Cutaneous disorders in captive psittacines, a retrospective study of 1454 cases at a university veterinary teaching hospital (1988-2021).

Background: Psittacines (parrots and their allies) are kept under human care as companion animals, live exhibit specimens in zoological institutions and occasionally as research subjects. Cutaneous disorders such as feather destructive behaviour (FDB) and pododermatitis are commonly noted in clinical reviews, case reports and text book chapters.

Hypothesis/objectives: To document the type, signalment associations and prevalence of cutaneous disorders in a large number of captive psittacines in an academic referral teaching hospital population.

Contrast computed tomography dacryocystorhinography identifies nasolacrimal duct obstruction secondary to chronic dental disease in two chinchilla langeria.

Objective: To determine the impact of chronic dental disease on the nasolacrimal duct of chinchillas using contrast CT dacryocystorhinography.

Animals Studied: Two 12-year-old female chinchillas with uni- or bilateral ocular discharge and a history of chronic, moderate (Chinchilla 1, one-year) or severe (Chinchilla 2, three-years) dental disease.

Procedures: Contrast CT dacryocystorhinography was performed to identify abnormalities in the nasolacrimal duct and dentition, and to correlate those changes.

CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGIC FINDINGS IN IGUANIDS WITH SODIUM URATE CHOLELITHIASIS.

Four green iguanas () and one blue iguana () from five facilities were diagnosed with sodium urate cholelithiasis. One case was diagnosed antemortem via ultrasonography, and the iguana underwent a choledochotomy for treatment. The other four cases were identified at necropsy.

Evaluation of Thermal Antinociceptive Effects of Intramuscular Hydromorphone Hydrochloride in Great Horned Owls ().

Across the Americas, great horned owls () are often presented to veterinarians for conditions requiring pain management. Although recent studies have evaluated opioid drugs in raptor species, information in Strigiformes is lacking. The objective of this study was to evaluate the analgesic effect and duration of action of hydromorphone hydrochloride, a full µ-opioid receptor agonist, in great horned owls.

Personality Characteristics Predictive of Social Pairing Outcome in Orange-Winged Amazon Parrots ().

Most wild parrot species live in flocks, enriched by the environment and conspecific interactions. Captive parrots often live individually and are prone to behavioral maladaptation. If captive parrots and their behavior become intolerable, they are commonly relinquished to rescue organizations.

Carrageenan-induced inflammation elicits behavioral changes in cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) for potential pain scale development.

Objective: To evaluate behaviors associated with inflammatory pain induced by carrageenan injection in the cockatiel and determine interobserver agreement.

Animals: 16 adult cockatiels.

Methods: Cockatiels were randomly assigned as either treatment (carrageenan injection) or control (sham injection) group.

Grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus) beak papillae and nerves identified using novel 2-D and 3-D imaging modalities.

Objective: The avian beak is a complex organ containing bone, neurovascular tissue, and keratinized covering (rhamphotheca). Nerve-rich papillae extend through bone into rhamphotheca providing sensory input from the beak tip. Beak trimming is a common procedure in avian species and is used for corrective, cosmetic, and behavioral modification purposes.

Pain Recognition and Assessment in Birds.

The recognition and assessment of pain in avian species are crucial tools in providing adequate supportive care in clinical, laboratory, zoologic, rehabilitation, and companion animal settings. With birds being a highly diverse class of species, there is still much to be determined regarding how to create specific criteria to recognize and assess pain in these animals. This article provides a clinical review on the physiology of pain in birds, observed behavioral and physiologic alterations with pain, how different sources and degrees of pain can alter behaviors observed, and how this information can be applied in a clinical setting.

Evaluation of a Fluoroscopic Angiography Protocol in Hispaniolan Amazon Parrots ().

Fluoroscopic angiography evaluates the heart and vascular tree in real time and can be recorded for further diagnostic analysis and measurements. Although reports have been published of the use of fluoroscopic angiography in birds, this technique has not been evaluated in any avian species. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a fluoroscopic angiography protocol in 12 adult Hispaniolan Amazon parrots ().

