Medical and Surgical Treatment of Gastric Impaction in Juvenile Ostriches

Abstract

Radiological diagnosis and medical and surgical treatment options of the constipation problem seen in ostrich chicks were investigated in this study. The study was performed in a farm that 60 ostrich chicks were kept that are between 8 and 12 weeks of age. Our clinic was applied to upon seeing loss of appetite, weight loss and sudden death in 2 animals in the farm. Fifteen sick ostrich chicks that gastric impaction problem was found with clinical and radiological examination were included in the study. In the ostrich chicks that were found to be sick in clinical examination, clinical symptoms were observed like loss of appetite, weakness, dehydration, reduced number of defecations, drooping wings, messiness of feathers and inability to stand. Medical treatment was applied to 7 animals that general health status was not severe and that obstruction was found to be not complete in radiological examination and proventriculotomy operation was performed in 8 animals that stomachs were found to be full with foreign materials in radiological examinations and with serious health condition and also in 2 ostrich chicks that did not respond to medical treatment. Five patients out of 7 that medical treatment was applied and 8 patients out of 10 that were treated surgically responded to the treatment and got well. In the autopsies of the animals that did not respond to the treatment and died, macroscopic edema, erosion and hemorrhagic ulcers were found in proventriculus and ventriculus mucosa and in addition, stomach was filled with stones, sand, pieces of wood, metal and glass, rough feed particles and clover fibers. It was concluded that radiological examination will determine the level of obstruction, make the treatment easier and will direct it. It was also, concluded that emergency surgical treatment in cases with complete obstruction not responding to medical treatment would be beneficial if performed with no time loss.