Phoenicopteriformes Flashcards
What causes the plumage coloration in flamingos?
carotenoids fond in algae, crstaceans and mollusks (F8)
How do flamingos accommodate the excess of salt they ingest?
Salt gland (F8)
How do flamingos feed their young?
Crop milk (F8)
What does pink to orange colored serum indicate in a flamingo?
Normal in this species (F8)
What are the 4 classifications of pododermatitis in flamingos?
Hyperkeratosis, fissures, nodular lesions, papillomatous (F8)
What nutritional deficiency is sspected to weaken the cornified epidermis and predispose flamingos to pododermatitis?
Zinc deficiency F8)
What are some environmental causes of pododermatitis in flamingos?
Low temp (below 15C) and poor substrate are the primary cases (F8)
What condition are flamingos predisposed to when handling?
captre myopathy/exertional rhabdomyolysis (F8)
Ingestion of what substrate material has been shown to cause chronic fatal enteritis?
Erosive Enteritis and Intestinal Obstructions Caused by Decomposed Granite in a Flock of Lesser Flamingos (Phoeniconaias minor).
Sanchez CR, Pich A, Collinsworth S.
J Avian Med Surg. 2019 Mar 25;33(1):72-81.
Cases:
Three juvenile lesser flamingos with lethargy, poor BCS, and hematochezia died or were euthanized
Radiopaque material throughout GI with dilated intestines
Necropsy found decomposed granite in the GI tract and a caseous-fecal colonic obstruction
Histopathology found chronic erosive colitis, mild erosive proventriculitis, and ulcers in the ventriculus wall
All other flamingos in the collection were radiographed and found to have similar radiopaque material
Supportive treatments provided minimal change
Artificial turf over the exhibit was a mesh that allowed flotation of small particles when water pooled atop
Key Points:
Even though flamingos are commonly housed on crushed granite, ingestion of the material can be fatal
Silica is nontoxic but can cause chronic inflammation, like the enteritis seen in these cases
Decomposed granite or sand is better for flamingo feet than concrete, but it has the risks of ingestion
Conclusions: Ingestion of decomposed granite can cause erosive enteritis, colonic obstruction with caseous plugs, and death in lesser flamingos.
Risk factors for capture myopathy in birds?
Describe a multimodal approach to tx of capture myopathy for a flamingo?
Multimodal Drug Therapy and Physical Rehabilitation in the Successful Treatment of Capture Myopathy in a Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor)
McEntire MS, Sanchez CR.
J Avian Med Surg. 2017 Sep;31(3):232-238.
Background:
Capture myopathy (or exertional rhabdomyolysis) is reported in flamingos, cranes, turkeys, waterfowl, and ratites
Muscle necrosis releases potassium and myoglobin → renal tubular necrosis and heart failure
Lactic acidosis → acidemia → death
Risk factors = stress, fear, overexertion, hyperthermia, and chronic vitamin E or selenium deficiency
Case:
Adult, wild-caught lesser flamingo housed at the Fort Worth Zoo
Developed lameness two days after routine restraint for vaccination
Severely elevated CK (96,019 U/L) and AST (4349 U/L)
Initially treated with IV fluid therapy and sling rest
Initiated physical therapy (assisted standing and swimming)
Anxiety managed with haloperidol (0.2 mg/kg PO q12h)
Osteomyelitis of tarsometatarsal managed with clindamycin PO
Also treated with itraconazole and meloxicam
CK and AST gradually decreased until clinically normal
Conclusions: A multimodal approach to capture myopathy treatment in lesser flamingos, including IV fluid therapy, suspension, physical therapy, and anxiolytic therapy, can result in a positive outcome.
Paired biochemical analysis of pigmented plasma samples from zoo flamingos using a Vetscan vs a standard chem analyzer showed what?
Which analytes were considered accurate on VetScan? Which analyte failed to run?
PAIRED BIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF PIGMENTED PLASMA SAMPLES FROM ZOO-KEPT AMERICAN FLAMINGOS (PHOENICOPTERUS RUBER) USING A POINT-OF-CARE AND A STANDARD WET CHEMISTRY ANALYZER
Ady Y. Gancz, David Eshar, Hugues Beaufrère
J. of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 50(3):619-626 (2019)
Background:
Canthaxanthin: carotenoid pigment that makes flamingo plasma bright yellow
This study uses the VetScan
Measures: [TP, Alb, Glu, K, AST,P, CK] not accurate!
BA- all below detection (+/- N),
UA - failed to run, might be yellow plasma related
Ca, Na - accurate
Conclusions: VetScan (and maybe other POC tests) are affected by canthaxanthin-pigmented plasma/serum in flamingos.
General half life of meloxicam in American flamingos?
Pharmacokinetics of meloxicam after intramuscular and oral administration of a single dose to American flamingos (Phoenicopertus ruber)
Boonstra JL, Cox SK, Martin-Jimenez T.
American journal of veterinary research. 2017 Mar;78(3):267-73.
Very short half life in american flamingos (~4h)
Great horned owls (~5h) >flamingos = RTHA (~4h)’
Chickens and pigeons ~3h
Turkeys ~1h
Ducks, ostrich <1h
Meloxicam half life in birds at 0.5mg/kg is negatively correlated with body size (bigger birds = shorter half life)
Half life in dogs ~24hours
Half life in bottlenosed dolphin = 70 hours
Conclusions: Meloxicam has a very short half-life in flamingos.
Effects of SR formulation of meloxicam American flamingos? Was this improvement from regular meloxicam?
PHARMACOKINETICS OF A SUSTAINED-RELEASE FORMULATION OF MELOXICAM AFTER SUBCUTANEOUS ADMINISTRATION TO AMERICAN FLAMINGOS (PHOENICOPTERUS RUBER)
Sim RR, Cox SK.
Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine. 2018 Dec;49(4):839-43.
Recent studies in flamingos shows short elimination half-life
Sustained release formulation has biodegradable liquid polymer matrix to gradually deliver drug over 24-72h
Sustained-release meloxicam in flamingos had:
Short Tmax and half-life
Therapeutic level for 0.5-4h
No detectable drug after 24 h
No adverse effects
Conclusion: Sustained release meloxicam 3 mg/kg SQ once was not better than regular meloxicam in American flamingos.
PK oral mavacoxib in caribbean flamingos?
PHARMACOKINETICS OF ORAL MAVACOXIB IN CARIBBEAN FLAMINGOS (PHOENICOPTERUS RUBER RUBER)`
Gail L. Huckins, James W. Carpenter, Sara Dias, Butch KuKanich
J. of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 51(1):53-58 (2020).
Mavacoxib lasted for 5 days in Caribbean flamingos (7 days in most of them)
No adverse effects
In cockatiels, 4 mg/kg mavacoxib did not reach therapeutic levels but did have a prolonged half life
Protein binding in avian sps is <80% (compared with 95% in mammals)
Conclusions: 6mg/kg Mavacoxib (cox-2 selective NSAID) reached therapeutic concentrations for dogs in flamingos and lasted for 5-7days.
PK oral gabapentin in caribbean flamingos?
Background:
Gabapentin is an analog of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid
PK studies in GHOW, Hispaniolan Amazon parrots
Key Points:
Gabapentin 25 mg/kg PO in flamingos caused:
Therapeutic levels for 12h hours
Higher Cmax and shorter Tmax than GHOWs or Amazons
Conclusions: Gabapentin may reach therapeutic levels at 25mg/kg PO q12h in most flamingos and is eliminated quickly.