Recognition and Assessment of Pain-Related Behaviors in Avian Species: An Integrative Review.

The appropriate recognition and assessment of pain in animals is an essential tool that can be used by veterinary professionals, rehabilitators, household caregivers, and others to provide supportive care and analgesia to patients. Although the use of behavioral, postural, and facial changes to recognize pain have been studied in popular domestic species such as dogs (), cats (), and rabbits (), very little is known relative to avian species. The purpose of this article is to provide a literature review comprising structured searches on the topic of avian pain recognition.

Pharmacokinetics of butorphanol tartrate in a poloxamer P407 gel formulation administered to orange-winged Amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica).

Objectives: To determine the pharmacokinetics of butorphanol tartrate incorporated into poloxamer 407 (P407) after subcutaneous administration to orange-winged Amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica).

Animals: Six orange-winged Amazon parrots, ages 28 to 45 years.

Procedures: A sterile formulation of butorphanol in P407 (But-P407) as a 25% gel was created to produce a concentration of 8.

Evaluation of weight-bearing, locomotion, thermal antinociception, and footpad size in a carrageenan-induced inflammatory model in the cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus).

Objectives: To evaluate a carrageenan-induced inflammatory model in the cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) using weight-bearing load, rotational perch locomotion, thermal threshold withdrawal, and footpad dimensions.

Animals: 16 adult cockatiels (8 males and 8 females).

Procedures: Cockatiels were randomly assigned into 2 groups as either treatment (carrageenan injection; n = 8) or control (handling only; 8).

Crotalid Polyvalent F(ab)2 Antivenom Treatment in a Red-Tailed Hawk ().

Envenomation in avian species can result in death, with few cases of successful treatment described. A juvenile, wild-caught, intact female red-tailed hawk () used in falconry was presented for emergency evaluation after being bitten by a Northern Pacific rattlesnake () approximately 2 hours before presentation. On presentation, the bird was quiet, alert, and responsive, with moderate swelling and discomfort of the digits on the right foot.

Absorption of grapiprant in red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) is decreased when administered with food.

Objective: Describe the pharmacokinetics of grapiprant administered orally with food to red-tailed hawks (RTHAs; Buteo jamaicensis) and compare the results with previously described grapiprant pharmacokinetics administered without food in this species.

Animals: 6 healthy adult RTHA (3 males, 3 females) under human care.

Procedures: A single dose of grapiprant (30 mg/kg) was given orally to RTHAs, followed by force-feeding.

Diagnosis and treatment of Candida glabrata proventriculitis in an eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus).

Case Description: An 8-year-old sexually intact female eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus) with a 4-day history of hyporexia and lethargy and a 1-day history of tenesmus was examined.

Clinical Findings: Severe leukocytosis characterized by severe heterophilia and moderate monocytosis was present. Marked dilation of the proventriculus and ventriculus and ascites were identified by means of radiography, coelomic ultrasonography, and contrast-enhanced CT, with no clinically relevant motility noted on ultrasonography.

Pharmacokinetics of grapiprant administered to red-tailed hawks () after food was withheld for 24 hours.

Objective: To identify an oral dose of grapiprant for red-tailed hawks (RTHAs; ) that would achieve a plasma concentration > 164 ng/mL, which is considered therapeutic for dogs with osteoarthritis.

Animals: 6 healthy adult RTHAs.

Procedures: A preliminary study, in which grapiprant (4 mg/kg [n = 2], 11 mg/kg [2], or 45 mg/kg [2]) was delivered into the crop of RTHAs from which food had been withheld for 24 hours, was performed to obtained pharmacokinetic data for use with modeling software to simulate results for grapiprant doses of 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 mg/kg.

NEOURETEROCYSTOSTOMY AND URETHRAL STENT PLACEMENT IN A BLACK-HANDED SPIDER MONKEY ().

A 27-y-old female black-handed spider monkey () was evaluated 13 d after an ovariohysterectomy because of abdominal distension, anorexia, and absent urination. The animal was diagnosed with a uroabdomen and urethral obstruction from computed tomographic findings and fluid creatinine levels. During exploratory laparotomy, a defect in the right ureter was confirmed as the source of the uroabdomen.

