Association of Avian Veterinarians

Barium for Foreign Body RemovalAuthor(s): James GainesSource: AAV Today, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Summer, 1988), p. 102Published by: Association of Avian VeterinariansStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30134433 .

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In My Experience... result in the biggest challenge. After healing has taken place birds fre- quently have difficulty extending their wings.

Our routine post-immobilization treatment is to place the patient in a flight pen and allow it to gradually increase its exercise and activity. Those birds with fractures away from their joints do well with this techni- que. However, the closer the fracture is to the joint, the more difficult it is for the bird to regain full use of its wings.

I contacted a licensed physical therapist who volunteered to train our staff in some of the physical therapy techniques used in human medicine. He demonstrated friction

massage, range of motion, and ultra- sound therapy to help loosen up the joints on some of our patients.

Our staff has already seen dramatic results from the use of these new

techniques. One gunshot Red-tailed Hawk, which had undergone surgical repair of both its humerus and tibiotarsus, is now flying 300 feet as a result of physical therapy. Prior to this therapy, the bird could extend its wing only 150 and would not use its leg. - Stuart Porter, VMD, Weyers Cave, Virginia

Retrieval of Proventricular Foreign Bodies

Within an hour's time one day, I had two separate cases of hand-fed babies that had swallowed a detachable tip from a feeding syr- inge. Neither case was brought in while the foreign body was still in the crop. Each bird was anesthetized with isoflurane and the retrieval was handled in a similar fashion in both cases.

With a surgical entry on the right side of the base of the crop, a flexi- ble, pediatric nasopharyngoscope (Richard Wolf Medical Instruments) was used to locate the piece of rub- ber catheter in the esophageal/pro- ventricular junction of the Umbrella Cockatoo, and a section of drinking straw in the proventricular/ventricular junction of the Blue and Gold Macaw. Because this particular scope

does not have insufflation capabilities, a urethral catheter was taped to the side of the scope and a technician was responsible for insuf- flation through the catheter. The first attempt at retrieval was made with a biopsy forceps, but the instrument was too small to grasp the tube. A carmalt forceps was then passed down alongside the scope, and in each case, the object was brought back up through the esophagus.

Both birds recovered well and were eating and gaining weight the next day. Obviously, this technique was possible only because both were large species; one would not attempt this in a cockatiel. There was some

resulting trauma to the esophagus, but this was minimal compared to the alternative therapy, a proven- triculotomy. Although both birds had empty crops when the procedure was started, the Blue and Gold had some regurgitation of proventricular juices through the esophogeal opening into the cervical air sacs, with some resulting necrosis of the tissue there. This was prevented in the second procedure by better packing off of the surgical site with gauze. The se- cond procedure was also facilitated by proper orientation of the scope inside the proventriculus so that retrieval movements were made in the ap- propriate direction. - Greg J. Harrison, DVM, Lake Worth, Florida

Restraining Boards for Radiographs

Over the last thirty years I have used a variety of holders to radiograph birds: taping birds to X-ray film, homemade devices, sandbags, "three technicians and a trained monkey". I then tried the Silverdust Bird Posi- tioner, an acrylic bird-holding device designed by Sam Silverman and Lynn Dustin. I have found this to be un- questionably the most useful avian practice aid to come down the pike in the last twenty-five years.

The board allows for excellent VD and lateral radiographic positioning without anesthesia for birds in the size range from conures to large macaws. The heavy-duty head restraint pieces come in four sizes with atraumatic beveled edges. All four pieces are large enough so the patient cannot access the technician's hands while in place, or while being applied or removed, and are thick enough to prevent large macaws from biting through them. The feet are tied to built-in cleats with gauze or rope and the wings are taped to the board.

This device is also useful in minor surgeries or other procedures requir- ing recumbent immobilization. - James M. Harris, DVM, Oakland, California

Barium for Foreign Body Removal

A Blue-fronted Amazon was

presented with suspected lead poison- ing. Radiography confirmed the presence of lead in the crop and giz- zard. Based on my experience with ferrets, in which barium has been successfully used to remove ingested foreign bodies (e.g., string or sponge rubber), I administered a single dose of 5 ml liquid barium (Colibar-Va - Veterinary Radiographic Systems, Maitland, FL) to the bird. After 3 days, I radiographed the bird again and the lead was gone. - James Gaines, DVM, Chantilly, Virginia

Input on Leucocytozoonosis Requested

During the past year, we have con- tinued to lose birds to presumptive Leucocytozoon sp. infection. Gross le- sions are identical in all birds and are described in "Leucocytozoonosis in Crested Oropendolas (Psarcolius decumanus)", AAV Today 1(4):155-157. Losses have been sporadic and have included the oropendolas, 2 Fairy Bluebirds and 1 Keel-billed Toucan. I would ap- preciate hearing from anyone who has lost birds to this problem or has seen similar gross lesions on post mortem examination. - C. Douglas Page, DVM, Jackson- ville Zoo, 8605 Zoo Road, Jackson- ville, Florida (904) 757-4463

102 AAV TODAY

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