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- Author or Editor: Meghan Vaught x
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the reasons for evaluation on an emergency basis of and short-term outcomes for chickens from backyard flocks.
DESIGN
Retrospective case series.
ANIMALS
78 chickens.
PROCEDURES
For chickens evaluated on an emergency basis at a New England veterinary teaching hospital in January 2014 through March 2017, information including age, sex, flock size, primary medical problem, final diagnosis, and immediate outcome was obtained from electronic medical records. Primary medical problems were classified as abnormal droppings, crop or gastrointestinal tract disease, lameness, neurologic disease, nonspecific signs (ie, undefined illness), respiratory tract disease, reproductive tract disease, and trauma.
RESULTS
78 chickens were evaluated on an emergency basis, of which 71 were females from small flocks. The median age of the chickens was 1 year (range, 0.1 to 7 years). The most common problem was trauma (n = 25), followed by nonspecific signs (11) and reproductive tract disease (10); 18 birds had neurologic disease (6), lameness (6), or gastrointestinal tract disease (6). Five birds had respiratory tract disease, and 3 had abnormal droppings. Six birds were brought to the emergency service for euthanasia only. Trauma, reproductive tract disease, and signs of Marek disease were most frequently identified in birds that were fully evaluated. Thirty-five (45%) chickens were discharged from the hospital.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Results indicated that backyard flock chickens were evaluated on an emergency basis most commonly because of trauma and reproductive tract disease. Although approximately half of the evaluated chickens were euthanized, the remainder were discharged from the hospital and required medical management. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2019;254:1196–1203)
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinical outcome of dogs that developed pneumothorax after an encounter with a porcupine.
ANIMALS
25 client-owned dogs from 2 practices in New England.
PROCEDURES
The medical records were searched for those of dogs that underwent care for porcupine quilling–associated pneumothorax (PQAP) between August 1, 2001, and October 15, 2023. Dogs were all large-breed dogs or large mixed-breed dogs and most frequently had clinical signs associated with pneumothorax, including labored breathing and tachypnea.
RESULTS
No cases occurred in winter months. Diagnostic imaging was useful for identifying pneumothorax, but not for localizing quills. Twenty-one of the 25 dogs underwent median sternotomy for quill removal, with quills found in lung tissue of 19 dogs. Two dogs had no intrathoracic quills identified at thoracotomy, but residual quills were identified in the intercostal muscles. Four dogs were discharged without surgery after apparent resolution of the pneumothorax. All dogs survived to hospital discharge; however, 5 dogs required subsequent quill removal from ongoing quill migration.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Porcupine quillings may result in traumatic pneumothorax associated with quill migration. Following quill removal, monitoring for the development of a pneumothorax is advised. Surgical removal of quills from the lungs has a good prognosis.
