Poultry Gout

GOUT TYPES IN POULTRY

1. GOUT
Dr. JenyK John
Asst. Professor (Clinical Pathology)
SardarVallabhbhaiPatel University of Agriculture and technology,
Meerut

2. Definition
•Itisadisorderofuricacidmetabolismcharacterizedbydepositionof
uratecrystalsintissues
•Duetoincreaseintheconcentrationofuricacidinblood
(hyperuricaemia)andbodyfluids
•Mainlyadiseaseofhumansandbirds

3. Types
•Primary : basic cause is unknown or when the cause is an inborn
metabolic abnormality
•Secondary : Cause is known

4. Gout in poultry
•Uric acid is produced in the liver and is the end product of nitrogen
metabolism in birds
•Therefore birds can develop gout following abnormal
accumulation of urates
•Its not a disease entity, but a clinical sign of renal dysfunctionthat
causes hyperuricaemia

5. Manifestations of Gout in poultry
•Visceral Gout: Deposition of uratesin viscera
•Articular Gout: Deposition of uratesaround joints

6. Pathogenesis
•Birds are prone to gout because they are uricotelic(protein
metabolism product is uric acid)
•They lack the enzyme uricase, which convert uric acid into allantoin.
•Uric acid is water insoluble.
•Therefore any injury to kidneys interfere with elimination of uric
acid and which then accumulates in blood and leads to visceral gout

7. Visceral Gout
•Characterizedbyprecipitationofuratesinthekidneysandon
seroussurfacesoftheheart,liver,mesentery,airsacsor
peritoneum
•Synovialsheathsoftendonsandjointsandsurfaceofmusclesget
involvedandprecipitationcanoccurwithintheliver,spleenandother
organs-inseverecase

8. Gross appearance
•Deposition on serous membrane appears as white chalky coating

9. Microscopic appearance
•Clusters of uratecrystal appears as pale, elongated, needle shaped
structures in tissue sections
•Crystals are surrounded by an inflammatory reaction of macrophages,
lymphocytes, fibroblasts and foreign body giant cells
•Crystals not visible in paraffin sections only clefts in which uratewas
present can been seen

10. Causes
•Dehydration due to water deprivation
•VitA deficiency
•Mycotoxinssuch as oosporein
•Secondary to urolithiasis
•Treatment with sodium bicarbonate
•Visceral gout is only noticed in birds at the time of necropsy

11. Articular gout
•Sporadic problem of not much economic importance
•Clinically characterized by leg shifting, lameness and inability to
bend the toes
•It is characterized by tophi
•These are deposits of uratesaround joints particularly those of the feet
•Joints are enlarged and feet appear deformed
•White semi-fluid deposits of uratesmay be found within the joints
Chronic cases: urateprecipitates can be observed in the comb, wattles
and trachea