Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Feather-picking psittacines: histopathology and species trends.
- Journal:
- Veterinary pathology
- Year:
- 2008
- Authors:
- Garner, M M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Northwest ZooPath · United States
- Species:
- bird
Plain-English summary
This study looked at 408 birds, specifically parrots and similar species, that were pulling out their feathers or harming themselves. The researchers found that 210 of these birds had inflammatory skin disease, which means there was swelling and irritation in their skin, while 198 had traumatic skin disease, indicating they had scars from injuries. Macaws and Amazon parrots were more likely to have the inflammatory type, while cockatoos and African grey parrots were more often diagnosed with the traumatic type. The results can help veterinarians better identify and treat feather-picking issues in these birds. Overall, the findings suggest that understanding the type of skin condition can guide treatment options for affected birds.
Abstract
Histologic findings are described for 408 feather-picking or self-mutilating psittacines with the use of biopsies from clinically affected and unaffected skin. Inflammatory skin disease was diagnosed in 210 birds, and traumatic skin disease was diagnosed in 198 birds. Criteria used for the diagnosis of inflammatory skin disease included the presence of perivascular inflammation in the superficial or deep dermis of clinically affected and unaffected sites. The primary histologic criteria for the diagnosis of traumatic skin disease were superficial dermal scarring with or without inflammation in the affected sites and an absence of inflammation in the unaffected sites. The inflammatory cells associated with the lesions were typically lymphocytes and occasionally plasma cells, histiocytes, and granulocytes. A preponderance of inflammatory skin disease was seen in macaws (Ara spp.) and Amazon parrots (Amazona spp.). A preponderance of traumatic skin disease was seen in cockatoos (Cacatua spp.) and African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). The prevalence of each was approximately equal in several other species, including conures (Aratinga and Pyrrhura spp.), eclectus parrots (Eclectus roratus), quaker parrots (Myiopsitta monachus), cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus), parakeets (Cyanorhamphus and Psittacula spp.), and caiques (Pionites spp.). No geographic or gender-based trends were identified. These findings could be helpful for identifying and treating birds with feather-picking disorders.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18487502/