Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Umbrella cockatoo treated for stomach worm infection
By Mejia-Fava, Johanna et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2013·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Diagnosis and treatment of proventricular nematodiasis in an umbrella cockatoo (Cacatua alba).
- Species:
- bird
Plain-English summary
A 16-year-old female umbrella cockatoo was brought to the vet after experiencing lethargy and weight changes for three years. Tests revealed she had a parasitic infection in her proventriculus (a part of the stomach), which was confirmed through imaging and an endoscopic exam. The vet treated her with fenbendazole, a medication effective against parasites, given in cycles over several weeks. After treatment, the cockatoo showed no signs of illness and remained healthy for 27 months.
People also search for: umbrella cockatoo lethargy · bird weight loss treatment · proventricular nematodiasis in birds
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION: A 16-year-old female umbrella cockatoo (Cacatua alba) was referred to the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine for evaluation of a 3-year seasonal history of lethargy and weight fluctuation. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Abnormalities detected via clinicopathologic analyses included mild leukocytosis, heterophilia, and lymphopenia consistent with a stress leukogram. Previous fecal examinations failed to diagnose enteric parasite infestation. Results of a fecal flotation test with Sheather sugar solution revealed spirurid eggs (Spiruroidea). Coelomic radiography revealed a widened cardiohepatic waist with increased soft tissue opacity at the level of the hepatic silhouette. The caudal thoracic and abdominal air sacs bilaterally appeared compressed against the coleomic wall. The proventriculus was increased in diameter, with a proventriculus-to-keel ratio of 1.0. Coelomic ultrasonography and positive-contrast upper gastrointestinal radiography revealed severe thickening and irregularity of the proventricular wall. The animal was anesthetized for an endoscopic examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Intralesional nematodes were identified on histologic examination of biopsy specimens from the proventriculus. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Effective fenbendazole treatment (15 mg/kg [6.8 mg/lb], PO, alternating between 5 days of treatment and 5 days of no treatment, which continued for 4 periods) was confirmed by repeated endoscopy and fecal examinations. The bird remained free of clinical signs 27 months after diagnosis and treatment. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Antemortem diagnosis of proventricular nematodiasis has not been reported in psittacines. Spirurid nematode eggs are shed intermittently, which may lead to false-negative results on a single routine fecal examination. In this patient, radiography, endoscopy, and histologic evaluation facilitated antemortem diagnosis. This is the first report of successful treatment of this condition in psittacines.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23547677/