Diagnosis and Long-term Treatment of Suspected Congenital Hypothyroidism in a Pigeon (Columba livia domestica).

An approximately 6-month-old domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica) was presented for lethargy and an inability to perform its first molt. The pigeon was obese, had anatomical characteristics of a chick, including cere and plumage, and had a ventral coelomic soft tissue mass. Initial blood work was unremarkable. A computed tomographic scan confirmed excessive fat deposition in the coelom and a mass adherent to the liver. A fine-needle aspirate of the mass indicated fat accumulation. A thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test was planned for this pigeon and 3 presumed euthyroid pigeons. Each pigeon was administered 80 µg (∼230 µg/kg) of recombinant human TSH. Blood was drawn at time 0 and 3 and 6 hours after administration of recombinant human TSH. Plasma total thyroxine (TT4) was measured in duplicate with an in-house analyzer and a reference laboratory. After recombinant human TSH administration, healthy pigeons showed a 4- to 21-fold increase in TT4, whereas the hypothyroid pigeon had all values <0.12 µg/dL. The pigeon was prescribed 20 µg of compounded levothyroxine twice daily. In the following months, the pigeon molted and developed adult features. The ventral coelomic soft tissue mass disappeared and repeated computed tomography scans showed a decreased amount of body fat and a reduction in the size of the coelomic mass. Levothyroxine was further adjusted multiple times according to additional TT4 testing to a dose of 2.5 µg once daily. The pigeon has been under treatment with levothyroxine for more than 2 years. Here we present the first reported case of confirmed hypothyroidism in a pigeon. Diagnosis with a TSH stimulation test was unequivocal, even when only considering the results of the in-house analyzer. Levothyroxine treatment resolved clinical signs and could be titrated to an appropriate dose.

Respiratory Disorders in Chelonians.

"Respiratory tract disease in chelonians can be difficult to treat and as such proper diagnostics are paramount. Infectious agents that can affect the respiratory tract of chelonians include viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic organisms. Noninfectious diseases can also develop. Because chelonians lack a proper diaphragm, changes in size of celomic organs can cause compression of the respiratory system. These conditions result in clinical signs that could be attributed to the respiratory system, such as open-mouth breathing. In this article, anatomy, physiology, and current standards for diagnostics and treatments of major diseases of the respiratory tract in chelonians are discussed."

Effect of rest temperature on rotational thromboelastometry in New Zealand White rabbits.

With the increasing popularity of viscoelastic coagulation analyzers, such as rotational thromboelastometry [ROTEM] and thromboelastography, the need for standardized methodology for appropriate interpretation has become increasingly important. Viscoelastic analysis is heavily influenced by a multitude of pre-analytic factors, both in vivo and in vitro, leading to a large amount of variation between institutions. We investigated the effect of room temperature during a 30-min sample rest time on ROTEM, which analyzed both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. We also evaluated the feasibility of using ROTEM to assess coagulation in non-anesthetized domestic rabbits. Rabbits were selected because they are a common companion animal that could benefit from the use of viscoelastic analysis for various disease processes that could lead to coagulopathies. Citrated whole blood was collected from 10 rabbits and allowed to rest upright for 30 min either at room temperature (~ 21°C) or in a tube warmer (37°C) before analysis. There was no significant difference in results between room temperature and warmed samples, which suggests that allowing samples to rest at room temperature is acceptable clinically. Additionally, blood collection and analysis were feasible in all rabbits.