CATARRHAL STOMATITIS OF BIRDS. PIP.
Causes: hurried breathing; local irritants; exposure; filthy roost. Symptoms: gaping; roupy cry; epithelial pellicle on tongue, larnyx. or angle of the bill. Treatment: pick off pellicle; smear it often with glycerized antiseptic. Remove accessory and exciting causes.
This form of inflammation of the tongue of birds is characterized by the increased production and desiccation of the epithelium so that it takes on a horny appearance. According to Cadeac it may accompany various inflammatory affections of the air passages, which cause hurried breathing with persistently open bill, and thus entail evaporation of the moisture. More commonly it has its primary cause in local inflammation of the surface in connection with damp, cold, draughty hen-roosts, and above all, the accumulation of decomposing manure and the exhalation of impure gas. Even in such cases the abnormal breathing with the bill open is an accessory cause of the affection.
Symptoms. The breathing with open bill should lead to examination of the tongue, but above all if at intervals the bird with a sudden jerk of the head emits a loud shrill, raucous sound, which reminds one of the cough of croup. The tip and sides of the tongue are found to be the seat of a hard, dry, and closely adherent epithelial pellicle, which suggests a false membrane.
Treatment. The common recourse is to pick or scrape off the indurated epithelial mass, leaving a raw, bleeding surface exposed. This is then treated with a solution of borax, or chlorate of potash. Cadeac deprecates this treatment as useless and dangerous, and advises the disintegration of the dry epithelial mass with a needle taking care not to prick nor scratch the subjacent sensitive tissue, and to wash with a 5 per cent. solution of chlorate of potash. A still more humane and effective method is to make a solution of hyposulphite of soda in glycerine and brush over the affected surface at frequent intervals. This may be conveniently applied through the drinking water.
In case of implication of the lower air passages or lungs, the treatment must be directed to them, and soft, warm, sloppy food and the inhalation of water vapor will prove of great advantage. Secure clean, sweet, dry pens, pure air, and sunshine. (See pseudo membranous enteritis.)