AVIAN - Dr. Rush only imp pts Flashcards
What is important to note about the shedding of Psittacine Beak and Feather Dz?
ALL (+) birds are actively shedding virus whether they are showing signs or not
Pacheco’s DZ - Most common C.S.
- Bright yellow urates
- Most common C.S = Death
Mortality rate of Diptheritic form of Pox virus
Mortality is often high
Fecal Gram Stain
What is normal to see?
- Normal 150 bact/ field (100x)
- 70% Gram (+) rods
- 30% Gram (+) cocci
- More Gram (-) in carnivores
What is important to note about beak trims?
Bill Tip Organ = sensitive/nerve endings
Which primary feather do you leave when doing wing trims?
- 10 Primary wing feathers
- Leave the most distal primary
Who is usually most affected by Avian Polyoma Virus (APV)?
- Budgerigars –> confined to nestlings
- Dz most typical in nestling parrots
Young birds - hight nestling MORTALITY, fledging morbidity
Are adult birds affected by Avian Polyoma Virus (APV)?
Adults may be asymptomatic carriers; they are asymptomatic 99% of the time
C.S. of APV?
- Lethargy, fluffed, delayed crop emptying, sudden death
- MOST of these birds DIE w/in 24 hrs of C.S (esp the nestlings)
If you suspect a bird has APV, what should you do?
- If suspect APV –> send out Antibody titer
- **Birds may remain AB (+) for years **
Which birds viruses are ZOONOTIC and REPORTABLE?
- Newcastles (Viscertropic Velogenic Newcastles)
- Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)
- Avian Influenza
- West Nile Virus (WNV)
Clinical signs of Newcastle’s Dz
- Bright yellow, green D+
- Opisthotonos (abnormal posturing due to strong muscle spasms)
- Torticollis
Tx of Newcastles Dz
Symptomatic ONLY and not advised if suspected
Must be reported
Prevention of Newcastle’s Dz
Vax is prohibitted in birds entering the US b/c it doesnt eliminate carrier state and happers viral detection during quarantine
What are the 2 forms of Avian Influenza?
- MPAI (Midly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
- HPAI (Highly Pathogenic A.I)
Which species is more resistance to WNV?
Anseriformes (waterfowl)
Prevention of WNV?
- Mosquito control
- Vaccine for horses
Vaccines available for _____
- Polyoma
- Pox
- Pacheco’s
- EEE
- WEE
- WNV
If bird presents with Bright Green Feces, what do you suspect?
- Biliverdinuria (liver dz)
- Anorexia
- Metal toxicity
- Chlamydiophyla
- E. coli
What type of muscle is foung in the avian eye?
Iridial skeletal muscle
What is the patagium?
Piece of skin that goes from wrist to the shoulder
(important to passively stretch this in birds that have bandaged wings to prevent contracture)
When conducting an avian fecal gram stain on a normal patient, what should you not see?
These should not be seen in a normal bird
- Budding yeast
- Gram (-) rods
When conducting a fecal gram stain on a bird with borderline malnutrition, what is expected?
- Few bacteria
- > 90% G (+) rods
- < 10% G (+) cocci
- Occasional G (-) rod
When conducting a fecal gram stain on an abnormal bird, what is expected?
- Many Gram (-) rods or monomorphic bact. pop.
- Budding yeast or hyphae
If administering Intraosseous fluids to your avian patient, which bones do you want to avoid and why?
Do NOT put in humerus of femur b/c part of pneumatic system
If using topical ointments on your avian patient, what do you want to avoid?
Avoid topicals with steroids
When is it acceptable to use steroids in birds?
Only use steroid if bird in SHOCK, Toxicity, or Nervous System Compromise
(short acting steroids ONLY)
3 causes of anemia in all species (Anemia Rule Outs)
- Hemorrhage
- Hemolysis
- Production
- trauma
- parasitism
- toxicity
- chronic dz
What is the easiest way to monitor fluid administration?
Wt. gain
Avian species don’t typically show pain because ____
Instinctual stoicism
Transfusion Administration
- 10 - 20% of recipient blood volume
- 1-2 ml/100g Body Wt
- **IV, IO **
- **CRI **
- 2 mls/min
- pediatric filter –> doesn’t lyse the cells
- monitor carefully
Which NSAID is contraindicated in flamingos?
Banamine
Characteristics of DMSO
- carrier
- analfesic
- anti-inflammatory
What is important about using an ET tube in a bird
NEVER used CUFFED ET tube in a bird
either used a deflated cuff or a tube without a cuff because birds have fully ringed trachea –> too much pressure –> necrosis
What one surgical instrument is absolutely contraindicated to use on a bird that is under anesthesia because may cause bird to explode?
electrocartery
How do you administer Flouroquinolones to birds?
Can give injectable orally
DO NOT give via INJECTION
What drug treats Chlamydiphyla?
Tetracyclines
What is the anti-flagellate used in birds?
What does it treat?
Possible adverse reactions?
Metronidazole (Flagell)
Treats Giardia
May cause neuro signs in some species
What type tube is used for venipuncture?
EDTA (purple top tube)
Lithium heparin tube is used for crows and ravens
How much blood can you safely draw from your avian patient?
1% of body wt in grams
or
10% of blood volume
Vein of choice for venipuncture?
-
Jugular
- right side is always bigger than left
- tunica muscularis around rt side is better –> helps hold off vein so dont bleed into cervicocephalic airsac
Problems associtated with basilic v. venipuncture
- Hematoma formation
- Collapses easily
How do you get your white blood cell count on an avian patient?
