Non-infectious Diseases of Companion Birds Flashcards
Lead Poisoning
Many potential sources
Lead paint
curtain and fishing weights
solder
antique or imported cages
stained glass
Foil from champagne bottles
lead batteries
Zinc Toxicity
Galvanized materials
Washers, screws, nuts, snap fasteners, car keys, pennies
Newly Galvanized wire
Remove powder and other particulates
Clean with mildly acidic solutin
Lead poisoning - diagnosis
history of ingestion
Radiographs
Blood lead levels
Lead poisoning - radiology
Lead Posining - Treatment
Midazolam - control seizures
Supportive - fluids, feeding
Chelation - calcium EDTA, D-penicillamine
GI - lubricatns and laxatives
Liver disease
Multiple Etiologies
Acute: infectious - chlamydia, toxins
Non-infectious: Hepatic lipidosis, hepatic fibrosis, iron storage disease, neoplasia
Hepatic Disease - Clinical signs
“Sick bird” symptoms
feather discoloration
beak and nail overgrowth
+/- palpable hepatic enlargement
Biliverdinuria
Normal Droppings
Urates: should be well formed and be white. Any changes to color or texture is an alert to a problem
Urine: should be clear and watery as shown. Color changes and amount can be an alert to a problem
Feces: should be green or brown. Diet can change the color of the feces, so if you notice a change compare to what was eaten
Biliverdinuria = green discoloration
Liver Disease - Diagnosis
History
Clinical exam
Clinical pathology; AST< CK, Bile acids
Radiographs - hepatic silhouette
Ultrasound + liver aspiration
Endoscopy and liver biopsy
Chlamydophila testing
Coelomic Distention
Due to effusion or hepatomegaly
Coelomic Effusion Radiology
Generalized loss of detail
Renal Disease
Any: infection, neoplasia, toxins
Clinical Signs: Non-Specific, +/- polyuria, coelomic distension, Lameness
Renal Disease
Clinical Pathology - increase Uric Acid
Radiology - renal enlargement
Edoscopy and Renal Biopsy
Renal disease
Treatment
underlying cause; supportive care
Gout
Uric acid builds up in blood and depostis crystals: articular or visceral
Gout
Etiology
Renal diease
Excess dietary protein
Articular Gout
joint swelling
lameness, decreased movement
Aspirate - cytology - white crystals with inflammatory cells
Gout - diagnosis
Plasma uric acid levels increased
Radiographs +/- urate tophi or tissue mineralization
Endoscopy / CT - most useful for visceral gout
Gout - treatment
Intensive supportive care
Dietary modification
Allopurinol - block the production or uric acid
Unrewarding >> poor prognosis
Cardiovascular Disease
Common 10-39%
Sub optimal diagnosis - Rapid HR - murmurs and arrhythmias difficult to detect
Dyspnea and ascites - also other causes other than CV disease
Cardiovascular diseases
Endocardial disease
Myocardial disease
Pericardial disease
Cardiac arrhythmias
Congenital disease
Atherosclerosis - VERY COMMON
Atherosclerosis and Diet
Calcium and Lipid deposes in the wall of the vessles → stenosis
Cardiac and Celomic Effusion
Emergnecy Fluid Aspiration
Neoplasia - common types
Lipomas and xanthoma in cockatiels and budgies
Gonadal tumors
Renal adenomas and adenocarcinomas
Cloacal papilloma
Xanthoma and lipoma
causes
Fatty diets
Avian Neoplasia
Diagnosis
Cytology
Histopathology
Avian neoplasia
Treatment
Usually single bird, species, treatment, pathology reports
Very few reports about pharmacology and radiation
Birds are very sensitive to the toxic effects of both
Feather destructive behavior
Mutliple factors
Rule out medical causes
Suboptimal living environment
Brain Dysfunction
Combination of the above
A complex behaviour problem
Feather destruction
Living enviroment - decreases
Appropriate stimuli
Species typical behavior
Ability to exert control
Feather destruction
Proper enrichment
Social
Occupational
Physical
Sensory
Foraging!
