i found my duck Ellen dead last week. i took her body for a necropsy. i received three reports - a preliminary, another one, then a final. My regular vet is on vacation until the first of July. i have a call into the doctor at UC Davis that performed the necropsy. But wondering if anyone here can shed some light. It sounds like they initially thought she had ovarian cancer and infected fallopian tubes. The final report sounds like the e-coli was the cause of her death. But they also mention "large numerous pedunculated masses attached to the mesosalpinx and serosa of the oviduct". Could that mean she was laying internally? i'm just very concerned that whatever the primary reason was for her death, that i take steps to ensure my other ducks (and chickens) do not suffer the same consequences.
G ro s s O b s e r v a t i o n s
Examined was a hen duck that was named “Ellen” and was identified as being two years of age. The duck is in fair post-mortem condition. The coelomic cavity is distended due to multiple (10-12) fluid-filled pedunculated masses attached through the entire length of the oviduct. The largest mass is 5 cm in diameter, thin-walled and contains cloudy yellow fluid. The remaining masses are similar and slightly smaller. The masses are attached to the serosa and mesosalpinx. The oviduct is occluded by yellow, laminated, caseous exudate. The ovary is enlarged, dark red with hemorrhage on the surface and multiple ova up to 2 cm in diameter, some of which contain dark red fluid. The base of the ovary consists of multiple, white, firm nodules up to 3mm in diameter. The coelomic cavity contains a small quantity of yellow cloudy fluid. The pedunculated masses attached to the oviduct are displacing the intestinal tract toward the right side and dorsally. No remarkable gross lesions are noted in the digestive tract. The spleen is grossly unremarkable. The liver is yellow and friable. The lungs are grossly unremarkable. No other remarkable gross lesions are identified.
6/19/2013:
The gross changes in this duck are unusual. The large numerous pedunculated masses attached to the mesosalpinx and serosa of the oviduct are presumed to represent implantations of neoplastic ovarian tissue, but histologic examination will be required to establish this. The ovary is quite large and hemorrhagic with multiple, variably-sized cystic and often blood-filled similar pedunculated masses. The oviduct is occluded with organized exudate (salpingitis). Various tests are in progress and another report will be forthcoming.
6/20/2013:
On the histologic examination, the serosal cysts attached to the oviduct were not neoplastic but rather are chronic inflammatory changes containing fluid exudate. The oviduct has extensive chronic and active inflammation which extends from the lumen through the wall. There are large numbers of bacteria within the exudate and a bacterial etiology is presumed to be involved in this salpingitis. The ovary has no evidence of neoplasia. There are multiple hemorrhagic ova, some with organizing hematomas with pleocellular inflammation.
6/24/13:
All tests are now completed. E. coli and mixed bacteria were isolated from the oviduct. E. coli is a common cause of salpingitis.
G ro s s O b s e r v a t i o n s
Examined was a hen duck that was named “Ellen” and was identified as being two years of age. The duck is in fair post-mortem condition. The coelomic cavity is distended due to multiple (10-12) fluid-filled pedunculated masses attached through the entire length of the oviduct. The largest mass is 5 cm in diameter, thin-walled and contains cloudy yellow fluid. The remaining masses are similar and slightly smaller. The masses are attached to the serosa and mesosalpinx. The oviduct is occluded by yellow, laminated, caseous exudate. The ovary is enlarged, dark red with hemorrhage on the surface and multiple ova up to 2 cm in diameter, some of which contain dark red fluid. The base of the ovary consists of multiple, white, firm nodules up to 3mm in diameter. The coelomic cavity contains a small quantity of yellow cloudy fluid. The pedunculated masses attached to the oviduct are displacing the intestinal tract toward the right side and dorsally. No remarkable gross lesions are noted in the digestive tract. The spleen is grossly unremarkable. The liver is yellow and friable. The lungs are grossly unremarkable. No other remarkable gross lesions are identified.
6/19/2013:
The gross changes in this duck are unusual. The large numerous pedunculated masses attached to the mesosalpinx and serosa of the oviduct are presumed to represent implantations of neoplastic ovarian tissue, but histologic examination will be required to establish this. The ovary is quite large and hemorrhagic with multiple, variably-sized cystic and often blood-filled similar pedunculated masses. The oviduct is occluded with organized exudate (salpingitis). Various tests are in progress and another report will be forthcoming.
6/20/2013:
On the histologic examination, the serosal cysts attached to the oviduct were not neoplastic but rather are chronic inflammatory changes containing fluid exudate. The oviduct has extensive chronic and active inflammation which extends from the lumen through the wall. There are large numbers of bacteria within the exudate and a bacterial etiology is presumed to be involved in this salpingitis. The ovary has no evidence of neoplasia. There are multiple hemorrhagic ova, some with organizing hematomas with pleocellular inflammation.
6/24/13:
All tests are now completed. E. coli and mixed bacteria were isolated from the oviduct. E. coli is a common cause of salpingitis.
