Kidney And Urinary Tract Disorders in Birds
Even birds can suffer from kidney and urinary tract disorders like humans and other animals.
Symptoms and Types
A bird can show different symptoms depending on the actual kidney and urinary tract disorder. Generally, one or more of the following symptoms are seen.
- Increased urination
- Change in color of urine
- Blood in urine
- Chemical imbalance in the blood
- Increased or decreased thirst
- Difficulty in walking or movement
- Lethargy
- Depression
Depending on the reason, there are many kidney and urinary tract disorders. The most common are:
- Gout – Uric acid deposits in the joints and surrounding tissues due to kidney damage cause gout. There is difficulty in movement with red and swollen joints.
- Stones – There can be stones in the kidney or urinary tract of the bird. The bird will urinate less due to pain and there may be blood present in the urine.
- Infections – Poxvirus and psittacosis are two deadly infections that cause multiple organ damage, including kidney and urinary tract disorders. Other infections can also cause kidney and urinary tract disorders.
- Renal failure – The kidneys could stop functioning due to a severe or untreated kidney, or urinary tract disorders.
Causes
Kidney and urinary tract disorders in birds can be due many reasons, including:
- Infection
- Injury
- Disease
- Tumor or cancer
- Damage to other organs
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Excess of Calcium, vitamin D and Phosphorus
- Dehydration
Treatment
If there are any signs of unusual behavior, take take your bird to the veterinarian and get proper advice in treating kidney and urinary tract disorders. Based on the tests and examination, your veterinarian will recommend a proper course of treatment.
