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Ostrich Diseases
Impactions Impactions are one of the most frequently seen problems in growing chicks up to adulthood.
There are two types of impaction problems. One being acute or newly acquired impactions and the other being chronic or long standing impactions.
Acute impactions are generally those that result from a bird eating too much unusable material vary rapidly.
This type of impaction can occur on sand, dirt, rocks, gravel, grass, etc. Death in these instances is often quick due to the over extended and non-functional condition of the proventriculus.
Chronic impactions usually result from the bird having a partially impacted proventriculus which allows some material to pass through normally.
This can result from consumption of material like grass, rocks, sand, etc. or some larger foreign body that would partially block the proventriculus. These birds do not gain weight normally, are often eat excess non-food material such as sand, dirt, etc. and often appear malnourished.
Many birds develop this type of problem when confronted with new situations. Moving into new pens, changing diets, excess stress including movement, feed changes, or diseases may initiate the abnormal eating habits and contribute to the problem.
Early treatment with some form of oral lubricant such as mineral oil, etc. can often help to breakdown some of this material and get the bird back to a normal diet. More commonly, surgical intervention is necessary to remove the impacted material. If diagnosed early, surgical intervention can be very successful.
Foreign Body Ingestion Much like impactions, birds of all ages will often eat almost any type of object. In many of these cases, the objects are non-digestible and can sit in the proventriculus and impair normal food movement.
Objects such as nails, plastic, knives, tools, etc. are eaten by curious birds.
In most cases, as long as the object does not damage the intestine wall or puncture the proventriculus, the foreign object may be eventually digested and passed through the digestive tract.
If it is too large and blocks the normal activity of the proventriculus, a chronic impaction may result.
Surgical intervention is usually successful in correcting this problem. Again, early diagnosis and surgery is essential.
Surgery generally requires a pre-anesthetic followed by gas anesthetics. After surgical preparation including clipping all feathers along the midline of the xiphoid (breast bone) cartilage, an incision is made along the midline starting at the xiphlid cartilage.
The proventriculus, located on the left side, is pulled through the incision. The proventriculus in opened and the contents completely cleaned out. The contents of the ventriculus can also be removed by manual manipulation and pressure at this time.
Care should be taken not to contaminate the abdominal cavity during the initial incision and the air sac during cleaning of the ventriculus and proventriculus. Surgical gut (2 layers) are recommended to close the proventriculus and the abdominal wall while non-absorbable sutures are used on the skin.
Supportive treatment including oral fluids are helpful for the first several hours after surgery along with antibiotic therapy.
Prolapses Young birds often develop prolapses of the rectum. This can be a serious problem and requires immediate attention. The condition often occurs in birds with diarrhea and results from straining during defecation.
The prolapse can easily be replaced and sutured in place. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential but with them, good results can be anticipated.
Occasionally, older males will develop a prolapsed phallus. In this instance, the phallus will not be retracted into the cloaca and mechanical damage, exposure to cold, etc. can result.
Treatment usually consists of confinement, cleaning and lubrication of the phallus. Surgery is usually not required and may be contraindicated.
Respiratory Diseases Respiratory diseases are most common in juvenile and young adult birds. Very often, respiratory problems are seen in birds recently moved, new introductions, or birds under other stresses.
Nasal discharge, ocular discharge, or swelling below the eye are all good indications of a developing respiratory problem.
Diagnosis, testing and treatment should be considered at this point to prevent further development that might include more serious air sac infections or pneumonia.
More severely infected birds will show signs of labored breathing (even at rest), increased respiratory rate, and ruffled feathers.
Both developing and severe respiratory infections are difficult to diagnose until late in the infection.
Fungal infections (Aspergillus) and bacterial (Pasteurella), E. coli and/or Mycoplasma infections are usually what are diagnosed either by laboratory culture or at post mortum examination.
Treatment including the use of systemic antibiotics that have been shown to be sensitive to the agent involved, vitamin and nutritional supplementation, and supportive care are often successful if a diagnosis is made early.
Aspiration pneumonia is occasionally seen as a result of forcing fluids or the regurgitation of fluids into the trachea and lungs. This may happen as a result of improper administration of oral fluids or medication.
Consult your veterinarian for proper administration of any fluids to any age bird.
Anesthetics and Tranquilizers Inhalation anesthetics used during surgery include Isoflurane (3-4%) or Halothane. Young birds can be masked down or intubated without a pre-anesthetic. Larger birds usually require pre-anesthetic before intubation.
Injectable anesthetics include Telazol (1mg/lb. IV), Rompon (Haver) (3mg/kg)/Ketamine HCl (Fort Dodge), or Rompon (0.5 mg/lb.)/Telazol (1.5mg/lb.).
Vaccinations At present, there are no recommended vaccination programs for ostrich. Vaccination for Eastern and Western Encephalomyelitis and Clostridium perfringens Types C and D may be useful but not thoroughly tested.
Both require a initial inoculation, a booster in 2 weeks and annual boosters. Consult your veterinarian for specifics.
