Metabolic Diseases of Pet Birds
Metabolic diseases of caged pet birds may be due to deficiency of one or many indispensable elements, imbalance of calcium, phosphorus may cause bone disorder, and excess caloric intake may cause obesity, fat deposits and fatty liver.
Metabolic diseases of pet birds are:
- Rickets
- Osteomalacia
- Goitre
- Fatty Liver Disease (Hepatic Lipidosis)
- Obesity
- Gout (Visceral and Articular)
- Hypocalcemia
- Hyperlipidemia
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Iron Storage Disease (Hemochromatosis)
Rickets
Rickets is a disease characterized by a failure of mineralization of osteoid matrix in young rowing birds. This disease is frequently seen in long legged birds.
Etiology of rickets is deficiency of dietary calcium, deficiency of vitamin D and a severely unbalanced calcium and phosphorus ratio.
Clinical signs include softening of the vertebrae, claws, and sternum which may develop as S shape.
Ribs can curve inward and spinal column deformities can also be seen. Affected birds reluctant to perch, walk or move their wings.
Birds frequently rest on their hocks and appear to be waiting for death.
Osteomalacia
Osteomalacia is a disease of adult birds where as rickets is a disease of young, growing birds.
The causes of Osteomalacia are the same as those of rickets.
The disease is frequently associated with prolonged egg laying with an insufficient calcium supply in the diet. Another cause is the lack of grit in the food.
Clinical signs are the bones become thin, soft, painful and fragile and can break spontaneously when a bird is handled.
Affected bird may appear drowsy, feather picked and reluctant to perch, mover or fly. The female lay brittle eggs or egg production may cease.
Treatment is possible if the bird is not severely affected. Treatment includes calcium and vitamin D supplements.
For vitamin D-cod-liver oil can be placed on seed, addition of vitamin D added daily to drinking water or subcutaneous injection of 500 IU vitamin D / 30 g body weight.
For calcium, calcium gluconate or lactate can be give orally. Treatment must be completed by improvement of the diet by adding oyster shell grit, fish and cooked vegetables.
Goitre
Goitre is a deficiency of iodine in the diet can result in result in decreased secretion of hormone thyroxin.
The affected birds are lethargic, inactive and exhibit poor condition like dry skin, regged plumage.
They are unable to maintain body temperature when exposed to environmental change, their body cholesterol increases and body weight tends to increased due to the deposition of excess fat. Another major clinical signs are laboured respiration with squeaking noise.
Goiter can be treated successfully using either iodine or levothyroxine. Iodine can be given by injection to obtain rapid improvement or orally for mild cases.
