PERITONITIS IN BIRDS.
From caponizing, accidental traumas, ruptured oviduct, perforations of bowels by foreign bodies or worms, pyogenic susceptibility slight. Symptoms: inappetence, drooping head, wings, tail, erect plumage, stiffness, straining, tense, tender, pendent belly. Treatment: unload cloaca, puncture and irrigate abdomen, laxatives. Prophylaxis, by laxative food, expulsion of worms, antisepsis in operations, unloading cloaca, etc.
Causes. Male birds contract peritonitis from caponizing, and other penetrating wounds of the abdomen, from rupture of the oviduct impacted with egg matter, from perforations of the intestines by foreign bodies, and from perforations by worms.
The danger from ordinary pyogenic germs is, however, at its minimum, since birds stand at the opposite extreme from the horse, and their wounds rarely suppurate.
Symptoms. The bird loses appetite, droops head, wings and tail, ruffles its feathers, walks stiffly and heavily, and expels fæces with much effort and even with cries. When caught the abdomen is found to be full, tense and pendent and very tender to the touch. There is more or less hyperthermia (108° and upward), and the subject becomes more and more dull, stupid and feeble until death.
Treatment. In certain cases relief may be had by the unloading of the cloaca, or the evacuation of peritoneal fluid, followed by antiseptic, irrigation of the cavity. Laxatives may also be resorted to. The most important measures are however prophylactic, and run in the direction of careful manipulation and antisepsis in caponizing, the unloading of impacted cloaca, before it has developed serious disease, the maintenance of a suitably laxative diet, and the prevention and treatment of worms. In case of tumors causing chronic peritonitis, laparotomy can be resorted to with great confidence.