초록
A 120 kg, 3-year-old, male ostrich (Struthio camelus) was submitted to the veterinary teaching hospital, Chonbuk national university, for chronic weight loss, anorexia, small hard fecal pellets, and lethargy. Illness was first noticed approximately 2 weeks before submission. Although the bird was able to stand, he was extremely weak and cachectic. Blood examination indicated that the bird was dehydration (PCV: 55%). Fluoroscopic and lateral abdominal radio-graphic view indicated impaction of distended proventriculus with bigger rocks than normal. Anesthesia was induced with ketamine (10 mg/kg, IV)-xylazine (1 mg/kg, IV) combination and maintained with ketamine (10 mg/kg, IV) at intervals of 8 to 15 minutes during the entire procedure. After induction of general anesthesia, the bird was positioned in dorsal recumbency. The skin was incised approximately 15cm caudal to the caudal margin of the sternum and extended 20 to 25 cm caudally. After the proventriculotomy was peformed, the impacted material that weighed 3kg contained rocks in 4 to 6cm diameter was removed. The incision of proventriculus was closed in 2 layers. Cephalothin sodium (30 mg/kg, IV, q12hrs) and dexamethazone (2 mg/kg, IM, q24hrs) was administered before and after 5 days of the operation. The bird was eating well and defecating normal feces after 3 weeks of the surgery