Ostrich Diseases The following is a listing of all diseases and disease agents that have been positively identified and reported in the scientific literature.
Because of the relative newness of this industry, this list will surely increase as more information is gathered.
At the present time, tentative, but not confirmed, reports exist of other potential diseases that could effect ostrich.
You should work closely with your veterinarian and a state or federal diagnostic laboratory whenever you suspect disease problems or are concerned about the introduction of agents onto your farm.
Impactions Impactions are one of the most frequently seen problems in growing chicks up to adulthood.
There are two types of impaction problems. One being acute or newly acquired impactions and the other being chronic or long standing impactions.
Acute impactions are generally those that result from a bird eating too much unusable material vary rapidly.
This type of impaction can occur on sand, dirt, rocks, gravel, grass, etc. Death in these instances is often quick due to the over extended and non-functional condition of the proventriculus.
Chronic impactions usually result from the bird having a partially impacted proventriculus which allows some material to pass through normally.
This can result from consumption of material like grass, rocks, sand, etc. or some larger foreign body that would partially block the proventriculus. These birds do not gain weight normally, are often eat excess non-food material such as sand, dirt, etc. and often appear malnourished.
Many birds develop this type of problem when confronted with new situations. Moving into new pens, changing diets, excess stress including movement, feed changes, or diseases may initiate the abnormal eating habits and contribute to the problem.
Early treatment with some form of oral lubricant such as mineral oil, etc. can often help to breakdown some of this material and get the bird back to a normal diet. More commonly, surgical intervention is necessary to remove the impacted material. If diagnosed early, surgical intervention can be very successful.
Foreign Body Ingestion Much like impactions, birds of all ages will often eat almost any type of object. In many of these cases, the objects are non-digestible and can sit in the proventriculus and impair normal food movement.
Objects such as nails, plastic, knives, tools, etc. are eaten by curious birds.
In most cases, as long as the object does not damage the intestine wall or puncture the proventriculus, the foreign object may be eventually digested and passed through the digestive tract.
If it is too large and blocks the normal activity of the proventriculus, a chronic impaction may result.
Surgical intervention is usually successful in correcting this problem. Again, early diagnosis and surgery is essential.
Surgery generally requires a pre-anesthetic followed by gas anesthetics. After surgical preparation including clipping all feathers along the midline of the xiphoid (breast bone) cartilage, an incision is made along the midline starting at the xiphlid cartilage.
The proventriculus, located on the left side, is pulled through the incision. The proventriculus in opened and the contents completely cleaned out. The contents of the ventriculus can also be removed by manual manipulation and pressure at this time.
Care should be taken not to contaminate the abdominal cavity during the initial incision and the air sac during cleaning of the ventriculus and proventriculus. Surgical gut (2 layers) are recommended to close the proventriculus and the abdominal wall while non-absorbable sutures are used on the skin.
Supportive treatment including oral fluids are helpful for the first several hours after surgery along with antibiotic therapy.
Prolapses Young birds often develop prolapses of the rectum. This can be a serious problem and requires immediate attention. The condition often occurs in birds with diarrhea and results from straining during defecation.
The prolapse can easily be replaced and sutured in place. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential but with them, good results can be anticipated.
Occasionally, older males will develop a prolapsed phallus. In this instance, the phallus will not be retracted into the cloaca and mechanical damage, exposure to cold, etc. can result.
Treatment usually consists of confinement, cleaning and lubrication of the phallus. Surgery is usually not required and may be contraindicated.
Respiratory Diseases Respiratory diseases are most common in juvenile and young adult birds. Very often, respiratory problems are seen in birds recently moved, new introductions, or birds under other stresses.
Nasal discharge, ocular discharge, or swelling below the eye are all good indications of a developing respiratory problem.
Diagnosis, testing and treatment should be considered at this point to prevent further development that might include more serious air sac infections or pneumonia.
More severely infected birds will show signs of labored breathing (even at rest), increased respiratory rate, and ruffled feathers.
Both developing and severe respiratory infections are difficult to diagnose until late in the infection.
Fungal infections (Aspergillus) and bacterial (Pasteurella), E. coli and/or Mycoplasma infections are usually what are diagnosed either by laboratory culture or at post mortum examination.
Treatment including the use of systemic antibiotics that have been shown to be sensitive to the agent involved, vitamin and nutritional supplementation, and supportive care are often successful if a diagnosis is made early.
Aspiration pneumonia is occasionally seen as a result of forcing fluids or the regurgitation of fluids into the trachea and lungs. This may happen as a result of improper administration of oral fluids or medication.
Consult your veterinarian for proper administration of any fluids to any age bird.
Anesthetics and Tranquilizers Inhalation anesthetics used during surgery include Isoflurane (3-4%) or Halothane. Young birds can be masked down or intubated without a pre-anesthetic. Larger birds usually require pre-anesthetic before intubation.
Injectable anesthetics include Telazol (1mg/lb. IV), Rompon (Haver) (3mg/kg)/Ketamine HCl (Fort Dodge), or Rompon (0.5 mg/lb.)/Telazol (1.5mg/lb.).
