Download thick-billed parrot necropsy protocol

THICK-BILLED PARROT NECROPSY PROTOCOL
WORKSHEET
Common Name: Thick-billed Parrot
Genus/Species: Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha pachyrhyncha
ISIS #
Studbook#
Transponder#:
Date of Birth / /
Age:
Weight:
Date of Death:
/
/
Date of Necropsy:
/
/
dd/mm/yy
dd/mm/yy
Gross Exam Performed By:
Histopathology Performed By:
Institution/Owner:
Address:
Copy of Report Sent To SSP Veterinary Advisor?
\
Kg
Yes 
HISTORY (Include clinical signs, treatments, antemortem test results, diet, circumstances
of death and quarantine status. Include incubation and hatching history for embryos and
neonates.)
***PLEASE ATTACH COPY OF MEDICAL RECORD***
GROSS EXAMINATION WORKSHEET
General condition: (Nutritional condition, physical condition)
Musculoskeletal System: (Bone, joints, muscles)
Integumentary System: (Skin, feathers, scales)
Body Cavities: (Fat stores, abnormal fluids)
Hemolymphatic: (Spleen, thymus, Bursa of Fabricius)
Respiratory System: (Nares, sinuses, choana, larynx, trachea, lungs, air sacs)
Cardiovascular System: (Heart, pericardium, great vessels)
Digestive System: (Beak, oral cavity, tongue, crop, esophagus, proventriculus,
ventriculus, intestines, liver, pancreas)
Urinary System: (Kidneys, ureters)
Reproductive System: (Testis/ovary, oviduct, cloaca)
Endocrine System: (Adrenals, thyroid, parathyroids, pituitary)
Nervous and Sensory Systems: (Brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, eyes, ears)
GROSS DIAGNOSIS: (List each lesion separately. Include organ, lesion type, severity,
etc.)
LABORATORY STUDIES: (List bacterial, fungal and viral cultures submitted and
attach results if available. Perform a postmortem fecal flotation and direct fecal exam for
ova and parasites.)
TISSUES TO SAMPLE: BIRDS
Heart – Section including atrium, ventricle and valves from right and left heart.
Lungs – Section from each lung including a major bronchus.
Trachea & syrinx
Air sacs
Thymus
Thyroid/parathyroids
Spleen
Brain and spinal cord
Tongue – Cross section.
Liver – Sections from each lobe.
Crop – 3cm. Long sections. Open carefully along the long axis.
Proventriculus – 3cm long sections. Open carefully along the long axis.
Ventriculus – 3cm long sections. Open carefully along the axis.
Small intestines – 3cm long sections. Open carefully along the axis.
Large intestines – 3cm long sections. Open carefully along the axis.
Pancreas
Bone/bone marrow – Femur.
Adrenal
Kidneys – Sections from both kidneys.
Bursa of Fabricius
Skin with feather
Testis/ovary
Oviduct – With longitudinal cut into lumen.
Skeletal muscle – Cross section of thigh and breast muscle.
NEONATAL NECROPSY PROTOCOL
Follow the adult protocol. Also, include the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Fix umbilical area and surrounding tissues. Describe yolk sac if present.
Examine for malformations (deformed limbs).
Fix bursa or entire cloaca if unable to locate bursa.
Assess hydration (tissue moistness) and evidence of eating (food in crop or
proventriculus).
5. Determine if breathing occurred (do the lungs float in formalin?).
6. For embryos: open the coelomic cavity and fix the entire embryo. Include egg shell
and membranes if available. Be sure to describe embryo position in the shell in
relation to the air cell.
TISSUE COLLECTION
TAKE DUPLICATE SETS OF TISSUES FOR HISTOPATHOLOGY AND FOR
TISSUE BANKING.
The tissues for histopathology can be sent to the Institution’s Pathologist or to the SSP
Pathologist at the following address:
Dr. Linda Lowenstine
Department of Pathology
VMTH
Davis, CA 95616
(916) 752-1368
752-1182
*Please have your pathologist review the tissues first. Dr. Lowenstine is available if
questions arise.
The tissues reserved for banking can be kept by the institution or sent to the SSP
Veterinary Advisor at the following address:
Nadine Lamberski, DVM, Dipl., ACZM
Senior Veterinarian
San Diego Wild Animal Park
15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd.
Escondido, CA 92027-7017
The Veterinary Advisor is available to answer questions if necessary.
Preserve the listed tissues in 10% buffered formalin at a ratio of 1 part tissue to 10 parts
formalin. Tissues should be no thicker than 1cm. INCLUDE SECTIONS OF ALL
LESIONS and samples from all tissues listed. For EMRYOS OR NEONATES, also
include the information in the NEONATAL PROTOCOL. Specific procedures for
TISSUE SAMPLING are described on the last page of the protocol.
ESSENTIAL FROZEN TISSUE: Please store 10 grams (if possible) of liver, brain,
kidney in plastic bags and antemortem serum and plasma at – 70 C.
SHIPPING TISSUES: After at least 72 hrs. in fixative, ship tissues in a leak-proof
container with enough formalin to keep tissues moist. FOR INTERNATIONAL
SHIPMENTS, INCLUDE ALL NECESSARY PERMITS.