Routine health visits and post-mortems have proven invaluable, particularly in identifying diseases that do not exhibit obvious clinical signs.
Our vets being on site means you will get a more reliable result from your post-mortems as there is no delay in testing.
We’ve answered some of the most common questions around bird post-mortems.
Can you tell whether a bird has good gut health or not from a bird that has been posted for a post-mortem?
No, the sheer level of bacteria in the gut causes a high level of autolysis (breakdown of the gut wall lining/structure). This then makes the interpretation of gut health impossible. The best way for our vets to assess gut health is on a freshly culled bird.
Can Hexamita be diagnosed in a bird that has been dead for 24 hours and post-mortemmed?
No, in our experience, post-mortems carried out for a Hexamita diagnosis in birds that have been dead for more than a couple of hours are extremely difficult, and the risks of not identifying Hexamita increase dramatically. It is for this reason that we don’t accept birds sent in the post for post-mortems, as the ability to diagnose is unreliable.
Can Cocci be diagnosed in a bird that has been dead for 24 hours through a post-mortem?
In theory, yes, coccidial oocysts are difficult to destroy and won’t be destroyed by bacteria or autolysis as the gut breaks down. However, clearly identifying the number of Cocci oocysts in a bird is not helpful on its own. In order to recommend the best treatment, the overall bird health should be assessed, including gut health and any associated enteritis. There is also the risk of missing concurrent diseases, such as Hexamita if the birds have been dead for more than a few hours. Therefore, while a Cocci diagnosis can be made, support, treatment or advice for other issues can be significantly inhibited.
Can birds be post-mortemmed if they have been dead for longer than a couple of hours of expected/suspected diseases such as Bulgy eye (MG or lameness issues?
We recommend post-mortems are carried out on site. Freshly culled birds allow the vets to make an assessment of the overall health of the birds and in the majority of cases a suspected diagnosis can be made instantly. From this a treatment or support plan can be recommended and started straight away.
If you are concerned about the health or welfare of your birds give us a call on 01392 872932 or call your local veterinary practice.
