Causes: hurried breathing; local irritants; exposure; filthy roost.
Symptoms: gaping; roupy cry; epithelial pellicle on tongue, larnyx. or
angle of the bill. Treatment: pick off pellicle; smear it often with
glycerized antiseptic. Remove accessory and exciting causes.
This form of inflammation of the tongue of birds is characterized by the
increased production and desiccation of the epithelium so that it takes
on a horny appearance. According to Cadeac it may accompany various
inflammatory affections of the air passages, which cause hurried
breathing with persistently open bill, and thus entail evaporation of
the moisture. More commonly it has its primary cause in local
inflammation of the surface in connection with damp, cold, draughty
hen-roosts, and above all, the accumulation of decomposing manure and
the exhalation of impure gas. Even in such cases the abnormal breathing
with the bill open is an accessory cause of the affection.
_Symptoms._ The breathing with open bill should lead to examination of
the tongue, but above all if at intervals the bird with a sudden jerk of
the head emits a loud shrill, raucous sound, which reminds one of the
cough of croup. The tip and sides of the tongue are found to be the seat
of a hard, dry, and closely adherent epithelial pellicle, which suggests
a false membrane.
_Treatment._ The common recourse is to pick or scrape off the indurated
epithelial mass, leaving a raw, bleeding surface exposed. This is then
treated with a solution of borax, or chlorate of potash. Cadeac
deprecates this treatment as useless and dangerous, and advises the
disintegration of the dry epithelial mass with a needle taking care not
to prick nor scratch the subjacent sensitive tissue, and to wash with a
5 per cent. solution of chlorate of potash. A still more humane and
effective method is to make a solution of hyposulphite of soda in
glycerine and brush over the affected surface at frequent intervals.
This may be conveniently applied through the drinking water.
In case of implication of the lower air passages or lungs, the treatment
must be directed to them, and soft, warm, sloppy food and the inhalation
of water vapor will prove of great advantage. Secure clean, sweet, dry
pens, pure air, and sunshine. (See pseudo membranous enteritis.)