Reference Values for Selected Ophthalmic Diagnostic Tests in the Caatinga Parakeet (Eupsittula Cactorum) and Yellow-Chevroned Parakeet (Brotogeris Chiriri)

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine reference values for selected ophthalmic diagnostic tests in the Caatinga Parakeet ( Eupsittula cactorum) and Yellow-chevroned Parakeet ( Brotogeris chiriri). Healthy adults of undetermined gender (15 Caatinga Parakeets and 13 Yellow-chevroned Parakeets), kept at the Triage Center of Wild Animals (CETAS, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil), were used in this investigation. Ophthalmic diagnostic tests were conducted in both eyes, including culture of the conjunctival bacterial flora with antimicrobial susceptibility test, conjunctival cytology, evaluation of tear production by phenol red thread test (PRTT) and endodontic absorbent paper point tear test (EAPPTT), measurements of palpebral fissure length (PFL) and corneal touch threshold (CTT). There was bacterial growth in 97.5% of the evaluated samples, with predominance of Grampositive microorganisms. The antimicrobial susceptibility test showed ciprofloxacin to be the most effective antibiotic. The conjunctival cytology of Caatinga Parakeets demonstrated hypocellularity with a discrete amount of squamous cells, whereas for Yellow-chevroned Parakeets, it presented hypercellularity and predominance of lymphocytes. Medians ± semi-interquartile ranges in Caatinga and Yellow-chevroned Parakeets, respectively, were: 3.51±2.2 and 1.67±1.95 mm·15 s−1 for PRTT; 8.74±2.0 and 5.89±1.48 mm min−1 for EAPPTT; 6.24±3.5 and 6.35±0.27 mm for PFL; and 4.5±1.0 and 3.5±1.95 cm for CTT. The ophthalmic parameters determined in this study may help in the diagnosis of ocular diseases in Caatinga and Yellow-chevroned Parakeets.