Association of Avian Veterinarians

Are Cultures Significant?Author(s): Don HarrisSource: Journal of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Spring, 1989), p. 16Published by: Association of Avian VeterinariansStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30161749 .

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In My Experience.

Adaptation of Endoscope Trocar I recently experienced an equip-

ment failure with my Wolf sexing scope in the field, so I used an old Dyonics Needlescope that was available on the premises. The first thing I noticed was how easily the trocar was inserted into the bird.

Although the optics are better on the new Wolf scopes, especially those with the optional bubble lens that give you a full 180 view, the round- ed tip of the Dyonics' trocar seemed to result in less drag during insertion than the sharp, triangular point of the Wolf instrument.

When I got back, I had a jeweler cut down my Wolf trocar by one- sixteeth inch and round the end into a knitting needle point. By threading the instrument through the path of least resistant (i.e., maneuvering around the muscles rather than

penetrating through them), I feel there is less chance of organ penetra- tion and bleeding. I have done birds as small as 30 gram softbills with the modified instrument. - Robert Clipsham, DVM, Simi Valley, California

Branch Display Most of us recommend natural

branches from several varieties of local trees to be used as perches, but surprisingly, many people do not know what the trees look like or even what is growing in their own yard. One idea is to have a small display on a table in the waiting area, in- cluding a photo of the whole tree (possibly in a couple of seasons), a close-up photo or a pressed leaf, and sample of a branch. A photo essay of the cleaning process for the branches may also be helpful. - Cathy Johnson, DVM, Seattle, Washington

Use of New Pox Vaccine I have recently been using Maine

Biological Laboratories' killed psit- tacine pox vaccine for routine vaccina- tion of imported Blue-fronted

16 JAAV

Amazons. We have been able to vac- cinate some groups while in Argen- tina, prior to importation. Since licensing of the vaccine in December, the second dose can now be given in quarantine. While the vaccine does not appear to provide complete pro- tection, it does reduce morbidity and mortality associated with pox virus in- fection in Blue-fronted Amazons. Af-

fected birds also recover more rapidly and with less residual defects. We have also had excellent results with

imported Blue-headed Pionus. - Susan Clubb, DVM, Pet Farm, Inc., Miami, Florida

Are Cultures Significant? When I talk with veterinary groups

or consultations, I hear that people are still doing nothing diagnostically except a culture; then they treat the bird based on those results. Over the

past 2 or 3 years, I have followed asymptomatic birds with persistent gram-negative cultures (especially from the cloaca or choana). Many of these fail to get rid of the bacteria when we treat them with the in- dicated antibiotics. In following their appearance, white counts, and other parameters, the birds in these cases do not seem to be affected by the presence of bacteria. The old practice of doing a culture and treating automatically is really obsolete, and may do more harm than good. Every culture is not necessarily significant. - Don Harris, DVM, Miami, Florida

Adaptation of Anesthetic Machine

There have been many comments recently about the dangers of induc- ing birds with high concentrations of isoflurane, and the elaborate methods of anesthetic monitoring that must be provided for birds. In my opinion, the problem must occur when one at- tempts to use a standard small animal anesthetic machine and en- dotracheal tube combined with a closed system; perhaps the birds develop anoxia because they cannot rebreathe through those huge tubes.

We have removed the anesthesia

re-breathing tubes and bags from the standard small animal anesthetic machine. Isoflurane and oxygen are administered through the anesthetic delivery tube directly from the vaporizer to a face mask. There is no recylcing of the anesthetic - fresh isoflurane and oxygen flow into the face mask that is tightly fitted with paper towel padding. I have not lost a bird to anesthesia in the four years we have been using isoflurane in this manner. Technicians with limited ex- perience can easily anesthetize birds for radiographs, blood collection and fluid administration on their own. We still use 5% to induce and we monitor by respiratory rate and toe pinch to keep them as light as possi- ble for the procedure. The only ex- ceptions to this technique are gallinaceous birds (see AAV TODAY 1(4):174. -Greg J. Harrison, DVM, Lake Worth, Florida

Use of Respiratory Monitor I have been using Medical

Engineering and Development's respiratory monitor with anesthetized birds from 35 g to 2 kg, and I find it allows me to fine-tune the level of anesthesia. We use isoflurane with

psittacines, raptors, waterfowl and sea gulls; we mask them down, then in- tubate them. Some of these species are somewhat sensitive to inhalation anesthesia, and it is comforting to know they are breathing. If you are just listening to the heart or looking at an EKG, you may not always be

sure. The monitor, which is useful on either the mask or endotracheal tubes, has a bi-phase beep that measures inspiration and expiration. If it starts getting faint, I lighten the anesthesia; if it starts getting loud and rapid, I increase the anesthetic flow. Since I have been using this device, I have not had a single anesthesia death. I feel I am now able to assist various parameters that I wasn't able to do before. - Louise Penery, AHT, Zoological and Medicine Service, University of California, Davis

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