Association of Avian Veterinarians

Proventricular and Ventricular Obstructions with Bedding MaterialsAuthor(s): Chris CannonSource: Journal of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, Vol. 6, No. 1 (1992), pp. 16, 40Published by: Association of Avian VeterinariansStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30136919 .

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IN MY EXPERIENCE

ture is humidified and warmed by bub- bling it though heated water before delivery by face mask.

LAMENESS FOLLOWING RESTRAINT AND

ADMINISTRATION OF IVERMECTIN IN A CRESTED

WOOD PARTRIDGE

Kevin M. Wright, DVM Philadelphia Zoological Garden Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A 252-gram adult male Crested Wood Partridge (Rollulus roulroul) was examined as part of the routine quarantine process. There were no dis- cernible abnormalities on physical exam. Heterakis sp. ova and un- speciated ascarid ova had been detected on fecal parasite examination. Ivermectin (Ivomec 1% - MDS AGVET, Rahway, NJ) was diluted 1:10 with tap water and administered orally at a dosage of 0.2 mg/kg (0.05 mg total dose). Within 120 minutes the bird was reluctant to walk and had a distinct right-sided limp. The following morn- ing the bird was in sternal recumbency and was unable to stand. It had withdrawal reflexes of all limbs, but could not extend either leg. It was un- able to blink, but had control of neck and wing muscles. Suspecting ivermec- tin intoxication, supportive therapy was initiated. This included tube-feeding to maintain weight, ophthalmic ointment, parenteral fluids and keeping the cage environment at 850F.

On Day 4, the bird was standing on its own for up to five minutes at one time. On Day 5, the bird could walk for a few steps and began to eat on its own. It still had a right-sided limp. All suppor- tive therapy was discontinued, but its weight was monitored daily. On Day 7, the bird was depressed and poorly responsive. A CBC, a plasma chemistry panel and radiographs were obtained, but all results were within normal limits. Since white muscle disease may have

16 JAAV

been a contributing factor in the acute onset of paresis following restraint, a combination of vitamin E/selenium was administered intramuscularly (provided by 0.03 cc of a 1:4 dilution of BO-SE - Schering-Plough Animal Health, Kenilworth, NJ). The animal was alert and increasingly active at the end of the day. At this point it was able to fly from perch to perch within its cage. Vitamin E/selenium was ad- ministered at the same total dose 72 hours later. On Day 12, the bird was standing well, walking and running on its own and gaining weight. Twenty months later the bird continues to do well except for a moderate gait abnor- mality from its right leg. Although not definitively attributable to the ivermec- tin, the temporal relationship of the drug administration and the onset of an acute paresis/paralysis suggest that this Crested Wood Partridge may have had an adverse reaction to the ivermectin. I have used ivermectin, both orally and parenterally without adverse effects in other birds of the Phasianidae family, including a Palawan Peacock Pheasant (Polyplectron emphanum), a Swine- hoe's Pheasant (Lophura swinhoii), Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) and wild turkeys (Meleagris gallipavo). It was not determined in this case whether the lameness was attributable to the restraint procedure or the ad- ministration of ivermectin.

USE OF FENBENDAZOLE IN BIRDS

Larry Vogelnest, DVM Tarongo Zoo

Sydney, NSW, Australia

(From Newsletter 2, AA VAustralian Committee, December 1991)

An article in Australian Aviculture (May 1990, pp 114-115), entitled "Treat- ing Gizzard and Tape Worms in Finches" by Keith Ward, described the use of Panacur 2.5 (fenbendazole 25 mg/ml) as an in-feed medication. The

recipe described uses 8 ml Panacur 2.5 in 12 ml cooking oil to 1 Kg of finch mix. This equals 200 mg fenbendazole per Kg of seed. The mix is allowed to stand for 12 hours to let the oil soak in and is then fed to the finches for 6-7 days.

When I first read this, I thought I had finally found the answer to finch worm- ing. So I tried it but unfortunately lost a number of Long-tailed Finches (Peophilaacuticauda), Blue-faced Par- rot Finches (Erythrura trichroa), Chestnut-breasted Mannikins (Lon- chura castaneothorax) and Diamond Fire-tail Finches (Emblema guttata) while they were on the mix. It seemed to work well for other species of finches, but I am reluctant to try it again. I have used the mix in parrots, pigeons and doves with excellent results.

PROVENTRICULAR AND VENTRICULAR

OBSTRUCTIONS WITH BEDDING MATERIALS

Chris Cannon, DVM Bird and Exotic Pet Care Clinic

Lynnwood, Washington

A Severe Macaw was found dead without clinical signs. The bird had sired 12 fertile eggs during the year it had been in the current owner's posses- sion and had been observed feeding its mate the night before.

Necropsy revealed hemorrhagic enteritis with a grossly distended proventriculus and ventriculus. Both organs were packed with pieces of corn cob bedding/substrate material that had become swollen and been retained, occluding space for normal volumes of food. The current owner had not offered corn cob bedding during the entire previous year, so the material was assumed to have been present in the gastrointestinal tract for that entire time period.

(Continued on page 40)

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IN MY EXPERIENCE

(Continued from page 16)

An Amazon from another collection died acutely and was brought in for necropsy. The proventriculus was markedly thickened, the proximal bowel showed gross evidence of bleeding and the ventriculus was full of crushed walnut shell bedding. The owner determined that the bird had access to the wanut shells for less than two hours approximately one month before it died.

Another Amazon in the flock with access to the same walnut shell bed- ding had previously been presented to the clinic for "off and on eating" and "on and off depression." Although the owner had declined radiographs at the time, the bird responded to treatment with Milk of Magnesia and piperacillin.

Avian veterinarians need to be aware that ingestion of some bedding materials such as crushed corn cobs and walnut shells (in addition to kitty litter and excess grit) can result in gastrointestinal obstruction. I am not aware of problems with the use of Crown bedding paper pellets, which seem to be digestible if ingested.

INEXPENSIVE CORDLESS PIN DRIVER

Virginia Skinner, DVM The Living Desert

Palm Desert, California

An inexpensive alternative to an or- thopedic pin drill starts with a Panasonic cordless screwdriver (Model EY503 - available at hardware and tool stores). A hex-shank keyless chuck attachment converts it into a handy drill that can be used with drill bits or pins up to 1/4 inch in diameter. The hex shank fits all cordless screwdrivers.

The attachment can be purchased from Leichtung Workshops, 4944 Com- merce Parkway, Cleveland, OH 44128- 5985, or 800-321-6840.

40 JAAV

INTRAVENOUS CATHETER PLACEMENT

Matthew Bond, DVM, Breeders Research, Rancho Palos Verdes, California

1. Wet orpluck feathers to clear

vein site, and thread catheter

into vein.

2. Add injection cap and secure catheter to wing with cross-over

taping. Check for patency with

heparinized flush (0.5- icc).

3. Trim tongue depressor length to

extendfrom the body to 1 V2 "

beyond the catheter. Pad the proximal

end with gauze and tape.

4. Firmly wrap with VetWrap, incor-

porating the proximal and distal

ends of the tongue depressor and

catheter. This step is the key to place-

ment and preven- tion ofcatheter

kinking. Injections can be made direct- ly through the wrap.

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