coelom

Article  Video  Webinar 

Avian Radiology: Basic Principles, Reference Values & Clinical Cases

View the RACE-approved recording of the live webinar presented by Minh Huynh, DVM, MRCVS, DECZM (Avian), DAZCM. Avian radiography is an invaluable tool to assess internal disorders and to screen for subclinical disease in birds. Coelomic organs can be examined for cardiorespiratory, digestive, or urogenital disease. Radiographs also extremely useful to diagnose appendicular skeleton lesions, especially in case of trauma. Proper positioning is crucial for accurate interpretation and general anesthesia or sedation is usually recommended for optimal image acquisition. Standard and non-standard views as well as indications and limitations of radiography will be discussed. This presentation will also explore a standardized, step-by-step evaluation of conventional radiographs. A review of the current literature will be used to enhance this discussion of clinical cases.

Article 

A Necropsy Guide to Serpentes

The postmortem exam is a key diagnostic tool in understanding the reasons for a snake’s morbidity and mortality. Necropsies can provide valuable information to provide a risk assessment for other animals in a population or collection and can help provide closure for a grieving owner. This manuscript reviews the snake necropsy in a systemic, thorough manner, describing normal anatomy and proper collection technique from head to tail.

Article  Video 

A Guide to Avian Necropsy

The postmortem examination is a valuable part of the diagnostic work-up. Shared by a veterinary pathologist with a special interest in birds, this guide to avian necropsy provides comprehensive instructions for the avian postmortem exam. This article offers step-by-step guidance on avian necropsy with a variety of photographs and video clips that illustrate useful clinical techniques and normal avian anatomy. Feel confident in your knowledge of avian anatomy? You can also “Test Yourself” by identifying the structures shown in four separate images.

Article 

Cursory Examination of the Bird

Is your patient strong enough to handle manual restraint and a complete physical examination? In the debilitated or dyspneic patient, initially it may be prudent to place the patient in an incubator or oxygen cage in a dark, quiet room before evaluation. Even after the bird has had time to gather its strength and calm down after the stress of transport, it may only be strong enough to handle diagnostic testing, including physical examination, and treatment in stages.

Article 

Abdominocentesis in Birds

Abdominocentesis or coelomocentesis may be indicated for the accumulation of fluid within one or more of the peritoneal cavities. Peritoneal fluid can accumulate with a variety of diseases, including chronic liver disease, amyloidosis in waterfowl, iron storage disease in mynah birds and toucans, coelomic tumors in budgerigar parakeets, viral infections like Marek’s disease (resulting in cardiac tumors), peritonitis, congestive heart failure, ovarian cysts, and trauma. This article reviews the potential complications of this clinical technique, the equipment needed, sample handling, and cytodiagnosis.