Has to be done manually b/c nucleated red cells
normal leukocyte count 5,000- 15,000
What are the types of avian WBCs?
- Granulocyte
- Mononuclear cells
What is unique about the avian RBC?
Normal PCV?
Nucleated
43-55%
What is the most numerous inflammatory cell in most avian species?
AVIAN HETEROPHIL
Heterophils are the cells most likely smudge when making a smear –> why making correct smear is imp
DDx of Marked Monocyte Abnormalities in the ill patient
- Aspergillosis
- mycobacteriosis
- chlamydiophylosis
Important viruses that causes Lymphocytosis (marked immune stim)
- Cicovirus (PBFD)
- Polyoma
What do value do you look at to assess renal function in birds
Uric Acid
no BUN or Creatinine b/c not useful–> look at uric acid to assess renal function
What common household agent is toxic to birds if inhaled?
Polytetrafluoroethylene C
(Teflon)
Where are Carcinomas often found in Birds?
Internal organs
TX of Carcinomas?
- Solitary → excise
- Chemo
Is Total Bili useful in birds?
No
Birds lack bilirubin reductase
No biliverdin test (very short plasma T1/2)
Where are SCC often found in birds?
- Mucocutaneous jxns → head, distal wing/phalanges, UP gland
In raptors, what can increase the uric acid level?
High protein meal consumption
What can elevated uric acid levels indicate?
extensive proximal tubular damage in severly dehydrated non-carnivorous birds
2nd most numerous inflammatory cell
Lymphocyte
Which 2 birds most commonly get Pituitary Adenomas?
CS?
TX?
- Bugies & Cockatiels
- Neuro signs
- + retrobulbar mass
- Exopthalmia
- NOT PRACTICAL to TX
Is CBC a useful tool in avian medicine?
Yes
Is serum biochemistry useful?
May be if interpreted correctly
Zoonotic and Reportable bacterial dz in birds
Chlamydiophila
Where in the cell is Chlamidiophila psittaci found?
C.S?
DDx:
Tx:
- Intranuclear organism
- C.S.: URT, depression, anorxia, PU, biliverdinuria, dehydration,dyspnea
- DDx: Ag/Ab testing; culture of ocular/liver.URT/blood (often difficult)
- Tx: Doxycycline - injectable formulation must be specific for IM injection; oral tx most commonly used
- 45 day regimen is recommended
Why are ALL seed diets bad for birds?
seeds are deficient in Vit. A, Ca2+ & fatty acids
Which 2 birds are notorious for “Feather Picking”?
CAPTIVE African Greys & Cokatoos
Bumblefoot is often associated with
what vitamin deficiency?
Vit. A deficiency
Which air sac is most commonly ruptured?
Cause?
- Cervicocephalic air sac
- infection/inflammation OR
- Trauma
- Iatrogenic
Facts about Aspergillus fumigatus
How do they become infected?
What animals is it most commonly noted in?
C.S
Dx
Tx
- Ubiquitous in environment
- inhaled spores
- Most commonly stressed/ill/immunosuppressed individuals
- C.S: URT/LRT, dypsnea, anorexia, wt loss, secondary to other problems, voice change
- Dx: absolute monocytosis
- Tx: Itraconazole; surgical removal
- nebulization possible
- No long term curefor the granulomatous dz
C.S. of a Ruptured Air Sac?
TX?
- SQ emphysea
- SX placement of Cutaneous Teflon stent
How do you TX a Broken Blood Feather?
(1° feather)
- Anesthesia
- Place forcepts as close to skin as possible → base of the feather shaft
- Support bone
- Twist & pull shaft from follicle
(only way to stop, bird will bleed out if do anything different)
What should you look out for when trimming wing feathers for clients?
BEWARE of a feather with a DARK quill
(could be a blood feather)
Circulatory parasites of birds
- Heamoproteus
- Leucocytozoon
- Plasmodium
- Atoxoplasma
C.S. of Cryptosporidium infections
(Protozoa)
- GI signs
- Respiratory signs
- Urinary
- Canaries & Finches
Plasmodium is of concern for which birds in captivity
Penguins
Cochlosoma (Flagellete) C.S.
- Adult birds are usually asymptomatic carriers
- Dz most commonly affects young birds 10d - 6w of age
- Dehydration, D+, undigested food droppings, yellow staining nest/nest mates, death
C.S of CHRONIC Toxoplamosis ?
(most are subacute)
- Blindness
- Ataxia
- Torticollis
- Cats in home?
What is another name for Syngamus trachea (roundworm)?
Where are the adult worms found?
C.S
Tx
- Gapeworm or Redworm
- Adult worms live in permanent copulation in lumen of the trachea
- C/S = head shaking, sometimes see “gaping”
- Tx: adults can often be pulled from trachea
Which Coccidia has its ENTIRE LC in the GIT of birds?
Isospora spp.
(UNLIKE Atoxoplasma)
How do you Dx tracheal mites in the bird?
Visulization of “black spots” within the lumen
What Coccida causes “Big Liver Dz”?
Atoxoplasma lankastrella
What are the 2 types of blood sucking mites in birds?
- Dermanyssus gallinae (red mite)
- Ornithonyssus sylviarium (northern fowl mite)
What parasitic agent causes Palpable Hepatomegaly?
Atoxoplamsa
(Big Liver Dz)
Can you get rid of Atoxoplamsa?
- NO
- Can TX w/ Toltrazuril
