Search

Orthopedic conditions are among the most frequent avian emergency cases admitted to veterinary hospitals and clinics. An external skeletal fixator is commonly used as surgical treatment in avian orthopedics. This review aimed to systematically evaluate the use of external skeletal fixator (ESF) in published cases of avian orthopedics. Four electronic databases were searched to identify all relevant case reports and case series. Altogether, 24 primary reports met the inclusion criteria. Of those, 16 reports were case reports; and eight were case series. In total, 166 avian patients with different orthopedic conditions were undergone ESF stabilization techniques; and raptor species formed the majority of the patients. The characteristics of the fractured bone were the key factor in the suitability of different ESF techniques. In addition, other factors such as type, location, and severity of the orthopedic condition should be considered. ESF implants are promising techniques for treating avian orthopedic conditions, as the complications related to the fixators were few, and the percentage of successfully released raptors was high. Unfortunately, there are so many cases of avian orthopedics that were not published. Considering this caveat, it is not easy to draw a firm conclusion on this topic. However, this paper can serve as a guiding principle for clinicians.

Orthopedic conditions are among the most frequent avian emergency cases admitted to veterinary hospitals and clinics. An external skeletal fixator is commonly used as surgical treatment in avian orthopedics. This review aimed to systematically evaluate the use of external skeletal fixator (ESF) in published cases of avian orthopedics. Four electronic databases were searched to identify all relevant case reports and case series. Altogether, 24 primary reports met the inclusion criteria. Of those, 16 reports were case reports; and eight were case series. In total, 166 avian patients with different orthopedic conditions were undergone ESF stabilization techniques; and raptor species formed the majority of the patients. The characteristics of the fractured bone were the key factor in the suitability of different ESF techniques. In addition, other factors such as type, location, and severity of the orthopedic condition should be considered. ESF implants are promising techniques for treating avian orthopedic conditions, as the complications related to the fixators were few, and the percentage of successfully released raptors was high. Unfortunately, there are so many cases of avian orthopedics that were not published. Considering this caveat, it is not easy to draw a firm conclusion on this topic. However, this paper can serve as a guiding principle for clinicians.

In 1994, Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) was reported to be responsible for conjunctivitis outbreak in the North American house finch population. This new course of MG infection in passerine was the result of spillover infections from the poultry strains. In severe cases of the disease, the conjunctival lesions might cause blindness and death, but in the mild form, there is a chance of recovery. The immune system of the recovered birds develops a resistance to the previous strains. However, the incomplete immune responses and the ability of MG to rapidly alter its surface antigens allow the pathogen to evolve new strains that can infect the birds that have already developed immune resistance. Although the rate of mortality decreases as a result of developing resistance, the persistence of the disease continues due to the increase in both virulence and the replication rate of the new strains. Therefore, the morbidity rate has remained steady, and new species of birds become infected as a result of evolutionary adaptation of the new strains. In this regard, the objective of this study is to provide a review of the mycoplasma conjunctivitis in passerine species, notably by looking at it from the host-pathogen interaction point of view.

In 1994, Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) was reported to be responsible for conjunctivitis outbreak in the North American house finch population. This new course of MG infection in passerine was the result of spillover infections from the poultry strains. In severe cases of the disease, the conjunctival lesions might cause blindness and death, but in the mild form, there is a chance of recovery. The immune system of the recovered birds develops a resistance to the previous strains. However, the incomplete immune responses and the ability of MG to rapidly alter its surface antigens allow the pathogen to evolve new strains that can infect the birds that have already developed immune resistance. Although the rate of mortality decreases as a result of developing resistance, the persistence of the disease continues due to the increase in both virulence and the replication rate of the new strains. Therefore, the morbidity rate has remained steady, and new species of birds become infected as a result of evolutionary adaptation of the new strains. In this regard, the objective of this study is to provide a review of the mycoplasma conjunctivitis in passerine species, notably by looking at it from the host-pathogen interaction point of view.

The growing demand of edible bird’s nest (EBN) worldwide as well as competition from neighbouring countries has made the EBN industry one of the rising industries in Malaysia with stringent exportation requirement by China. However, as majority of the EBN products in the market is in commercialised form, studies on the nutritional composition of these commercialised EBN in comparison with farmed, raw EBN are limited. The farmed EBN samples were taken from 4 different regions of Malaysia: Perak (central), Kelantan (eastern), Johor (southern) and Sarawak (west Borneo) while the commercialised sample was obtained from a local drug store. Proximate, amino acid and elemental composition were performed on these EBNs. Farmed EBNs mainly comprised protein followed by carbohydrate while the commercialised EBN had similar protein and carbohydrate composition. The total collection of essential amino acid in commercialised EBN was higher (237.9 mg/g protein) compared to the farmed EBN which was between 156.81 − 236.6 mg amino acid/g protein. Among the essential amino acids, valine was found to be highest in both commercialised and farmed EBN. The differences between the nutritional compositions of EBNs could be due to the process of commercialisation of the EBN as well as seasonal, breeding sites and diet of the swiftlets. Farmed EBN therefore can be considered to be more nutritional due to higher protein levels.

