Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Severe diarrhea and dehydration in a 1-month-old brown wood owl
By Makino, Ikuko et al.·Published in Parasitology research·2018·Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A new avian Cryptosporidium genotype in a 1-month-old caged brown wood owl (Strix leptogrammica) with severe dehydration and diarrhea.
- Species:
- bird
Plain-English summary
A 1-month-old brown wood owl was brought to a veterinarian after experiencing severe dehydration and not eating for a week, following episodes of vomiting and diarrhea. Tests revealed a large number of Cryptosporidium parasites in its feces, which can cause severe gastrointestinal issues. The owl received fluids and feeding through a tube for two weeks, leading to significant improvement. By the end of treatment, follow-up tests showed no signs of the parasites, indicating a successful recovery from the infection.
People also search for: brown wood owl diarrhea treatment · Cryptosporidium in birds · dehydrated owl care
Abstract
A 1-month-old brown wood owlet (Strix leptogrammica) purchased from a wholesaler and housed as a companion bird by an individual owner in Japan showed severe dehydration and anorexia following a week of vomiting and severe diarrhea. A great number of approximately 5 × 4-μm-sized Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in the feces by microscopy. The owlet was administered subcutaneous fluid and intragastric tube feeding for 2 weeks, resulting in improvement of the condition with a decreased number of oocysts in the feces. At days 51 and 119, no oocysts were found in the feces by microscope and PCR detection. These results suggested that this parasite was a possible agent of severe diarrhea in the affected bird. Molecular analysis of DNA extracted from oocysts based on the 18SrRNA loci identified C. avium; however, analysis of actin and hsp (heat shock protein) genes identified a novel genotype indicating a mixed infection with C. avium and a novel genotype.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29876860/