Metabolic
Gout
The term hyperuricemia refers to elevations of plasma sodium urates. For this condition to occur, 70% of the kidneys must be malfunctioning. Persistent Hyperuricemia can result in what disorder?
•Answer:
Visceral gout is a result of deposition of urate crystals on the visceral membranes such as the heart, liver and spleen. This photo shows visceral gout involving the heart.


Atherosclerosis
A common vascular disease of older captive raptors is?
•Answer:
Atherosclerosis can lead to ischemic cardiomyopathy (myocardial infarcts), ruptured aortic aneurysms and acute death in raptor species

Fatty Liver
Captive raptors kept as aviary birds or breeding birds, fed a rich diet and not on a regular exercise program, may be predisposed to developing what type of liver dysfunction?
•Answer:
Hepatic lipidosis, fatty liver disease, or fatty liver syndrome is when there is excess accumulation of fat in the liver. This is a serious situation that should be monitored and treated under the guidance of a veterinarian.

Amyloidosis
Chronic inflammatory disorders and infections are part of a complex set of conditions that may alter a protein insoluble, and be deposited in the liver. This progressive syndrome is most likely what?
•Answer:
Amyloidosis is caused by changes in certain proteins that make them insoluble and may be deposited in organ tissues. The liver is a common site for this syndrome. Predisposing conditions such as chronic inflammatory disease, chronic infections and some tumors may increase the serum levels of the hepatic acute phase serum amyloid A, the precursor protein of amyloid protein A. This is considered a fatal progressive disease. Diagnosis is made with biopsy of the liver

Metabolic Bone Disease
A raptor chick fed an inadequate diet leading to deficiencies of Calcium, Phosphorus and Vitamin D, may lead to what disorder?
•Answer:
Metabolic bone disease is a condition that affects the mineralization of the bones. This can result in osteoporosis, osteomalacia, rickets, fibrous osteodystrophy or nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism


Metabolic
The testes of birds are found in the coelomic cavity. Once the bird is mature and enters seasonal reproductive activity, the testes may enlarge. Just how much do they enlarge?
• Answer: During the breeding season, the testes may enlarge several hundred times and can account for 1/10 of the body weight of the male. They regress to the smaller size following reproductive behavior.

Metabolic
During reproductive activity the females may show what changes in the long bones?
•Answer: Polyostotic Hyperostosis is when the long bones show an increase of bone density radiographically. This is a result of the bone being the primary source of calcium for eggshell formation.
