Avian Gastroenterology: Anatomy and Assessment

Gastrointestinal disease is a common presenting complaint in avian patients as owners can readily identify clinical signs associated with disorders of the gastrointestinal system. In birds, vastly different diets, environments, and feeding strategies have resulted in vast anatomic and physiologic differences between families. Practitioners treating avian patients should be familiar with the normal gastrointestinal anatomy and physiology of the species they are treating as well as how these species differences affect the diet and husbandry of captive and noncaptive avian patients.