Evaluation of Oral Transmucosal Administration of Pentobarbital for Euthanasia of Conscious Wild Birds.

This prospective study evaluated oral transmucosal pentobarbital sodium at three doses in 110 wild-caught wild birds requiring euthanasia. Birds received transmucosal pentobarbital at five (430 mg/kg), six (516 mg/kg), and seven times (602 mg/kg) the intravenous dose for mammals. Time to first effects and loss of consciousness, presence of pupillary light and corneal reflexes, apnea, and asystole were recorded each minute.

Varying Expression of Mu and Kappa Opioid Receptors in Cockatiels () and Domestic Pigeons (.

Unlabelled: Avian species have varying analgesic responses to opioid drugs. Some of this variability could be due to extrinsic factors such as administration route or dose. However, intrinsic factors such as gene expression or polymorphic differences in opioid receptors may be important components.

Altered prolactin and androgen receptors expression in companion rat benign mammary tumours.

Benign mammary tumours are among the most common tumours of companion rats (Rattus norvegicus domestica), as well as a major animal welfare concern and euthanasia. The first objective of this study was to evaluate the expression of oestrogen, progesterone, androgen, and prolactin receptors in neoplastic and normal mammary gland tissues and compare the expression of these receptors between groups. The second objective was to determine if the expression of these receptors in neoplastic mammary gland tissue correlates with overall survival and occurrence of an additional mass after initial mammary mass excision.

Pharmacokinetics of hydromorphone hydrochloride after intramuscular and intravenous administration of a single dose to orange-winged Amazon parrots ().

Objective: To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of hydromorphone hydrochloride after IM and IV administration to orange-winged Amazon parrots ().

Animals: 8 orange-winged Amazon parrots (4 males and 4 females).

Procedures: Hydromorphone (1 mg/kg) was administered once IM.

Evaluation of the thermal antinociceptive effects of hydromorphone hydrochloride after intramuscular administration to orange-winged Amazon parrots ().

Objective: To evaluate the thermal antinociceptive effects of hydromorphone hydrochloride after IM administration to orange-winged Amazon parrots ().

Animals: 8 healthy adult parrots (4 males and 4 females).

Procedures: In a randomized crossover study, each bird received hydromorphone (0.

Pilot Study: Correlation of the Surface Skin Temperature Between the Leg and Foot Using Thermographic Imaging in Captive Hawks.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the thermal image temperatures of the tibiotarsal scaled region of the raptor leg and the plantar surface of ipsilateral foot while perching were correlated. The correlation between leg and foot temperature was sought to determine whether remote imaging of the legs can be used as a reliable predictor of foot temperature. The right and left tarsometatarsal region (Leg) and metatarsal pad (Foot) of 10 captive hawks, including 8 red-tailed hawks (), 1 Harris's hawk (), and 1 Swainson's hawk () were imaged once daily over 3 consecutive days.

Pharmacokinetics of amantadine after oral administration of single and multiple doses to orange-winged Amazon parrots ().

Objective: To determine the pharmacokinetics of amantadine after oral administration of single and multiple doses to orange-winged Amazon parrots ().

Animals: 12 adult orange-winged Amazon parrots (6 males and 6 females).

Procedures: A single dose of amantadine was orally administered to 6 birds at 5 mg/kg (n = 2), 10 mg/kg (2), and 20 mg/kg (2) in a preliminary trial.

Evaluation of the thermal antinociceptive effects of subcutaneous administration of butorphanol tartrate or butorphanol tartrate in a sustained-release poloxamer 407 gel formulation to orange-winged Amazon parrots ().

Objective: To determine the thermal antinociceptive effects of butorphanol tartrate and butorphanol tartrate in a sustained-release 25% poloxamer 407 (P407) gel formulation (But-P407) in parrots.

Animals: 13 orange-winged Amazon parrots ().

Procedures: First, butorphanol tartrate (5 mg/kg) or saline (0.