Veterinary Services

Poultry

Chicks were submitted from a small back-yard poultry flock for post mortem examination after ten out of 60 birds died. Some older chicks also had diarrhoea. The main post mortem finding was hepatomegaly, and Salmonella Pullorum was subsequently isolated.

A flock of 2000 free-range layers aged approximately 60 to 64 weeks was losing two to three birds daily. Fourteen birds were submitted over several weeks, and pure growths of E. coli were isolated from all tissues, indicating colisepticaemia. Egg peritonitis was diagnosed in two birds and pleurisy, pericarditis and myocarditis were variously found in another three. No gross lesions were found in the remaining birds. No predisposing factor was identified.

Large numbers of Ascaridia galli roundworms were found in the crop, gizzard, duodenum and intestine of a layer aged approximately six months. The bird was thin and appeared to be slow prior to death.

Gamebirds

Three adult hen pheasants were submitted with the history of increased mortality in the laying pens. The birds were in reasonable to good body condition and all had similar lesions at necropsy. A thick layer of urates was present on the heart and liver, and the kidneys were enlarged, pale and friable. Histopathology revealed a severe acute to sub-acute nephritis, with tophus formation in the spleen and liver and urate deposits on the epicardial surface and liver capsule. A presumptive diagnosis of pheasant coronavirus-associated nephritis was made.

Pheasant chicks aged one week and two weeks were received from a rearing site experiencing elevated mortality. Affected birds huddled together before becoming ataxic, laterally recumbent and dying. Pale nodular lesions scattered throughout the lung parenchyma were detected at necropsy of both ages, with additional nodules on the thoracic airsacs of the older batch. Aspergillus fumigatus was isolated from the lung lesions. Further enquiries revealed that mouldy areas had been noted in straw bales used as bedding in the rearing pens.

Failure to start feeding properly resulted in the deaths of different batches of young pheasants, partridges, ducklings and goslings from different locations. In most cases the predisposing factor or factors could not determined with certainty, but on some pheasant rearing sites infection with rotavirus may have been a contributory factor.

Large numbers of coccidial oocysts were detected in the caecal contents of pheasants aged three to four weeks. Mortality had increased after the birds had been "bitted" to reduce the threat of feather pecking and cannibalism.

Wild birds

Residues of carbofuran were detected in the gizzard contents of a peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) found dead in suspicious circumstances in Ayrshire. The carcase showed advanced decomposition and desiccation, but sufficient material was recovered from the digestive tract to permit toxicological screening. Carbofuran was also detected in the gizzard contents of a red kite (Milvus milvus) found dead in forestry in Aberdeenshire. The carcases were submitted and examined under the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme.

Racing pigeons

Salmonellosis due to Salmonella Typhimurium phage type 2 was confirmed in a pigeon from a small loft in which the owner had reported anorexia and deaths in young birds.