Radiographic measurements for PDD diagnosis in Spix's macaws (Cyanospitta spixii) at Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP), Qatar

Abstract

Proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) is characterised by weight loss, physical weakness, regurgitation and/or neurological signs. PDD is a serious problem for the population of Spix’s macaws (Cyanopsitta spixii) at Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP), Doha, Qatar. During their annual health checks, radiographs are taken in accordance with the official health programme guidelines for the species. Radiograph image measurements of proventriculus diameter, hourglass waist, liver width and keel height enable calculation of the proventriculus diameter-tokeel height ratio which might be a useful indicator of a birds PDD status. In addition, the change in these values from 2004 to 2007 was evaluated. From the measurements of proventriculus width, we did observe a trend of increased large proventricular diameters in positive birds, lower in birds suspicious for PDD and lowest in birds with no obvious PDD lesions, as diagnosed by crop biopsy. Proventriculus diameter-to-keel height ratio did not differ significantly between positive and non positive birds (classified by crop biopsy), but reflected a similar trend to proventriculus width. Therefore, radiographic proventricular diameter measurements might be a useful initial indicator for carrying out crop biopsies in birds to detect PDD. From January 2007 to September 2007, there was a significant decrease of proventriculus diameter, hourglass waist and liver width that was interpreted as an effect of significant dietary changes instigated in 2005 and further refined in 2007.