or further assistance, or just want to chat some more about leopard geckos, please feel free to post on the Reptile Rooms Leopard Gecko Forum!