ABSTRACT
Cardiac Disease is thought that somewhere between 10 and 40 percent of companion birds have some form of cardiovascular disease, based on retrospective pathology studies. It is relatively rarely diagnosed antemortem, but as diagnostic techniques improve, an increase in the incidence of diagnosed cardiovascular disease can be expected. The diagnosis of intraventricular septal defects is becoming increasingly common, especially in umbrella cockatoos. Vegetative endocarditis of the aortic and mitral valves may cause vascular insufficiency, lethargy and dyspnoea. It is most common in birds with chronic infections. Myocarditis can occur secondary to viral, bacterial, mycotic and protozoan infections. Myocarditis has been reported with haemosiderosis, polyomavirus infection, chlamydiosis, Proventricular dilatation disease, Sarcocystis infections, Pasteurellosis, and mycobacterial and E coli infections. Pericardial effusion is a common finding in birds. It may result from cardiac or systemic disease and may be inflammatory (duc to pericarditis or myocarditis) or non-inflammatory.
