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Hepatic Lipidosis - Fatty Liver Disease

Emie M

Strolling the yard
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11/6/13
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102
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Emie
I’m not sure if this is the right place to put this. I did a research paper on fatty liver disease in parrots and thought I’d share and I figured since sometimes the symptoms can come out of no where this might be helpful for people who are looking for answers? Please move it or remove it if I’m posting in the wrong place!

I would also like to add that this is not set in stone, it is what I gathered from my research so if you do know of something different please let me know! I’m curious to learn and love helping others in the process of learning especially if I can help save a life in the process!


Here’s my brief summary if you don’t want to read the entire thing:

Hepatic Lipidosis: Fatty liver disease in pet parrots

Fatty liver disease is a disease in which large amounts of fat are deposited in the liver. It is becoming more of a problem as more people are buying parrots without fully understanding their proper nutritional requirements. It is most commonly found in budgies, cockatiels, Amazon parrots, Quaker parrots, lovebirds, and cockatoos (more specifically Rose-breasted cockatoos). It is a treatable disease but without the proper treatment it can lead to an early death.

Some of the causes of fatty liver disease are an all seed diet (high fat content), feeding too frequently, nutritional deficiencies (such as biotin, methionine, and choline), thyroid disease, lack of exercise, and toxins (such as lead, arsenic, and chloroform). Some symptoms in behavior are loss of appetite, lethargic, and depressed. Some physical symptoms are enlarged liver (usually can be felt because it causes the abdomen to extend), difficultly breathing due to the enlarged liver, diarrhea and abnormal droppings, and poor feather quality. If the liver function is greatly decreased the central nervous system may be affected causing seizures, loss of balance, and muscle tremors. Unfortunately some birds do not develop any noticeable signs and pass away suddenly without warning.

Treatment for fatty liver disease is available and if actions are taken early enough the effects may almost be completely reversed. Because of the most common cause, a high fat content diet, the bird most be placed on a low fat diet which usually includes high quality pellets and fresh fruits and vegetables. Due to some birds being picky changing their diet may be difficult so its always good to start slow to make the transition easier. If problems developed such as seizures, muscle tremors, or loss of balance additional medications recommended by the veterinarian can be given.

It is always better to prevent rather than treat and given the nature of fatty liver disease it is easily prevented. Seeds can be good as a treat but should never be the main source of a birds diet. A pelleted diet, such as ZuPreems available diets, should be their main source of food along with the addition of fresh vegetables. Only 10% of their diet should be made up of fruit and treats. Provide plenty of room to exercise, allow your bird to come out for at least two hours a day with interaction and toys to play with. Always supply plenty of fresh water and make sure their food and water dishes are clean.

Research is the best form of prevention and should always been done before purchasing a bird or any other pets. It is never too late to change a birds diet and it will allow them to have a better quality of life.


Here’s the full thing!

Fatty Liver Disease (Hepatic Lipidosis)


To many new pet owners the name hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver disease, may not seem familiar but is unfortunately a common problem in companion birds and is a slow developing disease that may not be noticed until it is advanced. The most common of pet birds to fall victim are parakeets, cockatiels, lovebirds, Amazon parrots, Lovebirds, and Cockatoos (Wissman 2007). The saddest part of this disease is that it can be a silent killer or only noticed when symptoms are already very advanced. The symptoms can include sudden loss of appetite, lethargic, depression, poor feather quality, and enlarged abdomen due to the liver being enlarged from the additional storage of fat and because of the birds anatomy this can cause difficulty with breathing (Foster 2013). The cause of fatty liver disease can vary on either what the bird is fed, ingests, or is exposed to. The good news is that it can be prevented and treated but only through a good diet, education, and yearly vet visits. So it is important to arm everyone with the knowledge of what could go wrong and how to prevent it. Hepatic lipidosis, fatty liver disease, is becoming more of a problem because more people are adopting parrots without the knowledge of how to properly feed them. With education and the promotion of good and healthy food the threat of fatty liver disease can be dropped down greatly which can help save hundreds of parrots from suffering.


