PeeWee is sick! UPDATE..FINAL Necropsy Results Page 6

[Leslieb118]

I got a lot of great advice while trying to treat my little guy. It's the least I can to to follow up, because hopefully it will help the next person. As soon as the lab work comes back, I'll post the results here, and hopefully we'll have some answers! Thanks!

 

[Leslieb118]

University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Dr. Lynne Cassone


~';[nlil ReQort.. _
Case Coordinator: Veterinary Diagnostic
Laboratory
Dr. Lynne MCassone

Submitted Date: 6/12/20123:09 PM
Collection Date: 6/11/2012
Accession No: K12009319
LESLIE BURTON
Phone: (502) la_.-
Fax:
Email:
LOUISVILLE KY..-
Associated Parties
Owner, Other: Leslie Burton
Reference Data
Number Of Dead: 1
Number In Group: 18
Number On Farm: 18
Animal Information
Pee Wee; Phasianidae - Chicken; Male; 10 Months
History
General
Left eye drained cloudy thin fluid. Comb, wattles & face turned pale. After a few days, was lethargic, unsteady on feet,
losing tremendous amounts of weight, des ite eating and drinking normally. Droppings normal until 6/10/12.
Nutrition
Purina flock raiser, free range, ACV in water.
Responses
continued to deteriorate.
Treatments
dusted w/sevin, wormed wlWazine & Valbazen - Tylan 50 injectable given orally 1/4cc per day.
Diagnosis
Lymphoproliferative disease (presumed);
Acute bacterial bronchopneumonia;
Acute necrotizing proventriculitis.
Diagnosis Comment
Unfortunately, the cellular infiltrate in many of the tissues could not be characterized due to a combination of autolysis
and freeze artifact. Given the widespread distribution, the most likely pathogenic process is a virally-induced
Iymphoproliferative disease, such as Mare~'s Disease or Lymphoid Leukosis.
Bacterial infection of the eyes, upper respibtory tract, and lungs is due to infection by opportunistic bacteria (£ coli,
Staphylococcus sp.). The lesions of the proventriculus are also presumed to be secondary to Iymphoproliferative
disease, based upon the presence of large numbers of cells throughout the wall of the proventriculus, apart from the
ulcerated surface.
Pathologic Anatomic Findings
GROSS EXAMINATION:
A young adult, black and white cockerel in poor body condition is submitted .. Autolysis is moderate, and the carcass had
Page 1 of 4 - Final (6/27/2012) - Accession No: K12009319


University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Dr. Lynne Cassone

been frozen.
The choanae are covered with a mucoid exudate. The lungs are congested and discolored pale tan. The mucosal
surface of the proventriculus is coated by a fibrinous exudate.
HISTOLOGIC EXAMINATION:
Autolysis and freeze artifact limit histologic interpretation.
Proventriculus: Severe, subacute to chronic, transmural, mixed mononuclear proventriculitis, with ulceration, superficial
necrosis and heavy superficial bacterial colonization.
Ventriculus: Moderate, subacute, mixed inflammatory serositis.
Liver: Moderate, multifocal, periportal nucleated cell infiltrate (cell type could not be discerned).
Lung: Marked interstitial nucleated cell infiltrate (cell type could not be discerned).
Kidney: Marked interstitial nucleated cell infiltrate (cell type could not be discerned).
Esophagus: Moderate hyperkeratosis.
Heart, Spleen, Pancreas, Colon: No significant lesions observed.
Lab Fil1dings
Bacteriology
Specimen
Test Name
Organism
Quantitation
Pee Wee - Avian - Phasianidae - Chicken - Male - 10 Months
Lung - Tissue, fresh - 3 Culture-Aerobic (Culture - AERCUL) - 6/18/2012 10:46 AM E. coli Few
Staphylococcus (coagulase negative) Rare
Nonpathogenic bacteria
Choana - Swab - 4 Culture-Aerobic (Culture - AERCUl) - 6/18/2012 10:46 AM E. coli Numerous
Nonpathogenic bacteria
Eye - Swab - 5 Culture-Aerobic (Culture - AERCUL) - 6/18/2012 10:46 AM E. coli Numerous
Staphylococcus (coagulase negative) Numerous
Nonpathogenic bacteria

Specimen Test Name
Organism
Drug
MIC
Interpretation
Pee Wee - Avian - Phasianidae - Chicken - Male - 10 Months
Eye- MIC Panel (Sensitivity - MIC) - Escherichia coli Amoxicillin 4 Susceptible
Bacterium - 6/18/201210:46AM
9319-1
Escherichia coli Ceftiofur <=0.2500 No Interpretation
Escherichia coli Clindamycin >4.0000 Resistant
Escherichia coli Enrofloxacin <=0.1200 Susceptible
Escherichia coli Erythromycin >4.0000 Resistant
Escherichia coli Florfen icol 2 Susceptible
Escherichia coli Gentamicin 1 Susceptible
Escherichia coli Negative Growth Control 1 Valid Growth Control
Escherichia coli Neomycin 4 Susceptible
Escherichia coli Novobiocin >4.0000 Resistant
Escherichia coli Oxytetracycline 2 Susceptible
Escherichia coli Penicillin >8.0000 Resistant
Escherichia coli Sulphadimethoxime 128 Susceptible
Escherichia coli Spectinomycin 16 Intermediate
Escherichia coli Streptomycin <=8.0000 No Interpretation
Escherichia coli Sulphathiazole <=32.0000 Intermediate
Escherichia coli Tetracycline 2 Susceptible
Escherichia coli Trimethopriml <=0.5000 Susceptible
Sulphamethoxazole

