Veterinary Services

Poultry

Marek’s disease was confirmed by histopathology in a five-month-old layer from a small hobby flock. The hen was unable to stand, dragged the left leg, but was otherwise bright and alert. Post mortem examination revealed egg peritonitis and thickening of one sciatic nerve, and histopathology showed diffuse infiltration of the nerve with pleomorphic lymphomatous cells.

Cage and Aviary birds

Psittacine proventricular dilatation syndrome (PPDS) was considered to be the most likely cause of weight loss and death in an Amazon parrot. Post mortem examination revealed a very thin-walled proventriculus impacted with seed.

Candidiasis, megabacteriosis and a small number of ascarid nematodes were found in an unidentified parakeet. The bird was also poorly feathered and an underlying infection with psittacine beak and feather disease virus was suspected.

Wild birds

Garden birds, mostly greenfinches (Carduelis chloris), chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs) and goldfinches (C. carduelis) were received from 14 garden sites in December. Most of the deaths were due to presumed trichomoniasis or to salmonellosis, and on some sites both conditions appeared to be present (Figure 4; see Related Documents at top right-hand side).