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Ok I have a almost 3 week old Pheasant chick (ringneck) I noticed last night while holding him that his neck was a little swollen. When you pet him you could hear a crackling noise. I brushed the downy hair away and noticed he has what appears to be air filled sacks or blisters on the sides of his neck, the back of his neck and head and at the base of his neck where it starts to go into his back between the wings. I have noticed today he is scratching the side of his face and neck allot so it must itch. It doesn't appear to be painful. The sacks are not fluid filled and the skin is very transparent and ballooned up. What could this be, what should be done? Someone had suggested popping the sacks with a sterile needle but I don't want to hurt him and the person that said that is not someone that knows much about birds. He is spereate from my other birds and this is the first I have noticed this on him. Help.. Julie

Submitted: 437 days and 5 hours ago.

Category: Bird

Value: $9

Status: AWAITING CUSTOMER ACTION

Age: <1; Male; Breed: ringneck pheasant

Already Tried:
I haven't I don't know what this could be.

Accepted Answer

Hi there. Well actually, the person who suggested popping the sac with a sterile needle is correct- so maybe they are more of a bird expert than they think!!
The reason for the swelling is something called a ruptured air sac- birds have many airsacs (they do not have lungs like ours- they are connected to air sacs), these air sacs are filled with air so that the bird is light and can fly. Sometimes these sacs can rupture, and when they do the air builds up under the skin.
The treatment is to let the air out via a small nick. This may need to be done repeatedly, making sure you use sterile precautions( sterilize the skin to be punctured with surgical spirit or povidone iodine from the pharmacy).
If the air sac keeps leaking, the swelling will keep refilling- the only solution in this case is for a vet to make a permanent hole to let the air out of.

Andrea

Accepts:
Expert:	andrea roberts
Pos. Feedback:	100.0 %
Answered:	9/11/2008

Bird Veterinarian

15 years in companion animal practise, BVM&S degree Edinburgh university

436 days and 11 hours ago.

Reply

Thank you for your answer, now when I do this do I need to withdrawl the air with a syringe or will it come out with just nicking it with the needle. I do have sterile hypodermic needles and syringes. From when I use to vaccinate my dog when I had one. I am gonna accept your answer thank you so much for your help. Also the idodine you mention above is that the same kind we use on humans? I ask this because I have a small container my doctor gave me but it doesn't have a name on it also should it be diluted before applied or applied straight? Thank you again for your help I love this little guy so much already and I would hate to loose him. Julie

Posted by andrea roberts 436 days and 3 hours ago.

Answer

Hi Julie- Yes, you can use the iodine that you got from the doctor- it'll be the same stuff. You probably won't need to use the syringe to withdraw the air- just make the small nick with the needle and let it seep out itself- the problem with sucking the air out with the syringe is that you may exert enough pressure to pull air from the air sac as well as from under the skin, so to begin with i would certainly just make a hole and see if the air under the skin subsides over the next day or two. If the hole heals over quickly, you may need to keep re-opening it to allow air to drain. Good luck! Andrea

434 days and 8 hours ago.

Reply

Thanks Andrea, It worked very well. I kinda massaged the area and the air came out fine there was still a little left under the skin which came out on it's own. He is doing so well and was such a good boy. Didn't like the iodine being put on but didn't mind being stuck with the needle he actually slept while I did it. He is very chipper now especially since he can now preen himself again the air pockets were so big he couldn't reach many places except his breast area. Thanks again... Julie

Posted by andrea roberts 433 days and 18 hours ago.

Answer

Hi Julie. I am so glad to hear that the procedure was a success- well done! Andrea

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Age: <1; Male; Breed: ringneck pheasant Already Tried: I haven't I don't know what this could be.

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Hi Julie. I am so glad to hear that the procedure was a success- well done! Andrea

Related Bird Questions

Age: <1; Male; Breed: ringneck pheasant

Already Tried:
I haven't I don't know what this could be.