It is a well-known fact that parrots are extremely long-lived. With advanced age comes a wide variety of health problems, including arthritis. Arthritis is more of a syndrome than a specific disease: it simply translates to “inflammation of a joint.” (Arthros is Greek for “joint“ and itis is Greek for “inflammation of.”) This inflammation can be caused by a bacterial infection (septic arthritis); age-related degeneration of joint tissue (osteoarthritis); the accumulation of toxic-waste products in the joints (articular gout); or immune-mediated processes (rheumatoid arthritis). Osteoarthritis, gout and septic arthritis are of primary concern in avian medicine.
**For the full article, pick up the August 2007 issue of BIRD TALK**
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