Vaccinations At present, there are no recommended vaccination programs for ostrich. Vaccination for Eastern and Western Encephalomyelitis and Clostridium perfringens Types C and D may be useful but not thoroughly tested.
Both require a initial inoculation, a booster in 2 weeks and annual boosters. Consult your veterinarian for specifics.
Ostrich Diseases The following is a listing of all diseases and disease agents that have been positively identified and reported in the scientific literature.
Because of the relative newness of this industry, this list will surely increase as more information is gathered.
At the present time, tentative, but not confirmed, reports exist of other potential diseases that could effect ostrich.
You should work closely with your veterinarian and a state or federal diagnostic laboratory whenever you suspect disease problems or are concerned about the introduction of agents onto your farm.
Nematode
Paronchocerca struthionus:
A filariad nematode recovered from the lungs of an ostrich in West Africa. An incidental finding in a bird that died of other causes. Pathogenicity unknown.
Struthiofilaria megalocephala:
Several reports of nematodes from body cavity of Ostrich. Pathogenicity unknown but possible.
Lipostrongylus douglassi:
Intestinal nematode of ostrich. Reported susceptible to anthelminthic treatment with fenbendazole.
Cestode Houttuynia struthionis:
Intestinal tapeworm of ostrich. Reporting of efficacy of fenbendazole.
Trematode Philophthalmus gralli:
Eye fluke - reported to cause severe eye irritation and discharge in captive ostrich in Florida.
Protozoa Hexamitiasis:
Reported identifications of intestinal infections with possible pathogenicity in young ranched ostrich in North America.
Arthropods Struthiolipeurus nandu:
Mallophagan louse - infestation in ostrich causing feather loss.
Unidentified feather mite belonging to family Pterolichidae infesting Ostrich in North America causing feather loss. Successfully treated with Ivermectin.
Numerous ticks of various life stages reported to infest Ostrich.
Viral Diseases Newcastles disease:
Virus in ostrich reported in ranched ostrich in South Africa and Israel. High mortality reported with viral isolation from brain.
Pox virus recovered from skin lesion in Israel.
Spongyform encephalopathy in a ranched ostrich.
Crimean-Congo Haemmorrhagic Fever Virus. Report of virus isolation from human thought to have acquired infection from handling slaughter ostrich or ticks off the ostrich in South Africa during 1996
Bacterial Disease Staphylococcus hyicus:
In an ostrich causing conjunctivitis.
Colobacillosis responsible for mortalities in young ranched ostrich.
Tuberculosis in ostrich and other ratites.
Pasteurella multocida: infections in ostrich in Nigeria resulting in generalized and pulmonary infections.
Fungal Infections Aspergillus infections reported in ostrich.
Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Vitamin E and selenium deficiencies in ostrich from South Africa.
Parsley-induced photosensitivity in captive ostrich.
Anasarca and myopathy in ostrich chicks.
Nutritional muscular dystrophy in ostrich chicks.
A filariad nematode recovered from the lungs of an ostrich in West Africa. An incidental finding in a bird that died of other causes. Pathogenicity unknown.
Struthiofilaria megalocephala:
Several reports of nematodes from body cavity of Ostrich. Pathogenicity unknown but possible.
Lipostrongylus douglassi:
Intestinal nematode of ostrich. Reported susceptible to anthelminthic treatment with fenbendazole.
Cestode Houttuynia struthionis:
Intestinal tapeworm of ostrich. Reporting of efficacy of fenbendazole.
Trematode Philophthalmus gralli:
Eye fluke - reported to cause severe eye irritation and discharge in captive ostrich in Florida.
Protozoa Hexamitiasis:
Reported identifications of intestinal infections with possible pathogenicity in young ranched ostrich in North America.
Arthropods Struthiolipeurus nandu:
Mallophagan louse - infestation in ostrich causing feather loss.
Unidentified feather mite belonging to family Pterolichidae infesting Ostrich in North America causing feather loss. Successfully treated with Ivermectin.
Numerous ticks of various life stages reported to infest Ostrich.
Viral Diseases Newcastles disease:
Virus in ostrich reported in ranched ostrich in South Africa and Israel. High mortality reported with viral isolation from brain.
Pox virus recovered from skin lesion in Israel.
Spongyform encephalopathy in a ranched ostrich.
Crimean-Congo Haemmorrhagic Fever Virus. Report of virus isolation from human thought to have acquired infection from handling slaughter ostrich or ticks off the ostrich in South Africa during 1996
Bacterial Disease Staphylococcus hyicus:
In an ostrich causing conjunctivitis.
Colobacillosis responsible for mortalities in young ranched ostrich.
Tuberculosis in ostrich and other ratites.
Pasteurella multocida: infections in ostrich in Nigeria resulting in generalized and pulmonary infections.
Fungal Infections Aspergillus infections reported in ostrich.
Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Vitamin E and selenium deficiencies in ostrich from South Africa.
Parsley-induced photosensitivity in captive ostrich.
Anasarca and myopathy in ostrich chicks.
Nutritional muscular dystrophy in ostrich chicks.