Association of Avian Veterinarians

Consider Brain Lesion with Blindness
Author(s): Chris Murphy
Source: AAV Today, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Jan., 1987), p. 11
Published by: Association of Avian Veterinarians
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27670214 .
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t?udan

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1 No.

Vol.

9*1

1

My

The material

I

as "In My

presented
is not

therefore,

refereed;

is
the practitioner
for any use of this

IME: Conjunctivitis
in Pet Birds
In contrast
are

whose

to raptors,

staining if indicated (e.g., chlamydia
IFA, PAS). If the conjunctivitis is
bacterial in nature, the cytologie
examination will usually reveal this.

ocular

trauma-related,

primarily

the

majority of ophthalmic problems in pet
birds appear to be infectious in nature
by the time they are seen by the
practitioner, although these may be
secondary to malnutrition, shipping or
other

Stressors.

Conjunctivitis
common

and

is one of the most

also

one

of

the most

potentially frustrating ocular conditions
in pet birds. Frequently the etiology is
not determined despite extensive
diagnostic

back and forth), and deposit the sample
in the center of a slide.
Generally 3 slides are made. One is
stained with Diff-Quik for cytologie
examination; one i; s stained with Gram's
stain, which may assist in deciding the
most appropriate therapy; and one is
kept in reserve and submitted for special

information.

lesions

In my

experience,

the most

common

situation where a definitive causative
agent is identified is in conjunctivitides
associated with upper respiratory
disease. In these cases we have isolated
identical bacterial organisms from
conjunctival and pharyngeal swabs as
well as from trach?al washes. If bacteria
are not visible on the slide, the client
should be informed that a definitive
diagnosis may not be made and that
therapy may be extended.
The

testing.

During the physical examination, a
conjunctival culture should be taken,
topical anesthetic instilled, and a

cause

conjunctivitis
chlamydial,
related.

could be viral, fungal,
or parasite

mycoplasmal
For

example,

we

have

seen

conjunctival scraping performed.
Because the scraping actually involves
removing some of the cells, not just the
mucous, this step must be done
carefully, as the avian lid is very thin
and delicate. Permanent damage may

Symptomatic therapy of conjunctivitis
may begin with chloramphenicol
ophthalmic ointment. This broad
spectrum antibiotic is also reasonably
effective against chlamydia and

from

overenthusiastic

scraping.

I use a platinum

spatula
(approximately $90) which is very
malleable for the scraping, but the back
of a sterilized scapel blade is effective.
The practitioner is advised to scrape two
to three times in the same direction (not

THE AVIAN PRACTITIONER

VOL1 NO.1 1987

IME: Consider Brain
Lesion with Blindness
The practitioner should keep in mind
that a bilaterally blind bird without
ocular lesions may indeed have a brain
lesion.

We

seen

have

several

cases

adenomas,

in large

and

parrots

mycoplasma.

Chris Murphy, DVM, PhD,
\
University of California, Davis

we've

seen granulomas in the brain that were
related to the blindness.
?

Chris Murphy,
DVM, PhD,
of California, Davis

University

Refereed Presentations

in this Issue

Campbell,
Terry W.
A.:
Kennedy,
George
in a
Fibrosarcoma

Cockatiel
(Nymphicus
Hollandicus).19

condition.

?

of

budgerigars that developed acute
blindness secondary to chromophobe

of non-bacterial

birds in which the only clinical sign of
chlamydia is conjunctivitis. These would
require the full 45 day treatment with
chlortetracycline to clear up the ocular

result

1987

January,

VPtPrinarians

experience...

Experience.."

responsible

of Avian

Assnrmtinn

Branson
Ritchie,
of
Treatment

W.:

Organophosphate

Toxicosis
Livia.23

11

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in Columba