The growing demand of edible bird’s nest (EBN) worldwide as well as competition from neighbouring countries has made the EBN industry one of the rising industries in Malaysia with stringent exportation requirement by China. However, as majority of the EBN products in the market is in commercialised form, studies on the nutritional composition of these commercialised EBN in comparison with farmed, raw EBN are limited. The farmed EBN samples were taken from 4 different regions of Malaysia: Perak (central), Kelantan (eastern), Johor (southern) and Sarawak (west Borneo) while the commercialised sample was obtained from a local drug store. Proximate, amino acid and elemental composition were performed on these EBNs. Farmed EBNs mainly comprised protein followed by carbohydrate while the commercialised EBN had similar protein and carbohydrate composition. The total collection of essential amino acid in commercialised EBN was higher (237.9 mg/g protein) compared to the farmed EBN which was between 156.81 − 236.6 mg amino acid/g protein. Among the essential amino acids, valine was found to be highest in both commercialised and farmed EBN. The differences between the nutritional compositions of EBNs could be due to the process of commercialisation of the EBN as well as seasonal, breeding sites and diet of the swiftlets. Farmed EBN therefore can be considered to be more nutritional due to higher protein levels.

Avian polyomavirus (APV) primarily affects young birds and can cause mortality in a wide range of psittacine birds. This is the first study to detect the presence of APV in Malaysia. A total of 85 faecal samples were collected from symptom-free psittacines species from four different breeders in the Klang Valley. Upon genomic DNA extraction, the presence of APV was analysed by PCR using primers APVfull-AF (5'- ACAATGCCTAACGGAACGCC-3') and APVfull-AR (5'-CACCGAAGCGGCGATACTATA-3'). Positive results of 3 kbp PCR amplicon were detected in six out of the 30 samples (20%), which were from yellow-collared macaws, blue-headed parrots, red-crowned macaws, sulphur-crested cockatoos, blue-throated macaws, and Pesquet's parrots. As a conclusion, the prevalence of APV was clearly indicated.

Avian polyomavirus (APV) primarily affects young birds and can cause mortality in a wide range of psittacine birds. This is the first study to detect the presence of APV in Malaysia. A total of 85 faecal samples were collected from symptom-free psittacines species from four different breeders in the Klang Valley. Upon genomic DNA extraction, the presence of APV was analysed by PCR using primers APVfull-AF (5'- ACAATGCCTAACGGAACGCC-3') and APVfull-AR (5'-CACCGAAGCGGCGATACTATA-3'). Positive results of 3 kbp PCR amplicon were detected in six out of the 30 samples (20%), which were from yellow-collared macaws, blue-headed parrots, red-crowned macaws, sulphur-crested cockatoos, blue-throated macaws, and Pesquet's parrots. As a conclusion, the prevalence of APV was clearly indicated.

The University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (UVH) located in Universiti Putra Malaysia Serdang has a bird clinic. This is the clinic of choice for the public, pet owners and veterinarians for sick birds and injured wild birds. A bird’s anatomy is quite different from a cat or dog, so it requires specialized care administered by a qualified bird doctor (avian veterinarian). The care provided by the team include something as simple as grooming (wing clipping, toe nail trimming, beak trimming) and further treatment for simple cases to complicated orthopedic or soft tissue surgeries. Fracture cases are commonly seen.

Universiti Putra Malaysia is given recognition as the National Center of Excellence (CoE) for Swiftlet Industry in 2011 under NKEA Agriculture (EPP#2). One of its important roles is to coordinate research studies on Malaysian edible-nest swiftlets and edible birdnests (EBNs) among higher learning institutions and research institutes in the country and to collaborate with industry players as partners in R&D.

The most visible animals on earth are birds. Flying adaptations in birds garner much attention in the field of science and art. The mechanics of flying, the fluidity of its flight pattern,the accuracy of landings, the arrangement of its different types of feathers, the trans-boundary nature in which they travel across continents and oceans; have been subjects of intellectual discourse over the years by both scientists and artists.

Universiti Putra Malaysia is given recognition as the National Center of Excellence (CoE) for Swiftlet Industry in 2011 under NKEA Agriculture (EPP#2). One of its important roles is to coordinate research studies on Malaysian edible-nest swiftlets and edible birdnests (EBNs) among higher learning institutions and research institutes in the country and to collaborate with industry players as partners in R&D.

The most visible animals on earth are birds. Flying adaptations in birds garner much attention in the field of science and art. The mechanics of flying, the fluidity of its flight pattern,the accuracy of landings, the arrangement of its different types of feathers, the trans-boundary nature in which they travel across continents and oceans; have been subjects of intellectual discourse over the years by both scientists and artists.

The University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (UVH) located in Universiti Putra Malaysia Serdang has a bird clinic. This is the clinic of choice for the public, pet owners and veterinarians for sick birds and injured wild birds. A bird’s anatomy is quite different from a cat or dog, so it requires specialized care administered by a qualified bird doctor (avian veterinarian). The care provided by the team include something as simple as grooming (wing clipping, toe nail trimming, beak trimming) and further treatment for simple cases to complicated orthopedic or soft tissue surgeries. Fracture cases are commonly seen.

Thirty five pigeons with mid-shaft transverse ulna fracture treated with intramedullary pin-external skeletal fixator (IM-ESF tie-in) technique showed healed in 94% (33 ulnas) of the cases. Only 2 ulnas (6%) showed evidence of delayed healing. Most of the fracture sites healed with secondary bone healing (84%). Primary bone healing occurred in only 3 birds (8.6%). No evidence of implant failure was found in any ulna treated with this technique.

Thirty five pigeons with mid-shaft transverse ulna fracture treated with intramedullary pin-external skeletal fixator (IM-ESF tie-in) technique showed healed in 94% (33 ulnas) of the cases. Only 2 ulnas (6%) showed evidence of delayed healing. Most of the fracture sites healed with secondary bone healing (84%). Primary bone healing occurred in only 3 birds (8.6%). No evidence of implant failure was found in any ulna treated with this technique.