Intestinal entrapment in the right pulmonary ostium after castration in a juvenile ostrich (Struthio camelus).

A juvenile ostrich (Struthio camelus) was castrated in 2 procedures (right and left hemicastrations) at 3 and 4 months of age. The bird had 3 episodes of depression, inappetence, and head-shaking with apparent dysphagia of 1-3 days duration during the 4 months after the first surgical procedure. It was found dead at 7.5 months of age with no clinical signs in the days immediately preceding the death. At necropsy, the intestine was found entrapped in the right pulmonary ostium. Death likely resulted from compression of the air sacs and heart by the dilated bowel. Care should be taken to avoid disrupting the air sac wall integrity between the thoracic and abdominal regions of the coelom during the castration of juvenile ostriches.

A simple method for establishing an ostrich model of femoral head osteonecrosis and collapse.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to develop a simple method of creating an animal model of non-trauma femoral head osteonecrosis and collapse using African ostriches with weights similar to those of humans. METHODS: Eighteen African ostriches were subjected to liquid nitrogen cryo-insult in the unilateral femoral head through surgical procedures using homemade cryogenic equipment combined with tract drilling inside the femoral head. Three animals were sacrificed at postoperative weeks 6 and 12, respectively, and the remaining animals were sacrificed at postoperative week 24. Bilateral femoral heads were harvested and subjected to gross observation, histological examination using hematoxylin and eosin staining, and radiographic examination. Micro-computed tomography was performed on a portion of the specimens at postoperative week 24, and angiographic examination of the femoral head was performed before sacrificing the animals. RESULTS: Eight ostriches developed a limp at postoperative week 8, with a mean duration of 16.5 weeks. The postoperative femoral head specimens showed changes in contour and articular cartilage degeneration. Sagittal sectioning of the collapsed femoral head specimens revealed distinct boundaries among the osteonecrotic areas, osteosclerotic areas, and normal trabeculae. Histological examinations revealed active bone resorption in the osteonecrotic area of the subchondral bone, an increased number of fat cells, and active trabecular bone regeneration in the osteosclerotic areas. The postoperative radiographic examinations revealed that the height of the femoral head gradually decreased and progressed to collapse. Micro-computed tomography scans showed the interrupted trabecular bone with an irregular shape in the collapsed femoral head. Compared with the normal samples, angiographic findings revealed interrupted blood supply of the cryo-injured samples in some areas of the femoral heads, blood vessel narrowing, and decreased number of blood vessels in the cryo-injured areas. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that an animal model of osteonecrotic femoral head progressing to collapse can be established via a simplified method of cryosurgery. This model possesses histological features that are similar to those of humans; thus, it can be used as an ideal animal model for the study of femoral head necrosis.

Surgical treatment of gastric impaction in farmed ostriches.

Partial or complete impaction of the proventriculus and/or the ventriculus is usually seen in juvenile ostriches. Common impaction materials include stones, sand, hay stems and leaves, and even plastic and metallic objects. Six live ostriches showing signs of impaction and three dead ones suspected to have impacted stomachs were presented to the Department of Clinical Sciences of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The birds manifested anorexia, whitish and decreased urine output, scant defecation, unwillingness to rise and consume water. Clinical examination revealed distended and firm proventriculi, while radiographs showed foreign objects in the proventriculi of all birds and the ventriculus of one of them. The living birds were successfully treated surgically and medically. Autopsy of the three dead ostriches revealed severe dehydration and impaction of the stomachs. Bacteriological and parasitological examination was negative. Amendments in management practices were important to minimize losses caused by impaction of the stomachs in ostriches, while proventriculotomy remains the most effective approach to the problem.