A diet high in seed tends to result in obese birds; so sedentary seedeaters are more likely to end up with fatty liver disease. Seed diets tend to be high in fat and low in the nutrients biotin, choline and methionine. Over-eating can also cause fatty liver disease. Metabolic diseases (thyroid dysfunction) may also cause fatty liver problems. Toxin exposure (usually long-term) can also result hepatic lipidosis. Aflatoxins, found in some peanuts and other products, such as corn, harm the liver, so if fed over time, these toxins may result in permanent liver damage or hepatic lipidosis. It is important with birds to be very aware with how often you feed them, what you feed them and what they are exposed to. It also seems that more females than males are affected and this may be the cause of the high levels of hormonal activity in the reproductive hen (Wissman 2007). Every day cleaners can be dangerous to your bird and should be avoided; vinegar is a good substitute cleaner especially when cleaning cages and toys. It is also incredibly important to allow bird parrots to get plenty of exercise, although many owners think that clipping wings is a good thing is can actually hinder your bird from getting the proper exercise they need. Flight is what defines a bird and should be considered a part of everyday life to promote happy and healthy birds.


Diagnosis of hepatic lipidosis will involve several different tests, in addition to the history of the bird, dietary evaluation, weight and physical examination. In some cases, it is possible to actually visualize and/or feel the enlarged liver. Radiographs may show an enlarged liver, however, end-stage livers may actually appear smaller and denser. Ultrasound, as well, may show an enlarged liver, or when end-stage, a smaller liver. Liver enzyme may be elevated, and the bile acids (the most specific test for a liver problem) is usually elevated. Other blood tests may be abnormal, as well, and often the blood is lipemic, meaning that there is too much fat circulating in the bloodstream (Wissman 2007). However, the disease can be detected before it gets to a serious state through regular physical examinations that include blood testing. Many times, the blood tests will show lipemia, anemia, and icteric plasma, indicating liver disease (Sakas 2002). Fatty liver disease is a slow on-going progressive disease that causes the liver tissue to be replaced with fat. Because of this it is important to understand what a healthy bird looks like versus a sickly one. In order to know this socialization and daily interaction is necessary to establish what a healthy and happy bird acts like so any changes, even slightly, will be very noticeable. Other symptoms that may be noticed at home can include an enlarged liver (which can cause difficult breathing), the abdomen may seem more extended, the bird may develop diarrhea and the urates in the droppings may look more yellowish or greenish hue (this is caused by the excretion of biliverdin), feathers either change color or look oily/unheathy, skin may become dry and cause the bird to scratch more, seizures (do to toxins building up in the blood), and blood clotting problems may occur (Bird Vet 2002).


Treatment is possible and can result in a very happy and healthy bird. Fatty liver disease does not have to be a death sentence or mean a shorter life. The basis of treatment is eliminating the fat in the diet and replacing it with healthy foods such as pellets, fresh vegetables, and fresh fruits. Any bird suffering from fatty liver may need supportive care such as fluids, medications to decrease blood ammonia levels, and treatment of secondary infections (Tammy 2002). Treatment does depend on the severity of the damage done to the liver. Place the bird on a low-fat diet (high quality pellets and fresh fruits and vegetables), because birds can have difficulty accepting new foods, tube feeding may be necessary during the beginning of treatment. It is important to remember that impaired liver function results in poor ability to metabolize nitrogen and glucose, reduced tolerance of volatile fatty acids, and increased need for certain vitamins and minerals due to increased demands and decreased nutrient intake (CBEAM 2013). It is important to set up an exercise program for a bird suffering from hepatic lipidosis. Your avian veterinarian will help you put together an exercise routine that will be safe for your bird. In all cases, when dealing with a sedentary bird, the exercises will need to begin slowly and progress gradually in intensity. Wing flapping exercises, ladder-climbing exercises and walking are safe; however the bird should be monitored closely to ensure that it is not becoming over- exerted at any time or injuring itself (Wissman 2007).

Through all the research the best method of prevention is knowing what to feed from the start. It can sometimes be difficult to change a birds diet because an all seed diet is like junk food which can taste better than a healthy pelleted diet. This diet should include healthy pelleted food such as ZuPreem AvianMaintenance FruitBlend and its essential to add fresh vegetables to the diet. Fruits and treats should only make up about 10% of the entire diet (Foster 2013). Some birds, like parakeets, will starve themselves if they do not like the new food so it is essentially to start off right to avoid any other problems. Also the difference in texture and the attitude of the parrot to changes in its environment may make the process of transition longer. Another good method of prevention is always allowing your bird to explore out of their cage for at least two hours a day. Even on a healthy diet a lack of exercise could induce over eating due to boredom, which can potentially lead to obesity. But one of the best methods of prevention is having a wellness check each year to make sure that everything is being followed and everything is being done to prevent fatty liver disease.


