Use of a Vascular Access Port for Antibiotic Administration in the Treatment of Pododermatitis in a Chicken

Bacterial culture and susceptibility testing results of a wound on the plantar aspect of the foot of a 4-year-old, male chicken with a class IV pododermatitis revealed a multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli bacterium, sensitive to only a few antibiotics including ceftazidime. Concerns over the volume and frequency of antibiotic injections, combined with the likely duration of treatment, led to the use of a vascular access port to facilitate intravenous antimicrobial therapy. The port was placed and maintained for 5 months without complication, and the infection was resolved. This case illustrates the feasibility and application of a vascular port in an avian patient requiring long-term intravenous therapy.