Gastro Intestinal Diseases of Pet Birds
The main symptom of gastro intestinal diseases of pet birds are oral discharge/salivation, vomiting/regurgitation, loose faeces/dysentery, undigested seed in the faeces, white coloured feces, and in case of obstruction no faeces.
These signs may be accompanied by nonspecific signs such as anorexia, depression, ruffled feathers, closed eyes and head in wing.
Common and important gastrointestinal diseases of pet birds are:
- Crop Impaction
- Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD)
- Avian Gastric Yeast (Macrorhabdus ornithogaster) Infection
- Candidiasis (Yeast Infection)
- Trichomoniasis
- Giardiasis
- Enteritis (Bacterial, Viral, and Parasitic)
- Cloacal Prolapse
- Heavy Metal Toxicity (Lead, Zinc poisoning)
- Colibacillosis (E. coli Infection)
Crop Impaction
Crop impaction is when fibrous materials may be ingested by galliforms which are deprive of greens, Pigeons may ingest soft nesting material, threads from cage cover may cause obstruction in the Budgerigar.
The main sign of crop impaction is regurgitation movement, often unproductive. Impaction can be diagnosed by palpation.
Treatment is generally surgical intervention is required if administration of vegetable oil or mineral oil fails to shift the obstruction.
Crop Rupture
Crop rupture generally occur due to attack by some predator like falcons, goshawks, dog etc.
Trichomoniasis infection can predispose abscess and rupture of crop wall in pigeons. Rupture can be noted with matted feathers.
Treatment is only surgical intervention.
Liver Diseases
Liver of birds do the duty similar to that of mammals. The gallbladder is absent in many birds and most psittacines except cockatoos and its involvement is less known.
In most of the liver disease the urate colour changed to mustered yellow or green from white of cream.
Vomition and diarrhea also noticed in some cases. Enlargement of liver beyond xiphisternum can be noticed.
Etiology may be due to infectious diseases (enteric bacteria, yersiniae, chlamydiae, herpes and papovaviruses and trichomonads and histomonads), toxic metal contamination, metabolic diseases.
Treatment is with antibiotics, supportive therapy with fluids, feeding sugar rich solution containing essential amino acids and vitamins.
