A possible relationship between bumblefoot responsive to potassium arsenite and micrococci in the blood of three birds of prey.
Pododermatitis (bumblefoot) is a major health problem of falcons world-wide because healing processes in the talons are difficult and lengthy. A peregrine (Falco peregrinus), a merlin (Falco columbarius) and a saker falcon (Falco cherrug) with bumblefoot at different stages ranging from III to V, were all found to be carriers of micrococcus-like organisms in the blood and two of them were successfully treated with 0.5% potassium arsenite in low dosage given intravenously. A number of considerations are made on the immune dysfunction aspects of bumblefoot in birds of prey and on the emerging role of arsenic-based medicaments in the treatment of animal and human immune dysfunction syndromes.
Clinica Veterinaria Airone of Castiglione del Lago, Perugia, Italy. tarello@iol.it
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D000818:Animals; D018053:Arsenites / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D001717:Birds; D005260:Female; D005533:Foot Dermatoses / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D008837:Micrococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017680:Potassium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D018053:Arsenites; D017680:Potassium Compounds; C009003:potassium arsenite solution