Cerebellar Hypoplasia in Two Juvenile African Grey Parrots ().

Two sibling 12-week-old DNA-sexed female African grey parrots () were presented for progressive whole-body tremors, proprioceptive deficits, and an inability to stand unassisted. A third bird in the clutch (DNA-sexed as a male) exhibited no clinical signs. Physical examination of the affected birds revealed ataxia, inability to stand without assistance, and a reliance on their beaks to assist with their mobility.

Transsinus Pinning to Correct Lateral Deviation of the Upper Beak in Juvenile Macaws.

Lateral deviation of the upper beak ("scissor beak" or "wry beak") is a common malocclusion in many species of birds but appears to be a common presentation in macaws ( species). This article describes transsinus pinning, a procedure in which a pin is passed through the frontal sinuses, turned parallel to the upper beak, and attached to the tip of the beak with an orthodontic rubber band to provide constant tension on the beak as it grows. The tension of the rubber band is maintained until the beak is considered straight.

Use of a Vascular Access Port for Antibiotic Administration in the Treatment of Pododermatitis in a Chicken.

Bacterial culture and susceptibility testing results of a wound on the plantar aspect of the foot of a 4-year-old, male chicken with a class IV pododermatitis revealed a multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli bacterium, sensitive to only a few antibiotics including ceftazidime. Concerns over the volume and frequency of antibiotic injections, combined with the likely duration of treatment, led to the use of a vascular access port to facilitate intravenous antimicrobial therapy. The port was placed and maintained for 5 months without complication, and the infection was resolved.

Inhibition of the reproductive system by deslorelin in male and female pigeons (Columba livia).

Veterinary practitioners frequently encounter disorders of the reproductive system in avian patients. Management of these disorders relies on manipulating reproduction by modifying the environment, diet, and social interactions, and by the use of pharmacologic agents and surgery, with varying levels of success and side effects. An alternative is to use the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist deslorelin to suppress the pituitary-gonadal axis.

Disease screening of three breeding populations of adult exhibition budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) in New Zealand reveals a high prevalence of a novel polyomavirus and avian malaria infection.

Disease surveillance is vital to the management of New Zealand's endemic and threatened avian species. Three infectious agents that are potential threats to New Zealand's endemic birds include avian polyomavirus (APV), beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), and avian malaria. All three agents have been reported in New Zealand; however, possible reservoir populations have not been identified.

Sunshine virus in Australian pythons.

Sunshine virus is a recently discovered novel paramyxovirus that is associated with illness in snakes. It does not phylogenetically cluster within either of the two currently accepted paramyxoviral subfamilies. It is therefore only distantly related to the only other known genus of reptilian paramyxoviruses, Ferlavirus, which clusters within the Paramyxovirinae subfamily.

Avian bornaviruses in psittacine birds from Europe and Australia with proventricular dilatation disease.

To determine whether avian bornaviruses (ABVs) were a factor in proventricular dilatation disease (PDD), we used immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-PCR, and nucleotide sequence analysis to examine paraffin wax-embedded or frozen tissue samples of 31 psittacine birds with this disease. PDD is a fatal disease of psittacine birds associated with nonsuppurative encephalitis and ganglioneuritis of the upper intestinal tract. Tissue samples had been collected from 1999 through 2008 in Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, and Australia.

Bacterial and parasitic diseases of parrots.

As wild-caught birds become increasingly rare in aviculture, there is a corresponding decline in the incidence of bacterial and parasitic problems and an increase in the recognition of the importance of maintaining health through better nutrition and husbandry. Nevertheless, the relatively close confines of captivity mean an increased pathogen load in the environment in which companion and aviary parrots live. This increased pathogen load leads to greater exposure of these birds to bacteria and parasites, and consequently a greater risk of infection and disease.

Ten things I wish I'd learned at university.

To many veterinarians, it may seem that university did not equip or prepare them adequately to deal with exotic animals. In fact, the opposite is true--graduate veterinarians have been trained as problem-solvers and doers. By applying the knowledge and skills learned at University, most veterinarians are more than capable of providing quality medical services to exotic pet owners.