Veterinary Services

Poultry
A combination of parasitism, impaction of the crop and gizzard, and vent pecking was found in a free-range layer aged 23 weeks, one of about 20 from a flock of 1500 that had died in the previous six weeks. Numerous Ascaridia galli roundworms were visible in the intestinal contents, the vent was inflamed and ulcerated, and the crop and gizzard were impacted with fibrous ingesta. Impaction of the gizzard with fibrous material was also found in layer pullets aged five weeks: these birds were not thriving and were spending a lot of time at the feeders or scratching in the litter. A nutritional problem was suspected, and the problem resolved after the feed was changed.

Fowl cholera caused by Pasteurella multocida was diagnosed in a three-month-old turkey being reared for the Christmas market. The owner reported that several birds had died in good condition, following a short period of inappetance and depression. A short course of in-water antibiotic treatment was administered, but further deaths occurred and fowl cholera was again diagnosed in a bird submitted for post mortem examination. Longer-term medication was recommended, observing appropriate withdrawal periods, and advice was given to control wild birds and rats to prevent infection in subsequent years.

Hypophosphataemic rickets was diagnosed in young turkey poults aged four to five weeks. Affected birds were not thriving, reluctant to move and some had soft, poorly mineralised bones, swollen hocks, and twisting of the tarso-metatarsal bones below the hock joints. “Round heart disease” or spontaneous turkey cardiomyopathy caused the sudden death of a turkey poult aged five weeks. The heart was considerably enlarged and distorted, and much fluid was present in the abdominal cavity.

Pigeons
Samples of bulked faeces from male and female racing pigeons from one loft revealed 8,000 to 9,000 Ascaridia eggs per gram (epg) of faeces. The owner reported that blood was visible in the faeces of some birds. Direct microscopy of fresh faeces from an adult pigeon from a different loft also showed large numbers of Ascaridia eggs, plus some tapeworm segments – this bird was passing very mucoid faeces.

An enlarged ruptured spleen was found in an adult racing pigeon that became weak and died overnight, and a current-year bird from the same loft had an enlarged liver and thickened airsacs. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing on tissues pooled from both birds proved positive for Chlamydophila psittaci, and chlamydiosis may have been the cause of the enlarged organs and airsacculitis. The Divisional Veterinary Manager of the local Animal Health Office was notified, and the owner informed about possible zoonotic risks.

Wild Birds
Salmonellosis was diagnosed in garden birds from four sites: S. Typhimurium DT 40 was recovered from a goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) and a house sparrow (Passer domesticus), and S. Typhimurium DT 56 variant was recovered from two greenfinches (Carduelis chloris).

Diarrhoea and death occurred in several collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto) being cared for in a rehabilitation centre. No significant bacteria were cultured, but PCR testing for Chlamydophila psittaci proved positive. Deaths in collared doves from chlamydiosis also occurred on this site earlier in the year.

Both salmonellosis and chlamydiosis are potential zoonoses, and members of the public and wildlife rehabilitators should be made aware of the potential hazards when handling sick or dead wild birds.