Foreign Body Ingestion in Waterfowl and Elephants

Disease Summary

Alternative Names (Synonyms)

• Traumatic Ventriculitis
• Hardware Disease

Disease Type

Infectious/Non-Infectious Agent associated with the Disease

In elephants:

• Stones, fruit or vegetables, other objects. (B10.49.w1, B214.3.7.w3, D301.3.w3)

Infective "Taxa"

Non-infective agents

• Lead 
• Zinc

Physical agents

• Accommodation construction
• Fishing tackle
• Household rubbish

References

Disease Author

Major References / Reviews

Code and Title List

B10.26.w12, B11.34.w2, B11.39.w8, B13.19.w12, B16.19.w1, B29
J7.12.w1
P4.1992.w1
P5.29.w1
P8.3.w1

In Elephants:

B10.49.w1, B214.3.7.w3
D301.3.w3

Other References

Code and Title List

J7.30.w2, J7.43.w1
J36.44.w1
V.w5

Detailed Clinical and Pathological Characteristics

General

Clinical Characteristics

• May be found dead.
• Depression, weight loss, anorexia (may be acute or periodic); may be swollen abdomen.
• A foreign body such as a twig or wood sliver may be palpable in the oesophagus.
• Clinical pathology: raised white cell count in blood and in peritoneal fluid.

(P4.1992.w1, B11.34.w2, B11.39.w8, B16.19.w1).

• Asphyxiation if the object gets trapped in the back of the pharynx. (B10.49.w1)
• Anorexia. (B214.3.7.w3)
• Increased salivation. (B214.3.7.w3)
• Inability to drink water. (D301.3.w3)
• Dehydration. (D301.3.w3)
• For information on signs associated with foreign bodies in the intestines see: Constipation-Impaction in Elephants

Incubation

Mortality / Morbidity

• Death after two weeks from first signs in an elephant which had swallowed stones that lodged in the thoracic oesophagus. (B214.3.7.w3)

Pathology

• General - emaciation.
• Gastro-intestinal - presence of foreign body in and sometimes penetrating out of the gizzard. Inflammation and/or Impaction may be seen.
• Body cavity - peritonitis. May be pus around areas where an object has penetrated the gastro-intestinal tract.

(B11.39.w7, B13.19.w12, B16.19.w1)

Lesions may also be seen in other organs (air sac, liver, lung, skin) due to extension of foreign bodies and/or infection from the gastro-intestinal tract (J7.12.w1).

Human Health Considerations

Disease has been reported in either the wild or in captivity in:

[N.B. Miscellaneous / Traumatic Diseases tend to be under-reported and the majority are likely to affect all waterfowl species, given exposure to the related disease agents/factors.]

• Waterfowl ingesting fence staples, nails or bits of wire at the National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C. USA (P5.29.w1).
• Mute swan Cygnus olor with a potato lodged in the pharynx (J36.44.w1).
• Wild tufted duck Aythya fuligula in London, UK (1.5 inch long nail); hand-reared mallard duckling Anas platyrhynchos having swallowed 37 copper tacks and a piece of wire, bird having eaten brass heads of cartridge cases, Falkland Island flightless steamer duck Tachyeres brachypterus having ingested several pieces of wire, Falkland Island flightless steamer duck Tachyeres brachypterus having ingested a fish hook, probably inside an eel, European (greater) scaup Aythya marila having eaten a piece of wire; European (common) eider Somateria mollissima and other species having ingested pieces of wire (J7.12.w1).
• Red-breasted mergansers Mergus serrator: wood, string, part of a fan belt (J7.30.w2)
• Black swan Cygnus atratus downy, with peritonitis after ingesting a piece of wire (J7.43.w1)

In Elephants:

• A case of thoracic oesophageal blockage caused by ingestion of stones was reported in an elephant that died after two weeks from the first signs of disease. (B214.3.7.w3)
• Sudden inappetance in a female elephant was due to a coconut lodged in the throat. (B214.3.7.w3)
• Choke has been reported in Loxodonta africana - African Elephant when competing for fruit or vegetables that may be too big and cause oesophageal obstruction. (D301.3.w3)
• For further information see: Choke in Elephants

Host Species List

• Anas platyrhynchos - Mallard
• Aythya fuligula - Tufted duck
• Aythya marila - Greater scaup
• Cygnus olor - Mute swan
• Mergus serrator - Red-breasted merganser
• Somateria mollissima - Common eider
• Tachyeres brachypterus - Falkland steamerduck

MAMMALS

• Elephants (Elephantidae - Elephants (Family))
• Loxodonta africana - African Elephant

Disease has been specifically reported in Free-ranging populations of:

• Mute swan Cygnus olor with a potato lodged in the pharynx, in Scotland, UK. (J36.44.w1)
• Tufted duck Aythya fuligula in London, UK. (J7.12.w1)

Host Species List

• Cygnus olor - Mute swan
• Aythya fuligula - Tufted duck

General Information on Environmental Factors/Events and Seasonality

• Often appear to have been ingested deliberately, possibly as a form of grit, possibly due to shiny objects being attractive (J7.12.w1).
• May be associated with 'boredom' in fish-eating birds in captivity without live fish to chase (J7.30.w2).
• Birds newly released into an enclosure appear to have a particular tendency to pick up and sample objects (B29).
• Bits of wire, nails and staples are commonly dropped during construction of fences and left near fence lines (see: External Fence (Permanent Enclosure) Construction).

Regions / Countries where the Infectious Agent or Disease has been recorded

Regions / Countries where the Infectious Agent or Disease has been recorded in Free-ranging populations

General Information on Investigation / Diagnosis

• History and Documentation - General
• Physical Examination - General
• Physical Examination of Mammals
• Environmental Assessment
• Necropsy - General
• Necropsy of Mammals
• Treatment and Care - General

Similar Diseases (Differential Diagnosis)

• Choke in Elephants

Specific Medical Treatment

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General Nursing and Surgical Techniques

• Soft food until the object is ground down or removed (P4.1992.w1).
• Endoscopic removal. (P4.1992.w1)
• A coconut lodged in the throat was removed in pieces with the elephant under general anaesthesia. (B214.3.7.w3)
• Surgical removal of foreign body from oesophagus or gizzard (B11.34.w2, B16.19.w1, P8.3.w1, P4.1992.w1).
• Ventral midline approach and enter proventriculus for access to proventriculus or gizzard (P8.3.w1).

• Oesophageal Surgery of Birds
• Treatment and Care - General

Preventative Measures

WATERFOWL

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Environmental and Population Control Measures

WATERFOWL

• Removal of sharp objects (wire, staples, nails etc). from waterfowl enclosures.
• A careful search around newly-built fences etc. is recommended, using a metal-detector if possible.

(B11.39.w7, V.w5).

• External Fence (Permanent Enclosure) Construction
• Environmental and Population Management - General