Abstract

In the last 3 decades, zoo animal medicine and disease diagnosis have markedly evolved and improved. Residency-trained zoo veterinarians approach the field with a better understanding of what may be routinely encountered, and they are thorough in their investigations and necropsy procedures. Additionally, zoo pathologists at private institutions or those working at zoo facilities are more accessible than in decades past. The Internet has opened international lines of communication, facilitating discourse and the sharing of information within a relatively small group of professionals. These contributions from skilled personnel have contributed to the rapid recognition of emerging diseases and the identification of uncommon disease processes, some of which are now considered entities. This keynote presentation will address the clinicopathologic features of some of these entities in birds that are managed at zoological or wildlife institutions. Diseases will include cardiac disease in ibises, chronic hepatopathy in lorikeets, iron storage disease, melanoma, renal tubular adenomatosis, air sac adenocarcinoma, myelomatosis in herons, staphylococcosis, salmonellosis, phaeohyphomycosis, macrorhabdiosis, sarcocystosis and proventricular spirurids.