Retrospective analysis of post-mortem findings in domestic ducks and geese from non-commercial flocks in Sweden, 2011–2020

Abstract Background Small poultry flock ownership has become a popular hobby in Europe and North America in recent years but there is a general lack of information regarding bird health and welfare. This retrospective analysis of routine post-mortem cases of non-commercial anseriform poultry aimed a...

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Main Authors: Désirée Seger Jansson, Faruk Otman, Elisabeth Bagge, Ylva Lindgren, Pernille Engelsen Etterlin, Helena Eriksson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-11-01
Series:Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-021-00614-x
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author Désirée Seger Jansson
Faruk Otman
Elisabeth Bagge
Ylva Lindgren
Pernille Engelsen Etterlin
Helena Eriksson
author_facet Désirée Seger Jansson
Faruk Otman
Elisabeth Bagge
Ylva Lindgren
Pernille Engelsen Etterlin
Helena Eriksson
author_sort Désirée Seger Jansson
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Small poultry flock ownership has become a popular hobby in Europe and North America in recent years but there is a general lack of information regarding bird health and welfare. This retrospective analysis of routine post-mortem cases of non-commercial anseriform poultry aimed at providing information on causes of mortality mostly in relation to mortality events. For this purpose, birds that were submitted for routine post-mortem diagnostics to the National Veterinary Institute (SVA) in Sweden in 2011–2020 were retrospectively reviewed to determine main causes of mortality. Results Records from 79 necropsy submissions involving 120 birds (domestic ducks n = 41, Muscovy ducks n = 45, hybrid ducks n = 2 and domestic geese n = 32) were retrieved and analysed. Most submissions (72.2%) represented flock disease events and unexpected mortality was the most common cause of submission (70.9% of submissions). Twenty-two submissions (27.8%) were referred by veterinarians. There was a wide range of diagnoses of infectious and noninfectious aetiologies. Infectious causes of mortality included parasitic (19.2%), bacterial (13.3%), fungal (10.0%) and viral infections (3.3%) (at bird level of all 120 birds). Some of these infections such as duck virus enteritis (DVE), highly pathogenic influenza (HPAI H5N8) in Muscovy ducks and leucocytozoonosis (Leucocytozoon sp.) in all three species were most likely acquired from contact with wild free-living waterfowl. Generalised yeast infection (Muscovy duck disease) was diagnosed in Muscovy ducks and in a Muscovy duck/domestic duck hybrid. Other diseases were related to generalised noninfectious causes (27.5% of all birds) including diseases such as kidney disease, amyloidosis, cardiac dilatation, reproductive diseases and idiopathic inflammatory conditions. Nutritional or management-related diseases were diagnosed in 14.2% of all birds including rickets and gastrointestinal impaction/obstruction. Congenital/developmental, neoplastic, toxic and traumatic causes of mortality were rare. Conclusions The information obtained in this study can be used to identify and evaluate risks and help owners and veterinarians to prevent disease and provide adequate veterinary care for non-commercial anseriform poultry.
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spelling doaj.art-558e91c59ec74ee48251a7fb856957ba2022-12-21T20:31:19ZengBMCActa Veterinaria Scandinavica1751-01472021-11-0163111410.1186/s13028-021-00614-xRetrospective analysis of post-mortem findings in domestic ducks and geese from non-commercial flocks in Sweden, 2011–2020Désirée Seger Jansson0Faruk Otman1Elisabeth Bagge2Ylva Lindgren3Pernille Engelsen Etterlin4Helena Eriksson5Department of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies, National Veterinary InstituteDepartment of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies, National Veterinary InstituteDepartment of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies, National Veterinary InstituteDepartment of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies, National Veterinary InstituteDepartment of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies, National Veterinary InstituteDepartment of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies, National Veterinary InstituteAbstract Background Small poultry flock ownership has become a popular hobby in Europe and North America in recent years but there is a general lack of information regarding bird health and welfare. This retrospective analysis of routine post-mortem cases of non-commercial anseriform poultry aimed at providing information on causes of mortality mostly in relation to mortality events. For this purpose, birds that were submitted for routine post-mortem diagnostics to the National Veterinary Institute (SVA) in Sweden in 2011–2020 were retrospectively reviewed to determine main causes of mortality. Results Records from 79 necropsy submissions involving 120 birds (domestic ducks n = 41, Muscovy ducks n = 45, hybrid ducks n = 2 and domestic geese n = 32) were retrieved and analysed. Most submissions (72.2%) represented flock disease events and unexpected mortality was the most common cause of submission (70.9% of submissions). Twenty-two submissions (27.8%) were referred by veterinarians. There was a wide range of diagnoses of infectious and noninfectious aetiologies. Infectious causes of mortality included parasitic (19.2%), bacterial (13.3%), fungal (10.0%) and viral infections (3.3%) (at bird level of all 120 birds). Some of these infections such as duck virus enteritis (DVE), highly pathogenic influenza (HPAI H5N8) in Muscovy ducks and leucocytozoonosis (Leucocytozoon sp.) in all three species were most likely acquired from contact with wild free-living waterfowl. Generalised yeast infection (Muscovy duck disease) was diagnosed in Muscovy ducks and in a Muscovy duck/domestic duck hybrid. Other diseases were related to generalised noninfectious causes (27.5% of all birds) including diseases such as kidney disease, amyloidosis, cardiac dilatation, reproductive diseases and idiopathic inflammatory conditions. Nutritional or management-related diseases were diagnosed in 14.2% of all birds including rickets and gastrointestinal impaction/obstruction. Congenital/developmental, neoplastic, toxic and traumatic causes of mortality were rare. Conclusions The information obtained in this study can be used to identify and evaluate risks and help owners and veterinarians to prevent disease and provide adequate veterinary care for non-commercial anseriform poultry.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-021-00614-xDiagnosticsDomestic duckDomestic gooseHybrid duckMortalityMuscovy duck
spellingShingle Désirée Seger Jansson
Faruk Otman
Elisabeth Bagge
Ylva Lindgren
Pernille Engelsen Etterlin
Helena Eriksson
Retrospective analysis of post-mortem findings in domestic ducks and geese from non-commercial flocks in Sweden, 2011–2020
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
Diagnostics
Domestic duck
Domestic goose
Hybrid duck
Mortality
Muscovy duck
title Retrospective analysis of post-mortem findings in domestic ducks and geese from non-commercial flocks in Sweden, 2011–2020
title_full Retrospective analysis of post-mortem findings in domestic ducks and geese from non-commercial flocks in Sweden, 2011–2020
title_fullStr Retrospective analysis of post-mortem findings in domestic ducks and geese from non-commercial flocks in Sweden, 2011–2020
title_full_unstemmed Retrospective analysis of post-mortem findings in domestic ducks and geese from non-commercial flocks in Sweden, 2011–2020
title_short Retrospective analysis of post-mortem findings in domestic ducks and geese from non-commercial flocks in Sweden, 2011–2020
title_sort retrospective analysis of post mortem findings in domestic ducks and geese from non commercial flocks in sweden 2011 2020
topic Diagnostics
Domestic duck
Domestic goose
Hybrid duck
Mortality
Muscovy duck
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-021-00614-x
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