TY - JOUR

T1 - Pathology and Plasma Biochemistry of Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) Males Wintering in the Danish Part of the Western Baltic

AU - Garbus, Svend Erik

AU - Havnse Krogh, Anne Kirstine

AU - Jacobsen, Mona Lykke

AU - Sonne, Christian

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - Blood biochemistry, body mass, and gross pathology of male eiders (Somateria mollissima) wintering in the Inner Danish Waters of the western Baltic Sea (the Great Belt Strait) were assessed in this study. In November 2015, 14 specimens were obtained from the area defined for examination. Of the subject animals captured, 1 had dilated intestines and 2 had granulomas with encapsulated shotgun pellets considered to be chronic in nature. All 14 males were determined to have enteritis along with acanthocephalan and trematode endoparasites. Compared with reference values for captive eiders, plasma values of alanine aminotransferase (93%), total bilirubin (45%), gamma-glutamyl transferase (41%), and alkaline phosphatase (92%) showed significant increases in all 14 male birds. Altogether, the plasma biochemistry and gross pathology findings suggest that up to as many as 20% of the eider males in the Inner Danish Waters of the western Baltic Sea may suffer from liver and bile duct lesions and enteritis. The overall effect on the bird's survival from the results of this investigation is unknown. Therefore, the authors emphasize that more research is required on wintering eiders in the western Baltic to obtain a better understanding of their overall health status during winter, as well as their responses to wound-related lesions associated with gunshot pellets.

AB - Blood biochemistry, body mass, and gross pathology of male eiders (Somateria mollissima) wintering in the Inner Danish Waters of the western Baltic Sea (the Great Belt Strait) were assessed in this study. In November 2015, 14 specimens were obtained from the area defined for examination. Of the subject animals captured, 1 had dilated intestines and 2 had granulomas with encapsulated shotgun pellets considered to be chronic in nature. All 14 males were determined to have enteritis along with acanthocephalan and trematode endoparasites. Compared with reference values for captive eiders, plasma values of alanine aminotransferase (93%), total bilirubin (45%), gamma-glutamyl transferase (41%), and alkaline phosphatase (92%) showed significant increases in all 14 male birds. Altogether, the plasma biochemistry and gross pathology findings suggest that up to as many as 20% of the eider males in the Inner Danish Waters of the western Baltic Sea may suffer from liver and bile duct lesions and enteritis. The overall effect on the bird's survival from the results of this investigation is unknown. Therefore, the authors emphasize that more research is required on wintering eiders in the western Baltic to obtain a better understanding of their overall health status during winter, as well as their responses to wound-related lesions associated with gunshot pellets.

KW - alanine aminotransferase

KW - alkaline phosphatase

KW - ALP

KW - ALT

KW - avian

KW - common eiders

KW - ducks

KW - gamma-glutamyl transferase

KW - GGT

KW - hunting

KW - pathology

KW - Somateria mollissima

KW - total bilirubin

KW - waterfowl

KW - western Baltic

U2 - 10.1647/2018-379

DO - 10.1647/2018-379

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31893627

AN - SCOPUS:85072110344

VL - 33

SP - 302

EP - 307

JO - Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery

JF - Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery

SN - 1082-6742

IS - 3

ER -