Indian Journal of Veterinary Pathology 28(2): 144, 2004 SHORT COMMUNICATION
TORSION OF INTESTINES IN EMU (DROMEIUS NOVEHOLLONDIAE)
CHICK
M. LAKSHMAN1, S.SELVASTINE RAJAKAMAL2 N. RAJENDRANATH3 AND L.
PRABHAKAR4
Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Science
Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-30 (A.P.)
T orsion is a pathological twisting of intestine on its
axis 1, which results in vascular strangulation,
ischaemia and occlusion of the lumen of the intestine. It
occurs in all species2,6 but most common in equines4.
The torsion is often difficult to untangle, the twist may be
360-720 degrees, either clock-wise or counter clock-
wise2,5.
In present case, torsion of intestine was observed in
8 days old emu chick during post-mortem examination.
Interestingly, the chick carcass showed a distended
abdomen with paleness and transparent abdominal
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muscles. After opening the abdominal wall, two twisted
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Fig.: Emu chick showing a point of twisting, ballooned,
congested and discoloured small intestine with
prominent blood vessels.
1Assistant Professor, Corresponding Author, 2P.G. Student,
LPM Department, 3Assistant Professor of Anatomy, 4Final
year B.V.Sc. and A.H.
areas were noticed in the small intestines, one at the ileum
portion and the other at duodenum part. Distal to the
twisted part of intestine the parts were greatly distended
with gas admixed with bloody mucus, oedematous and
severely congested3, 4 (Fig.). In the present case, the chick
was apparently healthy. The violent rolling movement
of emu chicks is a normal phenomenon, which might be
the primary cause for twisting of intestines4. In India, the
available literature on behaviour and such miscellaneous
conditions of emu chicks is very meager. Hence the
condition of intestinal torsion in emu chick is put on
record.
REFERENCES
1. Ganti. A. Sastry (1983). Veterinary Pathology, CBS
Publishers & Distributors 485, Jain Bhawan, Dhola Nath
Nagar, Shahdra Delhi, India. pp. 35.
2. George, L. Montogomery. (1965). Text Book of Pathology,
EDS Livingston Ltd, Edinburgh, London. pp. 291.
3. Jubb. K.V. F. and Kennedy, P.C. (1972). Pathology of
Domestic Animals. 2nd Edn. Vol. 2. Acadamic Press, New
York and London. pp. 94.
4. Runnells, R.A., Monlux, W.S. and Monlux, A.W. (1965).
Principles of Veterinary Pathology 7th Edn. Iowa State
University Press, Ames, Iowa, USA.pp. 600.
5 Vegad, J.L. and Katiyar. A.K. (1998). A Text Book of
Veterinary Systemic Pathology. Vikas Publishing House,
Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi.pp. 142-143.
6. Boyd, W.C. (1973). A Text Book of Pathology Structure and
Function in Diseaes, 8 th Edn. Lea and Febiger,
Philadelphia.pp. 852.