Poultry Flashcards
Outline the approach to lameness in poultry
- Establish “normals”
- Establish history
- PM investigation
- Testing: blood, histology, faecal microscopy, gut content microscopy, electron microscopy, virus isolation, PCR
- Culling of severe cases of lameness
How many birds should be blood samples be taken from in order to confirm
a: infection, b: vaccination responses, c: diagnosis
a: 60
b: 20-30
c: 10-20
What are the broad categories of differentials for lameness in poultry?
- Viral
- Bacterial
- Parasitic
- Nutritional
- Genetic
- Metabolic
What are the differentials for a bird presented with sitting on the hocks, no obvious leg lesions and no obvious pain? How are these diagnosed?
- Spondylolisthesis (kinky back): can feel deformity at level of free vertebrae, radiography for diagnosis
- Osteomyelitis of thoracic spine: radiography
What are the differentials for a bird presented with: uncomfortable walking, bilateral lameness, thickened bones of hock, mild bone deformities present, malleable bones and beak
- Rickets
- Tibial dyschondroplasia
Describe the normal appearance of the avian pelvic acetabulum
Deep, perforated in centre (not a solid cup)
Describe the normal anatomy of the avian pelvis
- Pelvis (= ischium, ilium, pubis) fused to synsacrum at ilium
- Open ventrally
- Trochanter of femur articulates with antitrochanter of pelvis
- More running = wider pelvis
Describe the normal anatomy of the avian femur
- Directed cranially as goes distally
- Femoral condyles attached by ligaments to tibiotarsus and head of fibula
- Femorotibial joint similar to mammalian stifle: 2 menisci, 2 cruciate ligaments, lateral/medial collateral ligaments
What group of birds have a particularly large patella?
Aquatic birds
Describe the anatomy of the tibiotarsus of birds
- Tibiotarsus formed by fusion of tibia and proximal row of tarsal bones
- Fibula attached to tibiotarsus by tight fibrinous union at fibular crest
- Hock is intertarsal between tibiotarsus and tarsometatarsus (single meniscus, single cruciate)
Describe the anatomy of the avian tarsometatarsus
- Fusion of distal tarsal bones to 3 main metatarsal bones
- Extends to the ground
- Hypotarsus is a groove on plantar aspect of tarsometatarsus through which the digital flexor tendons pass
Name the extensors of the hip in birds
- Pubo-ischio-femoralis
- Iliofemoralis
Name the flexor of the hip in birds
Iliotibialis cranialis
Describe the normal movement of the hip in birds
- Extends and flexes, also rotation in recovery phase
- Very little abduction/adduction
Name the flexor and extensor of the stifle in birds
- Flexor: iliofibularis
- Extensor: femorotibialis
Name the flexor and extensor of the hock in birds
- Flexor: tibialis cranialis
- Extensor: gastrocnemus
Describe the path and common disease of the gastrocnemus tendon in birds
- Passes through sleeve connected to caudal surface of cartilage, ends on plantar aspect of tarsometatarsus
- Heavy birds often develop slipped tendon
Describe the movements of the digits in birds
- Flex and extend
- Abduct and adduct
What is the function of the flexor tendons of the digits in birds?
- Allow perching
- Also locking mechanism: flexor tendon ratchet that prevents moving when muscle tensed and toes are flexed and gripping
Describe the pathophysiology of rickets in birds
- Thickening of all long bone growth plates
- Long bones are soft and pliable
- May get rickets rosaries
What causes rickets in birds?
Lack of vit D3 or Ca/P imbalance resulting in lack of mineralisation
How is rickets confirmed in birds?
Histopathology
What is tibial dyschondroplasia in birds?
Thickening of growth plate in tibiotarsal bone
Describe the patholophysiology of tibial dyschondroplasia in birds
- Zone of hypertrophied cartilage cells in proximal end of tibiotarsal bone fails to become callcified because blood supply is absent i.e. stays soft
- Commonly leads to leg fractures, necrosis, severe pain, lameness
