From caponizing, accidental traumas, ruptured oviduct, perforations of
bowels by foreign bodies or worms, pyogenic susceptibility slight.
Symptoms: inappetence, drooping head, wings, tail, erect plumage,
stiffness, straining, tense, tender, pendent belly. Treatment: unload
cloaca, puncture and irrigate abdomen, laxatives. Prophylaxis, by
laxative food, expulsion of worms, antisepsis in operations, unloading
cloaca, etc.
_Causes._ Male birds contract peritonitis from caponizing, and other
penetrating wounds of the abdomen, from rupture of the oviduct impacted
with egg matter, from perforations of the intestines by foreign bodies,
and from perforations by worms.
The danger from ordinary pyogenic germs is, however, at its minimum,
since birds stand at the opposite extreme from the horse, and their
wounds rarely suppurate.
_Symptoms._ The bird loses appetite, droops head, wings and tail,
ruffles its feathers, walks stiffly and heavily, and expels fæces with
much effort and even with cries. When caught the abdomen is found to be
full, tense and pendent and very tender to the touch. There is more or
less hyperthermia (108° and upward), and the subject becomes more and
more dull, stupid and feeble until death.
_Treatment._ In certain cases relief may be had by the unloading of the
cloaca, or the evacuation of peritoneal fluid, followed by antiseptic,
irrigation of the cavity. Laxatives may also be resorted to. The most
important measures are however prophylactic, and run in the direction of
careful manipulation and antisepsis in caponizing, the unloading of
impacted cloaca, before it has developed serious disease, the
maintenance of a suitably laxative diet, and the prevention and
treatment of worms. In case of tumors causing chronic peritonitis,
laparotomy can be resorted to with great confidence.