CONSTIPATION IN BIRDS.
Causes: Matted feathers, impacted cloaca, arrest of eggs, debility, catarrh, parasites, nervous disorder. Symptoms: swelling of anus, pendent abdomen, waddling gait, straining without effect. Treatment: remove obstruction by mechanical means, cut off matted feathers, egg matter may demand laparotomy, castor oil, tincture of rhubarb, enemata, green food, ensilage, roots, onions.
In birds torpid and obstructed bowels may come from the effects of a previous diarrhœa, which has led to the matting together of the feathers over the anus at once obstructing defecation and rendering it painful. It may result in and be aggravated by a slow accumulation of indigestible matters in the intestine or cloaca (pebbles, feathers, etc.), and the arrest of eggs in the oviduct, pressing upon and obstructing the bowel. In a recent case the author removed 18 ozs. of impacted egg matter from the oviduct of a hen, which when divested of this load weighed barely 2 lbs. Debility of the general system and particularly of the walls of the bowels, and its various causes (old age, exhausting disease, intestinal catarrh, parasites, nervous diseases, etc.) retard defecation and favor impaction as in the mammal.
The symptoms may be; hard dry droppings, matting of the feathers over the anus with feculent matters, a firm swelling surrounding the sphincter, a pendent condition of the abdomen which when manipulated is felt to be firm and resistant, ruffling of the feathers, drooping of the head, wings and tail, walking sluggishly with legs half bent and a waddling gait, and ineffectual attempts to defecate.
Treatment. As in dogs remove the obstructing mass by mechanical means. Matted feathers may be clipped off, and feculent accumulations may be dislodged by the aid of the finger, or in small birds of a blunt prob. This may be favored by manipulation through the abdominal walls, and the injection of soapy or oily enemata. Accumulations of impacted egg matter may be similarly removed, or, failing this, by an incision made through the abdominal walls and oviduct. As a purgative give one or two teaspoonfuls castor oil according to the size of the hen, or a few drops to a small cage bird. For the latter Friedberger and Fröhner advise a few drops of tincture of rhubarb in the drinking water. Injections of warm or cold soapsuds or water may be continued as symptoms demand. Green food, ensilage, roots, worms, snails and insects are indicated to correct the tendency to costiveness and may be continued until the bowels have acquired their proper tone. A moderate allowance of onions is often of great value.