ABSTRACT

A mature adult female Florida cooter turtle, Pseudemys floridana floridana, was evaluated after being hit by a car. The turtle was treated for a crushing injury to the left carapace and a penetrating wound to the coelom. The turtle began laying eggs five days post hospital admission and layed eight of nine additional radiographically identified eggs within two days. Based on the lack of response to repeated doses of oxytocin and the caudal midline location of the egg radiographically, it was suspected that the egg was within the urinary bladder. Ultrasonographic coelomic examination confirmed the presence of a single egg within the urinary bladder. The egg was removed via a left flank incision and cystotomy under general anesthesia. Ultrasonographic examination proved to be valuable in confirming the diagnosis of egg-retention within the urinary bladder.