Zebra Finch Vet Care and Noninfectious Conditions Flashcards
(18 cards)
What are signs of illness in finches?
Obvious wounds, feather loss, partially closed eyes, open-mouth breathing, and an irregular body contour.
How should finches be handled? What can occur during handling if a finch is sick?
Finches can totally decompensate with handling, so exam should as rapid as possible. Repeated short sessions, with rest in between, when working with a compromised patient.
How can small volumes of blood be collected? Large volumes? What is unacceptable?
Right jugular or basilic vein for small volumes
Large volumes (500-800 uL) via cardiac puncture under anesthesia
Toe clipping unacceptable in perching birds
How are intracoelomic injections given to avoid hitting the air sacs?
Inserting the needle into the lower third of the body on the midline.
Where are intraosseous catheters placed in finches?
Distal ulna
What two inhaled methods are AWC for euthanasia? Which method is preferred?
Carbon dioxide and isoflurane. Isoflurane preferred at finches exhibit aversive behavior when CO2 is introduced, even at a low flow rate.
How does zebra finch tolerance of other individuals in close proximity differ from other birds?
Tolerate other individuals in close proximity. May keep small distances, but this is done by avoidance instead of aggression.
What does territorial behavior of zebra finches involve?
Only defense of the nest itself, an area about 20cm in diameter. Aggression is lower in non-breeding periods.
What are the primary categories of agnostic interactions tracked by behaviorists?
Bill fences - Jabbing or pecking at the head of an opponent
Displacement - Driving an individual off of its perch
Chase - Following an individual after it has been displaced
What are potential causes of bald patches on birds?
Aggression, self-plucking, molting, or irregular feather patterns in juveniles as they transition to full adult plumage.
What sex tends to be more aggressive?
Males
When might parents/the adult male drive off fledglings?
When several generations are housed in a small breeding cage. Might be an artifact of confinement. May require temporary or permanent separation of an injured bird, as long as visual access to conspecifics is maintained.
What species of finch are sometimes used as surrogate parents for zebra finches?
Society finches.
What are clinical signs of dystocia? What treatment can be initiated?
Swollen caudal coelom, tenesmus, and tail bobbing. Place in warm, moist, and quiet environment. Treat with calcium gluconate and maintain adequate hydration. Oxytocin benefits unclear (not the hormone responsible for uterine contraction in birds). Intracloacal prostaglandin E2 to produce sphincter dilation and straining.
What are the clinical signs of yolk coelomitis? What is the treatment?
Yellowish discoloration visible through bird’s skin. Euthanasia if large amounts of yolk present.
What age of birds are more prone to dystocia and yolk coelomitis?
Older birds
How do females with ovarian tumors present?
Clinically similar to egg-bound females.
