Red-winged Pytilia Fatty Liver Disease?

[brackenbrown]

Hi, recently my female red-winged pytilia, whom I had just recently acquired entered into, what I thought, was an egg bound state, lethargic on the ground with plumage fluffed out, as well as a hard distention of the abdomen toward the vent. I treated her for egg binding but she quickly passed away. Upon a post mortem investigation there was no sign of a stuck egg, but her liver was enlarged and pale. Could this be fatty liver disease, or am I dealing with something else entirely? I would appreciate any input that would help clear the confusion. Thank you
Bracken Brown

[cindy]

Did the vet give you any indication why the liver was enlarged and pale?

This might help

http://www.avianweb.com/liverdisease.html

[terrig]

Sure sounds like fatty liver disease. I had one pass from it before and had the opportunity to watch my vet necropsy it. It was pale and so large it wrapped around the bird! He said to tell it it is fatty liver, take a dixie cup of water and put the liver in it. If it floats, it's probably fatty liver disease as muscle is heavy and would sink. He showed me this trick and it is a pretty good indicator. I sent out the bird for pathology anyways and sure enough, fatty liver disease! Symptoms prior to passing were enlarged puffy abdomen with obvious yellow deposits of fat. I have photos of the necropsy...somewhere. The fat looked like lemon meringue, and was deposited everywhere in the bird, even the crop. Vet said they still aren't sure what causes it, can be several different things but fat is kept as if is starving and all stored in the liver. I suspect parasites can damage the liver, make the bird go into starvation mode and ...ta dah, fatty liver disease progesses as you try to help your skinny bird gain back wieght? but it's just a theory:)

[brackenbrown]

Thanks Terrig,
That sounds exactly like what my bird had. Especially the yellow fat deposits visible everywhere. I have gotten no further on why she got it. I have only had the bird for two weeks, so I think she was probably in the later stages then the stress of moving might have sent her on the final downward spiral. Thanks for the tip about the floating liver.

[terrig]

You're welcome, and nothing you could of done. It takes a long time to kill them so she probably had it way before you got her.