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Droppings explained; With pics
Topic Started: Jul 21 2011, 07:53 PM (1,674 Views)
Crazy Bird Lady


Date April 4, 2011

Key words Dropping, feces, stool, urine, urates, biliverdinuria, polyuria, diarrhea

Normal droppings

Normal bird droppings consist of three components:  feces, urine, and urates (Fig 1). Urine and urates are the products of the avian kidney. The medullary or mammalian nephron of the bird kidney produces urine. The more numerous cortical or reptilian nephron produces a soluble form of uric acid or urates.


Figure 1. Normal dropping illustrating feces and urates with urine soaking into paper. Click image to enlarge.

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By crazybirdlady at 2011-07-21
Always evaluate fresh droppings since color may leach from dyes in the paper. Pigments in the food can also affect fecal color (Fig 2). Stool appears emerald green in anorectic birds due to bile staining, and this strong color may also leach into the urine or urates. It is also important to know the normal appearance in your species of interest, as the appearance of droppings will vary with the diet. For instance, Budgerigar parakeets (Melopsittacus undulatus) normally produce small, dry droppings while nectarivorous lories and lorikeets have wet, voluminous droppings.

Figure 2. The feces on the left is very similar in color to the pigmented food on the right.
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By crazybirdlady at 2011-07-21

Biliverdinuria

Biliverdin is the primary bile pigment of birds. Liver disease or liver dysfunction can cause biliverdin levels to rise creating yellow-green or lime-green urates called “biliverdinuria” (Fig 3). Not all birds with liver disease will have biliverdinuria.


Figure 3. Yellow-green or lime green urates or biliverdinuria may be seen with liver dysfunction. Image provided by Dr. Edward Ramsay.
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Hematuria or hemoglobinuria

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By crazybirdlady at 2011-07-21

Red, brown, or rust-colored urine may be seen with a host of conditions, however lead toxicity is the most important differential diagnosis in companion parrots (Fig 4). Because of the kidneys are well protected by their location in the synsacral fossa, renal trauma is a rare cause of bloody urine in the bird.


Figure 4. Hemogloburina appears as red, brown or rust-colored urates. Image provided by Dr. Isabelle Langlois.
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By crazybirdlady at 2011-07-21

Polyuria is a common transient finding with stress (Fig 5). Owners often mistake polyuria for diarrhea. Persistent polyuria may be seen with renal disease or endocrine disease.


Figure 5. Owners often mistake polyuria for diarrhea. Image provided by Dr. Ed Ramsay.
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By crazybirdlady at 2011-07-21

Diarrhea

Diarrhea may be defined as any change in the consistency or formation of the fecal portion of the dropping (Fig 6).

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By crazybirdlady at 2011-07-21
Figure 6. Diarrhea is a change in the consistency or formation of the feces. Image provided by Dr. Greg Rich.
Although it rarely easy to make a distinction between small bowel and large bowel disease in birds, maldigestion/ malabsorption is relatively easy to identify when the bird is fed seed, as the appearance of this item when it enters the gastrointestinal tract is very similar to its appearance upon exit (Fig 7). Hematochezia and melena may also be observed. For more information, go to Diarrhea in the avian patient.


Figure 7. Maldigestion/malabsorption in a seed-eater. Image provided by Dr. Greg Rich.
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By crazybirdlady at 2011-07-21

References & Recommended Reading

Orosz SE. Anatomy of the integument. In:  Altman RB, Clubb SL, Dorrestein GM, Quesenberry K (eds). Avian Medicine & Surgery. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Co; 1997: 541-545.

Schmidt RE, Light foot TL. Integument. In: Harrison GJ, Lightfoot TL (eds). Clincial Avian Medicine. Palm Beach, FL: Spix Publishing; 2006:394-409.

Related topic:
Diarrhea in the avian patient

Written by Christal Pollock, DVM, Dipl. ABVP-Avian
Edited by Crazy Bird Lady, Jul 21 2011, 08:17 PM.
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Tishrei
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Respected elder
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Okay, I just sat down with a sandwich and opened this up.

However, this is an EXCELLENT article and I'm going to bookmark this.

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VIOLET12
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Yikes...I've never seen a droppings like those before. Good info to know. Thanks! :)
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cspags
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Great info maryann I pinned it so everyone can find it if needed
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Crazy Bird Lady


That's great Cathy, thanks.
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SirTobyBelch
Egg
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hello,

very nice article, but why can i not see the pictures?

Greetings,

W.
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