Heterophilic leucocytosis and granulocytic hyperplasia associated with infection in a cockatoo

A female adult lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) presente d with a traumatic foot lesion that was surgically debrided. The distal lim b was immobilised, and the animal treated with antimicrobial drugs. Postope ratively, the bird initially appeared to recover well; however, depression and anorexia developed on day 3. A marked non-responsive anaemia with a sev ere leucocytosis and left shift were noted on blood examination. The patien t was fed through tube-administration for four days. Death on day 5 was att ributed to a traumatic oesophageal perforation. Postmortem examination sugg ested pulmonary collapse secondary to oesophageal rupture as the immediate cause of death. Microscopic bone marrow changes consisted of marked granulo cytic hyperplasia with erythroid hypoplasia. These changes were attributed to chronically stimulated myelopoiesis in response to a persistent infectio n, likely from the distal limb site. This case illustrates the ability of a psittacine bird to mount a marked heterophilic leucocytosis.