Page 2 of 4 - Final (6/27/2012)
- ACfesslon No. K12009319

Specimen Test Name
UKY
University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Dr. Lynne Cassone

Organism Drug
MIC
Interpretation
UK.
Escherichia coli Tylosin (Tartratel Base) >20.0000 No Interpretation
Eye- MIC Panel (Sensitivity - MIC) - Staphylococcus species Amoxicillin <=0.2500 No Interpretation
Bacterium - 6/18/201210:46 AM
9319-2
Staphylococcus species Ceftiofur 1 No Interpretation
Staphylococcus species Clindamycin >4.0000 Resistant
Staphylococcus species Enrofloxacin <=0.1200 Susceptible
Staphylococcus species Erythromycin >4.0000 Resistant
Staphylococcus species Florfenicol 4 Intermediate
Staphylococcus species Gentamicin <=0.5000 Susceptible
Staphylococcus species Negative Growth Control 1 Valid Growth Control
Staphylococcus species Neomycin <=2.0000 Susceptible
Staphylococcus species Novobiocin <=0.5000 Susceptible
Staphylococcus species Oxytetracycline >8.0000 Resistant
Staphylococcus species Penicillin <=0.0600 No Interpretation
Staphylococcus species Sulphadimethoxime <=32.0000 Susceptible
Staphylococcus species Spectinomycin 64 Resistant
Staphylococcus species Streptomycin <=8.0000 No Interpretation
Staphylococcus species Sulphathiazole <=32.0000 Intermediate
Staphylococcus species Tetracycline >8.0000 Resistant
Staphylococcus species Trimethopriml <=0.5000 Susceptible
Sulphamethoxazole
Staphylococcus species Tylosin (Tartratel Base) >20.0000 No Interpretation
Comment: The numbers represent the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) as ~g/mL, which is the lowest
concentration of antimicrobial agent required to inhibit the growth of a bacterial isolate.
The antimicrobial susceptibilities reported are based upon the most recent Clinical and Laboratory Standards
Institute (CLSI) Guidelines. For antimicrobial drugs not approved for use in poultry, the laboratory client or
veterinarian assumes all responsibility for efficacy, safety, and residue avoidance with extra-label use of
those reagents.

Clinical Pathology
Specimen Test Name
Parasites

No ova or parasites observed
Molecular Biology
Specimen Test Name Result
Pee Wee - Avian - Phasianidae - Chicken - Male - 10 Months

Trachea - Swab - 7 IL T (Real Time PCR - ILTPCR) - 6/20/2012 11 :58 AM Not Detected
Client Report History
Page 3 of 4 - Final (6/27/2012)
- Accession No: K12009319

 

[Leslieb118]

OK..whew! So, does anybody have any idea what all of this means? The text in Red I have questions about, and the text in bold black I just wanted to emphasize. He had no worms. Unfortunately, I had put him in a cooler with dry ice since UPS didn't want a leaking package, and he was partially frozen by the next day when he arrived at the lab.

 

[The Lazy L]

the most likely pathogenic process is a virally-induced Iymphoproliferative disease, such as Mare~'s Disease or Lymphoid Leukosis.

 

[CMV]

I am so sorry. You have Marek's in your flock. Any birds you acquire from this point forward will need to be vaccinated.

At least you know the reason he passed. And you know that there was really nothing you could have done to save him.

 

[Leslieb118]

I'd never had suspected that at all when I was trying to treat him. While waiting for the report, I scoured this one page I came across, looking at symptoms, pictures, all those things and still couldn't come up with anything. Now that I've gotten the report back, it's proving somewhat useful in looking up the exam findings. It's a really neat site.

http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/

I'm curious to know if TSC sells vaccinated or unvaccinated chicks. I bought 8 chicks from them in March. I also hatched out others. They weren't vaccinated. I've got 4 chickens left from my original flock with a total of 17 now. Guess I've got a lot of reading to do.

 

[Adenium]

As far as I know, none of the feed stores get vaccinated chicks. Not everyone wants it, and while it's inexpensive overall it would probably eat into their profit margin.

 

[seminolewind]

I agree with CMV. I am going thru exactly the same thing right now. And the birds that are dying were vaccinated 2X for Marek's!

The roo that died yesterday had both eyes swollen shut just like yours. And died. Three died a month ago from coccidiosis, probably one of those opportunistic bacteria. Because of the swollen eyes, I was not looking for Marek's, then learned from a friend that Marek's leaves a bird open for opportunistic bacteria.

Your's shows a few opportunistic bacteria. I'm glad you had the necropsy and posted the results. Even those who don't reply to these threads, there are thousands who don't, but learn about Marek's because they are reading these threads.

 

[Adenium]

I wonder if there was a different Marek's strain, Seminole. And is there any way to test for how well the vaccine has taken, like we can check titers for ourselves?

This makes me worried, as I paid my nice $ for supercooled transport of my vaccine from Alabama and went through the trauma of giving the shots to my little flock. It kills me to think it may not be conferring much protection - though I knew it isn't 100%.

 

[Leslieb118]

I did look up Lymphoid Leukosis, as it was mentioned in the report as a possibility other than Mareks, and it seems the symptoms fit that better..with the pale comb and wattles, and the weight loss. Either way, it seems they're in the same family of diseases.

Seminolewind, I'm sorry you're going through the same issues.