title: Blindness as a sign of proventricular dilatation disease in a grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus erithacus).
abstract: An approximately eight-year-old female grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus erithacus) was presented with a two months history of blindness. The radiographic examination showed a dilatation of the proventriculus, ventriculus and gut. Ophthalmoscopy and electroretinography revealed degeneration of the retina. A proventricular dilatation disease was suspected. The bird was euthanased because of deteriorating condition and poor prognosis. The pathological examination showed an atrophy of the ventricular muscles and lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates of the myenteric plexus of the proventriculus, ventriculus and gut as well as moderate lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates of the cerebrum with moderate neuronophagia. Lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates in the retina, indicating proventricular dilatation disease, and subsequent retinal degeneration were found. A potential common aetiology for proventricular dilatation disease and blindness is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine, An den Tierkliniken 23, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steinmetz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pees
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: M-E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Krautwald-Junghanns
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oechtering
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D010311:Parrots; D011379:Prognosis; D011531:Proventriculus / Q000473:pathology*; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*