Surgical Treatment of Gastric Impaction in Farmed Ostriches

Abstract

Partial or complete impaction of the proventriculus and/or the ventriculus is usually seen in juvenile ostriches. Common impaction materials include stones, sand, hay stems and leaves, and even plastic and metallic objects. Six live ostriches showing signs of impaction and three dead ones suspected to have impacted stomachs were presented to the Department of Clinical Sciences of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The birds manifested anorexia, whitish and decreased urine output, scant defecation, unwillingness to rise and consume water. Clinical examination revealed distended and firm proventriculi, while radiographs showed foreign objects in the proventriculi of all birds and the ventriculus of one of them. The living birds were successfully treated surgically and medically. Autopsy of the three dead ostriches revealed severe dehydration and impaction of the stomachs. Bacteriological and parasitological examination was negative. Amendments in management practices were important to minimize losses caused by impaction of the stomachs in ostriches, while proventriculotomy remains the most effective approach to the problem.

Proventricular–Ventricular Impaction in two ostrich chicks (Struthio camelus)

“…Poultry (birds) under confinement in a deep litter floor housing system with free access to stones, sand, rope, straw, wires, nails and other forms of hardware or foreign materials are prone to gizzard impaction., gastric stasis and perforation of the gastro-intestinal tract by sharp objects (Samson, 1996). This observation is particularly true for ostriches raised in such environments as noticed in the farm visited in the second case and as reported by other authors (Komnenou et al, 2003;Long et al, 2009). The post mortem findings in the two dead cases were identical to those reported by Mendonça et al (2010) and Nagarajan et al (2011) in cases of proventriculus and ventricular inpaction in ostriches.…”

“…Proventricular and ventricular impaction is the commonest health problem and the most life-threatening clinical condition in ostriches, especially young ones (Stomach, 1992). This is because various stress factors, disorders of nutrition (or imbalance) and behavioral changes can make ostriches develop pica (Honnas et al, 1991;Komnenou et al, 2003) particularly in young birds (Komnenou et al, 2003). Although, such foreign bodies may act as grit and aid digestion, they later became a problem when the amounts ingested are too much or the ingesta are too large as to completely occlude the proventriculus and ventriculus.…”

Ostrich (Struthio camelus) gastric diseases in Minas Gerais, Brazil, from 1997 to 2009

“…Chronic anorexia result in progressive loss on the reproductive performance and may culminate in death, causing significant economic losses in ostrich farms (Gulbahar et al,. 2000;Yusek et al, 2002;Komnenou et al, 2003 Gastric impaction was characterized by chronic anorexia and the clinical description of cachexia, dehydration, apathy, decubitus, and dry and scanty feces. As described in literature, chronic anorexia may eventually result in death, being a cause of productive loss and inferior reproductive performance (Gulbahar et al, 2000;Yusek et al, 2002;Komnenou et al, 2003).…”

“…2000;Yusek et al, 2002;Komnenou et al, 2003 Gastric impaction was characterized by chronic anorexia and the clinical description of cachexia, dehydration, apathy, decubitus, and dry and scanty feces. As described in literature, chronic anorexia may eventually result in death, being a cause of productive loss and inferior reproductive performance (Gulbahar et al, 2000;Yusek et al, 2002;Komnenou et al, 2003). At necropsy, undigested material and foreign bodies (hair, metal rings, feathers, leaves, seeds, hooks, bones, stones, glasses, and sand) were observed in ostriches proventriculus and/or ventricle ( Figure 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d), as previously described by Mushi et al (1998), Martins et al (2006), and Aichinger (2007).…”

Bir Deve Kuşu Ventrikulusunda Yabancı Cisimlerin Endoskopik Tanısı ve Ventrikulostomi

“…). Bunun nedeni, çeşitli stres faktörleri, beslenme bozuklukları (veya dengesizlik) ve davranış değişikliklerinin deve kuşlarında özellikle de genç olanlarda (6,7,10,11) pika geliştirmesine neden olabilmesidir (6,10,12). Bu tür yabancı cisimler kum görevi görerek sindirime yardımcı olabilse de, yutulan miktar çok fazla olduğunda sindirim sistemi organlarını tamamen tıkayabilir (6,11).…”