Birds Common diseases and disorders Flashcards
What is caused by obligate gram-negative intracellular bacterium?
Chlamydia psittaci
Is Chlamydiosis zoonotic?
Yes.
What does Chlamydia psittaci cause in humans?
Psittacosis
What does Chlamydia psittaci cause in birds?
Avian chlamydiosis
Chlamydiosis is also referred to as?
Ornithosis
Parrot fever
What are the clinical signs of Chlamydiosis?
Pneumonia Ocular and nasal ocular discharge Greenish-yellow diarrhea Dehydration Weight loss
How do you diagnose Chlamydiosis?
Cell culture
Immunofluorescence test
Polymerase chain reaction tests
What virus is found in fledgling budgerigars, is nonenveloped that primarily infects young birds and causes acute death in psittacines?
Avian polyomavirus (APV)
For what virus is a vaccine available?
Avian polyomavirus
What is highly contagious and causes acute disease of psittacines and is associated with stress?
Herpesvirus
How is herpesvirus transmitted?
Via direct contact and by aerosol or fecal contamination of food or water
What species of birds are often involved in herpesvirus outbreaks?
Macaws
Amazon parrots
Monk parakeets
Conures
What are the clinical signs of herpesvirus?
Bright yellow urates with scant feces and Acute death in well-fleshed birds
Most infected birds will have what?
Enlarged liver
Splenomegaly
Renomegaly
What is associated with herpesvirus of the strain that also causes acute presentation of Pacheco’s disease, tends to occur as a flock problem, is characterized by erythematous prolapsed cloacal tissue and is removed surgically or via cautery?
Cloacal Papillomatosis
What disease is seen more frequently in African greys, Cockatoos, and Conures and is first seen as early as 10 weeks of age?
Proventricular dilatation disease (PPD)
What are the signs of Proventricular dilatation disease?
Inflammation of the central and peripheral nervous system
Crop stasis, anorexia, cachexia and incoordination
Proventricular dilatation disease is the infectious agent that has recently been proposed to cause what disease?
Avian bornavirus
How do you diagnose Proventricular dilatation disease?
PCR testing
How do you treat Proventricular dilatation disease?
NSAID drugs
What is caused by a circovirus that may be seen in neonates in an infected nursery, where the majority of birds develop lesions between 6 months and 3 years of age?
Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD)
How is Psittacine beak and feather disease transmitted?
Feather dust
Dander
Feces
What are the clinical signs of Psittacine beak and feather disease?
Abnormal feather growth and lack of powder on the beak
Germinal tissues of the beak are affected resulting in a misshapen and crumbly beak
How is Psittacine beak and feather disease diagnosed?
PCR
Biopsies of affected feather follicles
What has many varieties, needs an injury or vectors (mosquitos) to allow the virus to enter the body and is associated with imported Amazon parrots and macaws?
Avian Poxvirus
What are the clinical signs of Avian Poxvirus?
Lesions around the face, eyelids, and commissures of the mouth, on the feet, and under the wings
What is the treatment for Avian (Poxvirus)?
Supportive therapy
What is a mosquito-borne disease that primarily infects horses, humans, and birds and has rapidly spread throughout the US in the last few years?
Avian West Nile Virus
What species of birds appear to be somewhat resistant to West Nile Virus?
Psittacines
Is there a vaccine for Avian West Nile Virus?
There is no commercially available avian vaccine in North America
What is normally caused by poor mixed microwave foods that are fed to neonates?
Crop burns
Where does crop burn normally occur?
In the right ventral portion of the crop
What happens in birds with crop burn?
Crop and skin necrosis forming a fistula.
Food will leak from the fistula
What is required to close the fistula?
Surgical anesthesia
What might birds ingest to cause a toxicity?
Cleaning products Prescription medications Toiletries Tobacco Matches Plants
What are the symptoms of toxicity in birds?
GI upset to seizures
What are plants that are toxic to birds
Avocado Black locust Oak Oleander Rhododendron Clematis Dieffenbachia Foxglove Lily of the valley Lupine Philodendron Poinsettia Yew Crown vetch
What is the failure of an egg to pass through the oviduct at a normal rate?
Egg retention
What birds is egg retention seen as a common emergency?
Budgies
Canaries
Finches
Lovebirds
What are some causes of egg retention?
Malformed eggs
Vitamin deficiencies
Obesity
What are the clinical signs of egg retention?
Abdominal distension and straining Lack of droppings depression Sitting Tail wagging Walking with widespread legs
What is the treatment of egg retention?
Supportive care or surgery
What often results from a traumatic fall or injury to the bird?
Broken blood feathers
What is the most important immediate therapy for a prolapsed cloaca?
To keep the prolapsed tissue moist and clean
What ailments can lead to a prolapsed cloaca?
Egg stasis
Papillomas
Chronic masturbation
Coelomic masses
Why can mammal bites from a pet dog or cat be detrimental to the avian patient?
The oral cavity of the cat is especially dangerous since it carries Pasteurella multocida which requires immediate antibiotic therapy
Wing fractures are usually immobilized with what kind of bandage?
Figure 8 bandage
A body wrap is applied when what bone is also fractured?
Humerus
How long should broken wings be bandaged for?
3 to 5 weeks
What are lower leg fractures stabilized with until healing occurs (4 to 6 weeks)
Splints
Splints will often worsen which fractures?
Femur
Upper tibiotarsus
What kind of splint can be used to treat fractures of the lower third of the tibiotarsus and the entire tarsometatarsus?
Schroeder-Thomas splint
What is used for simple lower leg fractures?
Robert Jones bandage
What is used for broken toes or pododermatitis?
Ball bandage
