Causes and Prevention Methods of Gout in Chickens and Other Poultry

(1) Causes: Poultry gout is mainly a metabolic disease of poultry caused by protein metabolism disorders. Excessive protein concentration in the diet is the main cause of this disease. In addition, sodium bicarbonate poisoning, vitamin A deficiency, sulfonamide drug poisoning, Aspergillus toxin poisoning, damp chicken coops, and insufficient exercise can all induce this disease.

(2) Symptoms and necropsy changes: Due to the different sites of urate deposition in the body, gout can be clinically divided into two types, namely visceral gout and articular gout. Visceral gout is common in chicken flocks. Sick chickens show a chronic course, with poor appetite, gradual emaciation and weakness, ruffled feathers, anemia, reduced egg production in hens, white loose droppings, and red and swollen vents. In chickens with articular gout, the joints of the limbs and legs are swollen, with lameness and difficulty standing. Necropsy shows that in chickens with visceral gout, the kidneys are enlarged, with urate deposits on the surface appearing as white streaked patterns. The ureters are dilated and filled with urate or form hard urate calculi. In severely affected chickens, the surface of the internal organs (liver, heart, spleen, lungs) and mesentery is covered with a thick layer of chalky urate. In chickens with articular gout, there is a large amount of white urate deposition in the joint cavity, and some joint surfaces become eroded.

(3) Green prevention and control measures: The protein content in the feed should be controlled so that it does not exceed 20%. Give sick chickens "kidney swelling and detoxification medicine" until the condition disappears.