VN August 2023

Vetnuus | August 2023 34  foreign bodies  overstretched/atonic crop  infectious ingluvitis  fibrous food impaction  crop burns  dietary problems  cold food  excessively watery food  food that settles out in the crop  overfeeding  overly dry food o Clinical signs  Crop failing to empty in more than 6 hours  Regurgitation  Loss of feeding response  Signs of dehydration  Erythematous, wrinkled skin  Tenting of the skin  Sunken eyes o Treatment  Identify and correct cause  Crop and faecal cytology (Gram’s stain) and culture  Haematology and biochemistry  Radiology  Empty the crop with a feeding tube and lavage with warm saline. (In some extreme cases, it may be necessary to perform an ingluviotomy.)  Always assume these chicks are dehydrated. Correct this dehydration with parental fluids until crop motility has been restored.  Give appropriate antimicrobials as indicated by crop and faecal cytology/culture  Use a crop ‘bra’ if needed. This is a non-adhesive bandage placed under the crop and around the wings to ‘lift and support’ the atonic crop to allow gravity to assist with crop emptying.  Once the crop has been emptied, in many cases it may be advisable to leave it empty for a few hours while dehydration is corrected. Initial feeds should be of small volumes of isotonic saline. If this moves through, solids can be added. Feed small, watery meals often. Pre-digesting the hand-rearing formula with a small amount of pancreatic enzymes can liquefy the diet without diluting it.  Motility modifiers e.g. metoclopramide or cisapride may assist in restoring motility, although their efficacy is poor if used without other supportive measures. o Prognosis  Good, provided prompt and appropriate therapy is provided • Thermal injuries to the crop o General  Less common now than in past years, as aviculturists have become aware of the problem. Novice hand- rearers, however, still present chicks with this problem. o Aetiology  The most common aetiology is a hand rearing formula that has been over-heated in a microwave oven and then fed before it has cooled sufficiently. ‘Hot Spots’ – small foci of super-heated food – may be present in a mix, and be overlooked when (if) the food temperature is checked  Some cases may be due to chicks coming into contact with incandescent light bulbs or heating pads, particularly while the crop is distended after a recent feed. o Clinical signs  In the early stages (1-2 days) affected chicks may be lethargic and refuse feeding. Physical examination may reveal mild to moderate crop stasis and erythema of the most prominent part of the ventral crop.  After the initial stage of erythema, blanching of the affected tissue develops. A crust then forms over the area; when it lifts off a fistula is usually revealed, often with food leaking from it. Technical I Article