Hepatic lipidosis, fatty liver disease, is becoming more of a problem not only because more owners are buying parrots without the proper knowledge of a good diet but also because parrot owners who have owned their parrots for a while are learning that their diet, that has been the same for years, isn’t the best for their beloved parrots. More is being learned in the avian vet community which also is bringing about more diseases being recognized in parrots. With education and the promotion of good and healthy food the threat of fatty liver disease can be dropped down greatly which can help save hundreds of parrots from suffering. Knowledge is the most powerful tool along with dedicated owners to help prevent fatty liver disease from being an epidemic in pet parrots.


References:


· Hansen, RJ, RL Walzem. “Avian Fatty Liver hemorrhagic syndrome: a comparative review”. Adv Vet Sci Comp Med. (1993). Web


· Zawie, DA, MS Garvey. “Feline Hepatic Disease”. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. (1984). Web


· Makovicky P, Dudova M, Tumova E, Rajmon R, Vodkova Z. “Experimental study of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) on a model of starving chickens: is generalization of steatosis accompanied by fibrosis of the liver tissue?” Pathol Res Pract. (2011) web


· Saez G, Baéza E, Bernadet MD, Davail S. “Is there a relationship between the kinetics of lipoprotein lipase activity after a meal and the susceptibility to hepatic steatosis development in ducks?” Poult sci. (2010) Web


· Maher JJ. “New insights from rodent models of fatty liver disease” Antioxid Redox Signal (2011) Web


· Foster, Smith. “Fatty Liver Disease in Pet Birds”. Doctors Foster and Smith. October 18, 2013

· A Forbes, Neil. “Raptor Nutrition: What we feed them, what goes wrong, how we deal with it.” Gwexotics. October 21, 2013 Web

· Bacon, Constance. “Signs of Sickness.” Birds n Ways. 1996. Web. October 21, 2013


· Avian Web. “Liver Disease/Fatty Liver” Avian Web. October 17, 2013


· Hagias, Matt. “Diet Suggested as cause of cockatoo coloring.” Daily telegraph. October 13, 2013. Web. October 20, 2013


· The Center for Bird & Exotic Animal Medicine (CBEAM) “Avian Liver Disease” The Exotic Vet. Web. October 13, 2013


· Parker, Tammy, “Hepatic Lipidosis – Fatty Liver Disease” Vetsceneweb.net. 2002. Web Access. November 1, 2013


· Bird Vet “Liver Disease” Bird Vet. 2002. Web.November 3, 2013


· Wissman, Margaret A. “Fatty Liver Disease.” Brisbane Bird Vet. February 2007. Web October 26, 2013.


· Sakas, Peter S., “Obesity/Hepatic Lipidosis (Fatty Liver Disease)” Niles Animal Hospital. 2002. Web. November 15, 2013
 

GuineaPigster

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Spotlight Award
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Thank you very much for this amazing!! article!!!! :hug8:
The 911 section is for emergencies, and this belongs in ''Healthy Highway''. no worries, contact a mod and they'll help you! :)
 

Emie M

Strolling the yard
Joined
11/6/13
Messages
102
Real Name
Emie
Thank you very much for this amazing!! article!!!! :hug8:
The 911 section is for emergencies, and this belongs in ''Healthy Highway''. no worries, contact a mod and they'll help you! :)
Thank you for letting me know! I’ve been searching around for almost 30 minutes and decided that maybe this would be a good place so people who were worried might notice it and read!
 

GuineaPigster

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Spotlight Award
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Messages
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Lovely idea, though! Well thought-out, too!
 

Emie M

Strolling the yard
Joined
11/6/13
Messages
102
Real Name
Emie
Lovely idea, though! Well thought-out, too!
Thank you :)

In my nutrition class we had to do a research paper and I decided to do some research into parrots or birds in general and I found this and thankfully it gives me even more research and preparation (I think) to when I finally am able to take in my own birds :D I do love learning!
 
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