Here's the report from the first vetMPA I 3000 Busch Lake Blvd, Tampa FL 33614 P 813.933.8944 F 813.936.9595
BRANDON I 607 Lumsden Professional Ct, Brandon FL 33511 P 813.571.3303 F 813.571.3373
CLEARWATER I 4525 Ulmerton Rd, Clearwater FL 33762 P 727.572.0132 F 727.572.4365
SARASOTA I 7414 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota FL 34231 P 877.838.5909 F 877.874.6882
Patient Record #: 282740 Patient Name: Marlin
Owner Name: Richard West DOB: 3/27/2006
Owner Phone: Gender: Female Breed: Amazon, Orange Wing
RDVM: Teresa Lightfoot Referring Hospital: BluePearl - Tampa
RDVM Phone: ( ) - RDVM Fax:
Visit Report
BluePearl Veterinary Partners - Tampa
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Reason for visit:
* Passed away suddenly - lost 3 of 4 birds in 1 row of an aviary in 3 weeks.
History:
* Three Birds (1 double yellow head introduced 2 years ago) and2 orange wing amazons (siblings bred on property)
passed away within the last 3 weeks without any lead up of clinical signs of illness. An older Panama Amazon, wild
caught originally, is still alive and is not showing signs of illness at this time. All 4 birds lived either in the same cage or
in caging directly adjacent one another, away from other birds in the aviary.
* All birds eat KT Exact Natural pellets and veggies. They are fed and cared for only by the owners - attitude, food
consumption and dropping are monitored daily. There is nothing new in the aviary, with husbandry or the surrounding
environment. The aviary is enclosed by a tent. No history of toxins, recent construction, toys, hoses, water sources,
etc. The birds in the affected part of the aviary have no contact with the birds in the other parts. There are no known
illnesses in any of the birds in the aviary. The owners also have poultry and an extensive indoor collection of birds,
none of which are symptomatic at this time.
Post Mortem Physical Examination:
Weight 310g
MM: pale pink.
CV: Fluid coagulated around the heart and pericardium in small amounts < 1ml. Associated vessels soft and flexible
w/o signs of overt mineralization/thickening.
Pulm: Lungs pink and normally formed within the confines of the ribs. Airsacs opaque with injected vessels. Trachea
clear w/o fluid or redness on cut section along its length
EENT: Clear w/o d/c OU/AU/Nose. Papilla normal over choanal slit.
MS: BCS 6/9 - very mildly overweight with excellent muscle stores. No overt abnormalities or decreased ROM found
in any joints - body still cool and mildly stiff. Normal wing extension x2. Normal rhinotheca and gnathotheca.
Int: Excellent skin and feather coverage/quality. Normal integument across feet. Sharp nails not elongated for an
outdoor bird.
Abd/GI: Soft, concave. Ventrally displaced ventriculus. See below for Liver and other organs. Once opened severe
adhesions engulfing nearly all organs into a tight ball found. Adhesions were broken down to properly evaluate
coelomic contents.
Crop: Empty, not thickened
UG: Female intact, non-active ovary, only left ovary identified
Cloaca: No papillomas or other abnormalities seen. Normal fecal and urinate production.
Liver: Severe hepatomegaly with Rounded, Pale, and Mottled with White Patches
Proventriculus: Full of a finely ground plant like green material - Owner are unaware of what this could be
Ventriculus: Full of the same ground plant like green material, normal kolin layer
Proximal duodenum: Red, inflammed, hemorrhagic mucosal lining
Remainder of SI: Mucoid brown liquid in lumen.
Large Intestines: No overt abnormalities found
Pancreas: normal in appearance
Spleen: Moderately enlarged
Adrenals: Small, slightly thin and rubbery - may or may not be normal for species and age of body decomposition
Kidneys: dark and prominent
Brain: No significant findingsProblem list:
* Multiple deaths (3) in 1 row of birds (4) in a closed aviary (last bird introduced 2 years prior) without clinical signs of
illness prior to death
* Severe hepatomegaly with Rounded, Pale, and Mottled with White Patches
* Moderately enlarged spleen
* Severe Intracoelomic Adhesion Formation
* Airsacs opaque with injected vessels
* Unknown green material within proventriculus / ventriculus
* Hemorrhagic proximal duodenum
* Small amount of fluid around the heart and pericardium
Samples Taken:
* Liver
* Airsacs
* Spleen
* Duodenum w/Pancreas
* Ovary w/Kidney and Adrenal
* Stomach contents
* Brain
* Lung
* Trachea
* Duodenal contents on 2 culture swabs - one in and one out of gel
Differential Diagnosis:
r/o Infectious vs Toxic vs Other
Recommendations:
Diagnostics
* Gross Necropsy
* Full histopathology
* Culture with Sensitivity of Intestinal Contents
Plan:
Diagnostics
* Gross Necropsy: See above
* Histopathology on the Liver with Hold on Other Tissue Samples
Treatments
* Based on Above after Evaluation of Other Birds - Evaluation of the other live bird declined at this time but may be
done pending above results
Discharge Instructions:
* At this time we have extensively discussed the findings on necropsy and the plan elected is to send out the liver and
see if we are able to get an answer as to what is affecting this row of birds in your aviary - Please know your
husbandry is excellent and this isn't something you did. Please use the strict quarantine procedures as discussed to
help prevent spread of this potential infectious disease to your other birds. Once we better understand what is
affecting these birds, we will be able to better direct you on how to manage your others. Take any signs of illness in
any of your other birds seriously and have them evaluated as soon as possible - we can do x-rays and blood work to
tailor a treatment plan in helping them. We cannot say you will not have more deaths in your flock - please keep us
well posted on how things are going at home and with any new information that may help add pieces to this puzzle.
We will contact you as soon as the results of the liver histopathology are back - typically about 7-10 days.
Do not hesitate to contact your primary care veterinarian, our Avian and Exotic Animal Department, or after hours with
our ER department, if there is not improvement, there is decline, or you a.
